TOP 10 BRING ME THE HORIZON SONGS

No matter what genre, what gender, what culture or what country of origin, the most notable and successful acts all have one particular trait in common; they always garner a passionate reaction.

Bring Me The Horizon, the biggest band to come out of our scene in the last decade, do exactly that. Whether you wish they were “real metal” again or think Amo is their best record to date, you’re likely to be met with as much hate as you are agreement.

So with that in mind and without further ado, here’s my top 10 BMTH songs:

While there’s no song that perfectly encapsulates every era of Bring Me’s career, this one is potentially their most diverse stylistically. Whether you enjoy the pop sensibilities of Amo or the heavier side of Sempiternal, there’s sure to be something here for most listeners. Plus, the chorus is insanely catchy.

9. Sleepwalking (Sempiternal)
If Myspace was still a thing in 2013, there’s no doubt this would’ve been a favorite song  on every second person’s profile. Seriously, I swear everyone was obsessed with ‘Sleepwalking’ when Sempiternal came out.

I can’t say I blame them though, the heavy riffs and huge chorus layered with delicate keys and synths make for one of BMTH’s best tracks to date.

8. why you gotta kick me when I’m down? (Amo)
This amalgamation of UK grime and science-fiction film score makes for an absolutely epic listen. I very rarely see this track mentioned amongst favorites, but even if you don’t love it like I do, there’s no denying it’s testament to the bands’ willingness to explore different sounds and ideas.

7. Pray For Plagues (Count Your Blessings)
It’s fair to say Count Your Blessings is a bit dated at this point, yet I can’t help but feel it still has a certain charm to it.

Whether it’s the typical mid-2000’s deathcore raw production quality or Oli Sykes’ ferocious high screams, I’d be lying if I said I didn’t revisit the record from time-to-time.

Plus, I’d be doing you a disservice to neglect mentioning it’s equally fascinating and hilarious introducing a new BMTH fan to their early material. The evolution and progression is simply unheard of and even mind-boggling. Maybe that’s one of their keys to success?

6. It Never Ends (There Is A Hell…)
Here’s another classic metalcore tune, and the bands’ first proper attempt at embracing electronics as a means of creating atmosphere within their music. Taking this into account and looking back now, There Is A Hell.. makes total sense as a predecessor to Sempiternal.

PS. You’re lying if “you say this is suicide, I say this is a war” and “every second, every minute, every hour, every day – it never ends” haven’t been stuck in your head for days on end at some point in your life.

5. The Comedown (Suicide Season)
While songs like ‘Chelsea Smile’ and ‘Diamonds Aren’t Forever’ could’ve easily represented Suicide Season on this list, the sheer energy of this track left more of a lasting impression on me. It’s a perfect opener to the record,  showing the band progressing past their deathcore roots into the beginnings of a more accessible metalcore group while still keeping that youthful brutality.

4. Throne (That’s The Spirit)
There’s no surprise this track is constantly compared to Hybrid Theory/Meteora-era Linkin Park but make no mistake, that ain’t a criticism from my perspective. Any band that can come close to matching that energy, catchiness and seamless mesh of electronics and hard rock deserves at least a gold star or three.  

I’m usually one to connect more with confronting and depressing writing generally, and especially so when I was younger, but Throne’s lyrics “so you can throw me to the wolves/tomorrow I will come back/leader of the whole pack/beat me black and blue/every wound will shape me/every scar will build my throne” are a refreshing moment of self-empowerment that I think us core and emo kids genuinely need.

I worry sometimes that people within our scene start to embody the depressing lyrics they consume every day rather than just using it as a coping mechanism, and forget that positive and happy music exists as well. I know I’ve certainly been a culprit of this in the past, but I digress.

3. Drown (That’s The Spirit)
BMTH are no strangers to controversy and division amongst fans, but I can distinctly remember the whole scene especially blowing up when this one came out.

Some were crying the classic “they’re sellouts” line as to be expected, and others praised Oli’s next step into full-blown singing.

Regardless of where you sat back then, I’m sure most of us can now agree that ‘Drown’ is an undeniable pop-rock anthem, perfect for arenas and deservedly their second most streamed song to date (behind ‘Throne’).

2. Doomed (That’s The Spirit)
I distinctly remember laying down in the dark once the clock hit midnight to listen to That’s The Spirit in full upon release, hoping to have an uninterrupted first-listen experience.

After hearing the singles previously, I wasn’t massively hopeful of enjoying the entire record if I’m honest, but this opener totally destroyed those assumptions in the best way possible.

I’d never heard such immersive soundscapes from the band before, or an Oli Sykes vocal note so pleasing to the ear (as heard in the chorus).

1. nihilist blues  (Amo)
I’m prepared for a lot of banter and backlash with this choice and hey I get it, ‘Nihilist Blues’ is potentially the biggest curveball Bring Me have ever thrown –   but damn, does it work.

Taking influence from older EDM and trance, this dark rave track is as eerie as it is poppy and as creepy as it is catchy. Whilst seemingly an unlikely collaborator, Grimes’ added expertise on the production side and her haunting vocals in contrast with Oli’s falsetto make for a next-level listen.

Yeah yeah I get it, there’s no guitars and it doesn’t have a chug-laden breakdown, but the drop goes hard live too, trust me on this one.