Bring Me The Horizon – That’s The Spirit

September 11th 2015 Rock 45:03

Two and a bit years after the critically acclaimed 2013 album ‘Sempiternal’, Bring Me The Horizon released ‘That’s The Spirit’ – an album that can only be described as a logical progression of their new found electronic sound thanks to the addition of Jordan Fish.

I like to think of the album as the ‘punk kid’ of their discography. I mean just look at the titles of the tracks. Despite this, this album is so much fun and as previously mentioned, shows off the bands new softer yet still good sound.

‘Doomed’, the albums opening track, demonstrates this perfectly. It’s a slower paced song that trades out the thrashing drums and droning riffs from Sempiternal and instead replaces them with softer vocals and more spaced out percussion. It’s literally (in my opinion) one of their best songs and has so much weight. One part of it that still sticks out to me all these years later is the way Oli’s voice breaks during the bridge where he sings

“So leave a light on, I’m coming home

It’s getting darker but I’ll carry on.

The sun don’t shine but it never did

And when it rains it fucking pours but I think I like it

And you know that I’m in love with the mess, I think I like it.”

And whilst we’re talking about the lyrics, I should probably mention the epic and catchy chorus that will get stuck in your head all day if you even listen to this song once.

‘So come rain on my parade, ’cause I wanna feel it

Come shove me over the edge ’cause my head is in overdrive

I’m sorry but it’s too late, and it’s not worth saving

So come rain on my parade”

Chilling. And do you want to know what you get when you pair Bring Me, a 50 piece orchestra and The Royal Albert Hall? You get the best live performance of any song. ever. I’m so serious, give this a watch and you’ll see what I mean.

Much like other Bring Me albums, the second track often provides the same vibe but with a slightly different approach. In this case, ‘Happy Song’ serves as a perfect follow up to Doomed, this time, showcasing even more of the amazing production. The song feels more rugged yet put together than some songs from Sempiternal.

The song starts off with a cheerleader-like chant before going full guns blazing. It’s everything this album was trying to be in a single song. It’s loud, punky and filled with crazy riffs, punchy drums and decent production. A great way to guide us through the album when we don’t know what to expect (yet).

‘Throne’ takes its slot as the third track of the album and again, continues on with the themes seen in the previous two songs. It’s a really well put together track with vibrant drums, powerful lyrics and some more nuanced details, such as the harp that can be heard in the verse, that you really need to put headphones on to hear. Another major aspect of this song that differentiates it from other tracks on the record is the electronic influence. A siren like synthesiser can be heard pulsating during the chorus and even Oli’s vocals are chopped and sampled to create the main hook for the song. It’s a cool song but does sound slightly dated listening again over ten years later.

Track four aka ‘True Friends’ is a more dramatic take on a song about betrayal and separation. It sounds very much like other songs on the record, that is a bit more slower paced and features more radio friendly rock riffs than what the band were previously known for. That being said, it is a decent song with a very catchy chorus although it is not my favourite from their discography.

‘Follow You’ has a special place in my heart purely because it is the song that made me fall in love with the band back in 2019. Every now and then, I’ll hear a song or even a few seconds of a song and be infatuated and I’ll need to stop whatever I am doing and just listen to it. This is Follow You for me. A lot of people critisied the band on this album for diverting from their deathcore roots and heading towards a more soft image however, ‘Follow You’ is proof that lighter music can still be good, if it is done well.

The song brings all sorts of elements together such as electronic drums, a cute little electronic sample and a reverb soaked guitar with piano backing. Oli’s voice perfectly fits the vibe and the lyrics are absolutely beautiful.

“Show me what I can’t see when the spark in my eyes is gone.

You got me on my knees, I’m your one-man cult

Cross my heart and hope to die

Promise you I’ll never leave your side.”

It’s a softer song that proves you don’t need to be screaming to get your message accross. I loved it back when I was 16 and still love it now. And who could forget that chorus?

“So you can drag me through hell, if it meant I could hold your hand.

I will follow you, ’cause I’m under your spell

And you can throw me to the flames

I will follow you, I will follow you”

Please, if there’s anything you decide to listen to today, give it a spin.

‘What You Need’ really leans into the punky sound of the record which brings a bit of the edge back after the softer ‘Follow You’ that precedes it in the track list. The opening guitar that heads straight into the drums and bass creates such a ‘bad boy’ feel. They really had an idea of what they wanted this album to be and really did everything they could to get everybody on board with the new sound. It’s a good song and I feel as if it is one of the better tracks that aim for this new sound. My favourite bit of this song however has to be the bridge. There’s something about the plucking of the guitar whilst Oli whispers:

‘Yeah, hell yea

You make me wanna slit my wrists and play in my own blood”

The way the band fills in around this and brings it up to what eventually becomes the chorus is genius too. The drums coming in before backing vocals and then the sound of the wailing guitar from the intro all come together seconds before the final chorus. A really good song that captures the vibe of the album.

