Bring Me The Horizon (BMTH) have progressively outgrown and altered their original sound since their first album release in 2006. Sempiternal and That’s The Spirit were both albums that showcased their growth and their venture into more rhythmic, and less metal-core rock. Amo is an extension of their growth as a band. It shows their ability to branch out into different genres and kick ass in them too. Die-hard metal fans of their first two albums may be saddened by the new sound, but those who appreciate different styles of music will love this album. It is pure genius.
In 2016 Oli Sykes, the front man of BMTH, suffered from acute laryngitis which may have resulted in the new sounds of this album. Regardless of the less heavy vocals from Oli in this album, the songs really do take us to another level and show us the pure musical talent and flexibility of this band.
Guest appearances pop up throughout this album. My favorite, is legend Dani Filth of Cradle of Filth. He gives the song “Wonderful Life” a nice little bit of edge to the pop rock style song. The song “Heavy Metal” that guest features Rahzel, a beatboxer, is easily one of the best songs on the album. The song builds up to a nice ending that lets you know Oli still has the goods. It also gives a middle finger to the “critics” who bash the new album and sound from BMTH. “Mantra” is still ranking high on the Billboard Charts. And “Medicine” is a highly catchy tune that will easily get stuck in your head. “Sugar Honey Ice & Tea” has a nice rock sound that will satisfy rock fans as well. All in all, this is a pretty solid album that may take a couple repeats to fully appreciate, but once it grabs you, you will be hooked.
While listening to this album you will experience a ton of styles you would never expect from the band. You will find Symphonic, EDM, hip hop, R&B, or pop vibes mixed with rock and metal throughout Amo. Which is also why the album is so hard to categorize. But throughout the songs in this album, you still get these little awesome flashes of the original sound we have come to love from Bring Me The Horizon, and that makes the rocker chick in me smile. The lyrics are relatable and the music showcases a creativity, and an ability to change things up that is refreshing. Brilliant to say the least. I think this album will help the band reach a new group of fans, while introducing current fans to genres they may not have appreciated before.
I give Amo a solid 8 out of 10.
Amo track list:
“Mantra”
“Nihilist Blues” (featuring Grimes)
“In the Dark”
“Wonderful Life” (featuring Dani Filth)
“Ouch”
“Medicine”
“Sugar Honey Ice & Tea”
“Why You Gotta Kick Me When I’m Down?”
“Fresh Bruises”
“Mother Tongue”
“Heavy Metal” (featuring Rahzel)
“I Don’t Know What to Say”
