Bring Me The Horizon have released a mini documentary offering insights into the making of their current EP Post Human: Survival Horror.
The Sheffield band’s 13-minute film looks at the ideas and logistics behind making the nine song state-of-the-world address, which was released on October 30. It’s a fascinating exploration of the mechanics of creating art in the midst of a pandemic… not least because, as is revealed at the start of the short film, BMTH bassist Matt Kean is forced to add his contributions from the opposite side of the Atlantic Ocean, due to coronavirus travel restrictions.
Part of the video finds Horizon frontman Oli Sykes explaining the EP’s narrative arc, from opening track Dear Diary (“about going into isolation and lockdown”), and recent single Parasite Eve (“talking about a pandemic”), through to Teardrops (“about the emotional effects it had on us, living in the world today”), Yungblud collaboration Obey (“about brainwashing”, Sykes reveals) and on to the band’s much-talked-about alliance with Babymetal on Kingslayer.
In reference to Kingslayer, Sykes reveals that his lyrics centre around the idea of “breaking free from the program, breaking free from, like, this prison or whatever that we’re in”, stating that he interprets the song’s title, which he borrowed from the Call Of Duty game franchise, as meaning “someone who does what’s right, even if it’s illegal in the eyes of the law, or even if it’s not socially acceptable.”
For Sykes the term is important “in a time where Donald Trump is trying to deem Antifa ‘terrorists’… [and] Extinction Rebellion being classed as a terrorist organisation.”
“These are people that are trying to save the world, and they’re deemed as terrorists,” he says, incredulously. “If you know something’s wrong, and you’re brave enough to step aside, and go, ‘I’m not into this’ and I won’t stand for it and I won’t take it…that’s what a Kingslayer is.”
“The world’s changing every day and I wanted the record to be reflective of that,” Sykes adds. “Most of our albums have been deeply personal, and they’ve always been about kind of shit I was going through – whether it was a divorce or drug addiction or something, it always seemed to be something that I had to kind of vent and kind of get out. And this is the first record where it’s talking about something that’s bigger than myself.”
“I like how Oli’s talking a lot more about things that are current,” adds Horizon keyboardist Jordan Fish. “I’m just enjoying that. It’s not really pandemic-related – a lot of it’s more the way that this whole time period feels. I feel like it’s reflected quite nicely in the kind of stories he’s telling.”
The documentary also features input from Evanescence’s Amy Lee and Nova Twins, explaining how they came to guest on the EP, on the tracks One Day The Only Butterflies Left Will Be In Your Chest As You March Towards Your Death and 1x1, respectively.
