I've been looking forward to this one. For nearly 10 years, BMTH have been one of my favorite bands which usually surprises a lot of people given my usual listening habits. I've loved watching their evolution from rising deathcore lads to a band that can headline even the Download festival and knock it out of the park.
I wanted to do a ranking list earlier, but I was adamant that I'd wait until their new album was finally released which I wasn't expecting til around September this year, but thankfully they dropped it out of nowhere back in May.
Just a note as well, I know I don't normally include EPs in these lists but I'm making an exception for one here for Survival Horror, mainly due to the fact that no one actually refers to it as an EP and usually just a 'commercial release'. It has a studio album's worth of tracks and is longer than most EPs so I'm considering it a studio album.
With that out the way, let's start:
8. amo (2019)
Going back and listening to these albums again for this list, I was expecting this one to be the underrated gem of the group. I was disappointed with it when it first came out due to the poppier, more mainstream direction they were going, but given that I've come to love their current sound, I thought I'd have more appreciation for where they were going. If anything I now like it even less.
I'm all for experimentation but half the time it just didn't work and even led to what I believe are some of the worst tracks they've ever recorded like the terrible 'why you gotta kick me when i'm down?' and the absolute cringe worthy 'heavy metal' and 'sugar honey ice & tea'.
Thankfully there are some good tracks to balance it all out a bit like lead single 'MANTRA' which is still played live to this day, some poppier tracks that are actually worth a listen and quite catchy like 'medicine' and 'mother tongue', and the underrated as hell closer.
Rating: 5.5/10
Recommended Tracks: 'wonderful life', 'medicine', 'i don't know what to say'
7. Count Your Blessings (2006)
I really don't have much to say about this one. It was the band's first studio album and you can tell as they're still trying to discover their sound and the direction they want to go in.
This is a total deathcore album through and through, and Oli's vocals sound almost unrecognisable compared to his later work. Whilst the album is kept short at a nice 36 minutes, pretty much every track sounds the same and it all kind of bleeds together with only a couple of songs really standing out amongst the rest. Still nothing bad here at least and it makes for some nice, harsh background noise if needed.
Rating: 6.5/10
Recommended Tracks: 'Pray for Plagues', 'Black & Blue', 'Liquor & Love Lost'
6. Suicide Season (2008)
I'm surprised at myself for putting this one so low as it used to be a favourite of mine but I guess it just shows how far they've come since then.
This is the follow up that was needed after the decent debut as you can clearly hear the evolution of their sound, this time with multiple tracks that standout with way more thought put into them. They've still got that harsh deathcore sound with just a pinch of melody added now and again.
The only criticism I have is that the mid-section of the record is pretty skippable with tracks like 'Death Breath' and 'Sleep with One Eye Open' coming across more like filler, though huge tracks like the headbang worthy 'Chelsea Smile' and fan favourite 'Diamonds Aren't Forever' making up for it in style.
Great stuff.
Rating: 8/10
Recommended Tracks: 'Chelsea Smile', 'Diamonds Aren't Forever', 'The Sadness Will Never End'
5. POST HUMAN: NeX GEn (2024)
Finally after 4 years of waiting this album was released and..... it was pretty solid. I was disappointed at first as I was expecting an album of the year contender and whilst it's not quite that, it's still a damn good release.
The anticipation had been growing due to the high quality of the singles released ages before the album even released like my favourite 'Kool-Aid' which is a perfect example of the groups fusion of metalcore and electronic elements into their sound complete with big breakdowns and big choruses, along with the pop-punk masterpice that is 'Lost'.
My main disappointment came with a lack of great new tracks to dig my teeth into though some have come around over time with video game inspired 'Top 10 Statues That Cried Blood' becoming a particular favourite, though one track I tend to skip on relistens now is 'Limousine', which I've heard is a Deftones rip off so it makes sense as to why it's not for me as Deftones are also not for me.
It is a tad overlong and has a few too many 'interludes' but I still think it's a good time with the great outweighing the meh.
Rating: 8/10
Recommended Tracks: 'Kool-Aid', 'Amen', 'Lost'
4. Sempiternal (2013)
I might get some crap for not putting this one at the top spot but I just feel that some other releases are just slightly better. This is the point where the band really toned down a good bit of the heavyness and opted for big arena tracks which has worked out pretty well for them in the long run.
The first half of this album is an absolute masterclass with monster hits like 'Can You Feel My Heart' and 'Shadow Moses' demanding repeat listens as they crawl their way inside your brain and stay there for good. The second half isn't quite as hard hitting with cuts like 'Crooked Young' and 'And the Snakes Start to Sing' letting the side down a bit.
Aside from that, from start to finish, this is a fantastic effort and it's no wonder their popularity soared from here.
Rating: 9/10
Recommended Tracks: 'Shadow Moses', 'Sleepwalking', 'The House of Wolves'
3. There is a Hell Believe Me I've Seen it, There is a Heaven Let's Keep it a Secret (2010)
This was my first ever exposure to Bring Me The Horizon as I can vividly remember buying the CD from HMV, putting it on in my mum's living room, and just being absolutely stunned by what I heard and immediately having to replay it. I'd never heard anything this heavy before and I wanted more.
Even over 10 years later this album still kicks major ass. After experimenting with slightly melodic moments on 'Suicide Season' 2 years prior, they took it to another level hear, even adding in orchastral sections and clean vocals for a way more varied experience.
The absolute beautiful chaos of tracks like 'Fuck' and 'It Never Ends' need to be experienced. Like 'Sempiternal' this one is a little top heavy but there are no skippable tracks here at all. Wonderful stuff.
Rating: 9/10
Recommended Tracks: 'It Never Ends', 'Fuck', 'Crucify Me'
2. POST HUMAN: SURVIVAL HORROR (2020)
This album/EP came around at the absolute right time. We were still in the midst of the Covid-19 lockdown and, for me at least, this felt like a true bit of catharthis after endless months of staying indoors. 'amo' had decided a year before and the band came back with an absolute bang, a glimpse into their future, and some of the biggest and best tracks they'd ever recorded.
It doesn't hurt that they had Mick Gordon of video game 'Doom' fame to help them out. Opener 'Dear Diary' is the heaviest they'd sounded in a decade and the closest they've flirted with outright death metal. That's not to mention the total insanity that is 'Kingslayer' which may just be my favourite BMTH track of all time. It's a techno/metal fusion from hell in the best way possible and I can't get enough of it.
'Ludens' is the only track that kind of let's the side down but everything else here is tremendous.
Rating: 9.5/10
Recommended Tracks: 'Kingslayer', 'Dear Diary', 'Parasite Eve', 'Teardrops'
1. That's the Spirit (2015)
Of course this is number 1. I've the freaking artwork tattooed onto my left arm for god sake.
I'll keep this short but this album means the world to me. It was there when I was at my worst and helped me through some dark times and is now my ultimate comfort album. Tracks like the gorgeous 'Drown' hit me to my very core when I need to.
Aside from that, the album us just a brilliant ride from start to finish, from the gigantic chorus of 'Doomed' all the way to poignant closer 'Oh No' , this album hits all the right notes. I love it.
Rating: 9.5/10
Recommended Tracks: 'Doomed', 'Happy Song', 'Throne', 'Drown', 'Avalanche'
Thanks once again for reading! It might be a little while until I'm back again as I'm planning to cover the entirre 19 album discography of Black Sabbath so it's gonna take a while to get everything together.