Whilst were on the topic of good songs, ‘Avelanche’ is a cut above the rest in terms of this album. I feel like a good song should showcase good production and songwriting that reflects the overall theme of the album. Avelanche is perfect in this respect. The opening melody immediately grabs the listener and is poppy as it makes use of light synths but is also equally heavy as it combines this with electric guitar and complex drum fills. After the intro, we are met with the first verse:

“Cut me open and tell me what’s inside

diagnose me ’cause I can’t keep wondering why

And no, it’s not a phase ’cause it happens all the time’

The lyricts suggest Oli is having problems and he doesn’t know what’s wrong with himself. The chorsus finally comes clean and shows us that he is experiencing mental health problems like depression and anxiety.

“It’s like an avelance, I feel myself go under

‘Cause the weight of it’s like hands around my neck.

I never stood a chance, my heart is frozen over

And I feel like I am treading on thin ice”

The chorus is perfectly matched again with the main melody and frantic drums that allow for emphasis on Oli’s words. Overall, it’s a brilliant song and in my opinion, a highlight of the whole album.

Sadly ‘Run’ is not my cup of tea. Thematically, it’s not a bad song but I have never really been a fan of it.

‘Drown’ is again another banger from the album and is way up there with ‘Doomed’, ‘Follow You’, and ‘Avelanche’. The song is bright and hopeful and whilst the subject matter is serious, it feels so triumphant in the final chorus. The song has a great and infectious melody that is paried with brillaint drumming by Matt Nichols. The song talks about similar themes as heard in ‘Avelanche’.

“Who will fix me now?

Dive in when I’m down?

Save me from myself, don’t let me drown.

Who will make me fight? drag me out alive?

Save me from myself, don’t let me drown.

The delivery on these lines being borderline screaming for desparation as the pulsating drums and guitar in the back really make this feel like a cry for help which is excatly what this song is meant to be. I saw it live on their Post Human: Survival Horror tour in London back in 2021 and I think it was the most energetic moment I have ever seen in a concert. Sixteen thousand people jumping to the final chorus as the arena lit up – a once in a lifetime moment that 18 year old me was lucky enough to experience :). Seeing your idols on stage is something special.

I think songs like this really shine through on the album as they showcase the new direction of the band whilst still sticking to their roots. Compare this to other songs that I am not a huge fan of like ‘Run’ and you can see a stark contrast. The brighter and more electronic songs feel fresh and new whereas the songs that are trying to be heavier feel a bit dated and don’t really fit with the albums theme.

Track 10 ‘Blasphemy’ is much like the other songs that are a bit heavier on the record – they aren’t super heavy but they do a decent job in providing the fix needed for older fans to still rock out to the album. It’s an okay track with good production although other songs such as the aformentioned ‘Avelanche’ and ‘Drown’ do a much better job of combining the new sound whilst still preserving the heaviness.

‘Oh No’ the finale to the album is simply a masterpiece and sets the bar for how to wrap up an album nicely. There are so many elements about this song that are unique but come together to make a great closing track. The pulsating synths and guitar heard in the intro and first verse set the scene and sound like something from CHVRCHES. So 2015 I love it.

The lyrics too are brilliant

“No, we’re not on the level, you’re just off your face.

It’s not a state of mind, no, your head’s just in a state.

I may be on the outside, but you’re empty within.

It’s getting kind of old now, I think it’s time to pack it in’

It sounds like Oli has had a discovery about a partner but instead of throwing a fit of rage, is instead dissapointed and has come to terms that things aren’t working out between them. The chorus too is great.

“Don’t call it a party, ’cause it never stops.

Now one is too many, but it’s never enough.

Don’t tell me you’re happy, ’cause this isn’t love.

So be careful what you wish for”

It’s a great catchy chorus that will get stuck in your head for hours. In terms of production and composition, that shines as well and I would regard it as having the most polished sound on the whole album. Matt Nichols drums are used to perfectly accompany and provide texture to the track whilst Matt Kean’s baseline keeps the song feeling light and fun. It’s less of a pop-rock song and feels more like a house tune with the four-to-the-floor kick drum and open hats that can be heard during the choruses. Whatever they did with the track, it’s bloody good.

There is also a really nice melody that comes about during the bridge of the song that kind of gives the listener a moment to reflect on all that they have heard during the total runtime of the album. It ends on a positive note and almost gives closure like saying goodbye to a friend. Something that is needed after the heavier themes on this record that can make it feel a bit like a downer at some points.

Regardless of what you might thing of this album, it can’t be denied that some of their most memorable and popular songs came from it. Whilst it is a pretty big split from their older works like Sempiternal, it does still show the same quality in everything such as song writing, vocals, guitar, bass, drums and overall polish and also had a massive knock on effect on the whole music scene. After the release of That’s The Spirit, more bands started including more of an electronic influence in their music and so it’s importance to not only Bring Me but also the wider music scene cannot be understated.

Overall, a great record that blends their classic vibe with more of a poppy-electronic feel whilst keeping that same edge.

Thanks for reading.