OLI SYKES Says New BRING ME THE HORIZON Album Pays Homage To 'Emo And Hardcore And Post-Hardcore'

In a new interview with Meltdown of Detroit's WRIF radio station, vocalist Oli Sykes of British rockers BRING ME THE HORIZON spoke about the band's upcoming seventh full-length studio album, "Post Human: NeX GEn", which will arrive on September 15 via Columbia Records. The LP will continue the band's "Post Human" series, which began with the 2020 EP "Post Human: Survival Horror". He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "It's part of four EPs that we're working on called like the 'Post Human' series. And they've all got their own particular sound. And this record's definitely leaning more into, like, I guess the kind of bands where I got obsessed with rock music was like when I got into my hardcore, post-hardcore emo phase. My first-ever show was LINKIN PARK, but then I started going to straight-edge hardcore shows and punk gigs and stuff like that, and local shows at pubs and stuff like that. And that's when I got introduced to hardcore music and then bands like GLASSJAW and AMERICAN NIGHTMARE and all that stuff. This record's definitely paying homage to that stuff. And even bands like FALL OUT BOY and MY CHEM[ICAL ROMANCE] and all the emo stuff, TAKING BACK SUNDAY and stuff. It's definitely got that feel, but then we're trying to push it in a direction that makes it feel like contemporary and modern and something new. So you get kind of the nostalgia of those years, but then it feels fresh, you know?"

After Meltdown noted that no two songs on "Post Human: NeX GEn" sound similar, Oli said: "We're definitely trying to hone in on a vibe, but then I guess the spectrum of emo and hardcore and post-hardcore and stuff like that is quite wide. So it does give us a fair bit of room to play within." Referencing the aggression of the recently released song "AmEN!", Oli said: "We're definitely tapping into like bands like THE DILLINGER ESCAPE PLAN and GLASSJAW. There is not that much difference between a metalcore song and when you get into that world of like post-hardcore and stuff, but it's more about the freeness and the kind of frantic and unhinged energy of it, which was really fun to tap back into, because I always feel like even when we're heavy, we've become quite a polished band. And it was very fun to kind of just throw all that out and just be, like, rough and ready again."

Two months ago, Sykes told NME about "Post Human: NeX GEn": "LINKIN PARK were the first band that I got into, but when I found GLASSJAW is when I became obsessed with music and knew I wanted to be a singer, so the album pays homage to that."

He continued: "I wouldn't say it's a hyper-pop album, but I've definitely been inspired by that world. I admire how obnoxious, trashy and in your face that music feels, which is what I was drawn to when I got into emo, hardcore and screamo.

"It's not that we've lost that in our music, but as you become a bigger band, things do get more polished. I want to go the opposite way. Let's be unhinged, let's stop trying to make all the edges smooth."

The frontman went on to explain how "the hope is that this record is pure fun" with "no limits on how or what we want to express."

"There's no, 'That song could be played on the radio if we don't scream,'" he revealed. "It's almost like we’re connecting to that time before BRING ME THE HORIZON had any prospects of being a big band. Back then, there was never anything but, 'What do you want to make?' — so we're trying to tap back into that."

BRING ME THE HORIZON is Sykes, guitarist Lee Malia, bassist Matt Kean, drummer Mat Nicholls, and keyboardist Jordan Fish.