Counter Cultured

17 Sep 2015

Day 1: Bring Me The Horizon – That’s The Spirit

Bring Me The Horizon : That's The Spirit - Sony Records

Bring Me The Horizon : That’s The Spirit (2015) Sony Records

Bring Me The Horizon are an internationally recognized outfit most famous for the ferocity they initially emerged with, as the band has progressed and developed they have shifted into a far less aggressive sound which awaits you with BMTH latest album That’s the Spirit.

Produced by frontman Oliver Skyes and Jordan Fish (produced records for Machine Head and Comeback Kid) the album lacks the live luster that Oli’s vocals maintain, the album as a whole has been over produced and even as a less aggressive sound there should still be some teeth within the record.Tracks like Thrown treat the listener with intelligent engineering and flaunt Skyes vocals while What You Need lower the expectations and experience to a level of cliché that I haven’t heard since listening to rock circa 2000’s.

Lyrically it is the weakest track from the record, being a commercial album What You Need almost ruined the album entirely – it’s a tune that capitalizes on mental illness which does not make you edgy by any right or imagination; it makes you a commodity but you have to pay for those tattoos somehow right?

While That’s The Spirit is a different direction to their initial sound it is a wonderful commercial record, having a refined yet wide scope in terms of marketability which isn’t an easy feat when it comes to this variant of harder rock music. Matt Kean’s presence on bass was probably my favourite feature on a quite a few tracks however my highest accolades and praise go to drummer Matt Nicholls – he is the uniting force and clarity on a record that doesn’t make a lot of sense.

I’d be very interested to see this album performed live, I’d like to assume that a lot of what has been lost in the translation of recording and production will be revealed when BMTH showcases That’s The Spirit in front of a crowd.