Returning to Denmark for the first time since playing Roskilde in 2011, Bring Me The Horizon (BMTH) have since changed their sound, moving away from the screaming deathcore that originally attracted their fans towards a new sound simply described as rock music by lead singer Oli Sykes. A new recruitment to the band, Jordan Fish on keyboard and vocals has aided the transition towards a more electronic sound. The screaming, however, remains.
Their fourth studio album, Sempiternal, has been met with critical acclaim in the world of metal music, where the band is a big deal. Outside it, their name does not bring the same look of recognition to people’s faces, so to reach #3 in the UK album charts is a considerable achievement.
Despite being hailed as their best work yet, the album has been mired by a feud between Sykes and guitarist Jona Weinhofen. Despite still being in the band during the writing and recording of the record in 2012, on Twitter Sykes has publicly advised fans to ignore anything Weinhofen says in interviews about the music. “I would like to advise our fans NOT to believe the comments or answers given by @jonaweinhofen regarding our album Sempiternal.” He goes on to claim that Weinhofen had nothing to do with the final sound and has no understanding of the lyrics. This seems unlikely considering his split from the band was only confirmed in January of this year.
To fans of the band, this childish spat will come as little surprise, as Sykes is no stranger to controversy. In 2007, Sykes was arrested after allegedly urinating on a female fan. Although the charges were dropped due to a lack of evidence, the story changed popular opinion of the band. It gets even stranger; in 2011, David Russell from Northampton in England, who had no prior contact with the band, was jailed after posing on the internet as Sykes, luring a fan to his home all the way from America and seriously physically assaulting her. Clearly not linked to the singer personally, it does give an idea of the extreme commitment shown by their fans.
Besides, the fan should have known that Sykes would have been too busy to go surfing for groupies. As well as a graphic novel that has more than doubled its Kickstarter target, the screaming singer owns Drop Dead clothing. Founded in 2005, the label has a solid reputation among fashionable teenagers, and the more minimalistic pieces of the streetwear brand can regularly be spotted on the beautiful people of Copenhagen.
Onstage the band are renowned for their energy and the encouragement they give to the audience to join in. Circle pits are guaranteed on Friday night. For everyone who thought that emo was just a phase and screamo wouldn’t last, BMTH are proving them wrong. Their sound may have a matured a little, like their fans, but the anger-filled performances haven’t changed.
Bring Me The Horizon
Amager Bio
Fri 20:00
Tickets: 270kr,
www.billetnet.dk
