Bring Me the Horizon Reveal ‘Unhinged’ Musical Direction + Concept for ‘Post Human: NeX GEn’ Album

Over the weekend, Bring Me the Horizon used their Download headline appearance to reveal that second installment of their four-record Post Human series would be titled Post Human: NeX GEn, and would be en route for a Sept. 15 release. Now, singer Oli Sykes has shared more of what fans can expect from the forthcoming set, revealing the album's musical direction as well as the conceptual inspiration for the collection.

On the heels of the band recently releasing the aggressive new song "AmEN," Sykes confirmed that the second installment will be more emo and hardcore influenced. “Linkin Park were the first band that I got into, but when I found Glassjaw is when I became obsessed with music and knew I wanted to be a singer, so the album pays homage to that," explained the singer to NME.

It was previously established that Bring Me the Horizon would be taking on a particular style of music with each of the four records, and now we know that this forthcoming effort will be a heavier record for the chameleonic rockers.

Further speaking about the musical direction, he added, “I wouldn’t say it’s a hyper-pop album, but I’ve definitely been inspired by that world. I admire how obnoxious, trashy and in your face that music feels, which is what I was drawn to when I got into emo, hardcore and screamo. It’s not that we’ve lost that in our music, but as you become a bigger band, things do get more polished. I want to go the opposite way. Let’s be unhinged, let’s stop trying to make all the edges smooth.”

Sykes says it's his hope that the album is "pure fun" and that he puts "no limits on how or what we want to express." “There’s no, ‘That song could be played on the radio if we don’t scream’,” he continued. “It’s almost like we’re connecting to that time before Bring Me The Horizon had any prospects of being a big band. Back then, there was never anything but, ‘What do you want to make?’ – so we’re trying to tap back into that.”

The singer went on to reveal that the full album isn't quite complete yet, and that part of the delay in turning around this latest offering has been a bit of perfectionism. “Every song needs to be justifiable, and they need to be fucking good. They’ve always got to bring something new to the table, which is why [making NeX GEn] has been so slow,” said the singer.

READ MORE: Bring Me the Horizon Bring Back the Heavy With Lil Uzi Vert + Glassjaw Singer on 'AmEN'

Fans also got a bit of the taste of the new album through the band's Download immersive stage design, which had the theme of "The Church of Genxsis." Later in the chat, Sykes explains that "NeX GEn' and its cult were born from an AI Eve, a character that is tasked with bringing peace to humanity.

“As all AI nightmares go, things go wrong though and her answer was to make people faceless, egoless, opinionless and desireless, which is obviously a terrible idea,” said Sykes of the concept. “The live element has become this big fucking sci-fi opera, but the name ‘NeX GEn’ was originally about how the next generation is our only hope and we’ve got to try and make sure they don’t make the same mistakes as us."

He continued, “It’s also about what I can teach them and what I have learned from growing up in the public eye. I’m not a celebrity but I know what it means to be a polarizing figure that people either love or hate. Ten years ago, that wasn’t a universally shared feeling but [with social media] everyone can understand that. There’s almost this blood-thirsty desire to rip someone down online.”

Sykes says that how online discourse has started to impact public interaction is part of the muse, noting, “Everything’s black or white and you’re either a soy boy or a bigot. There’s no room for conversation. Even our Prime Ministers and our Presidents are so quick to say whatever it is to appease their followers”.

“There’s a lot of dark shit on Post Human: ‘NeX GEn,” he continued. “If Survival Horror was about an apocalyptic event, the second record explores what’s next."

“I’m trying to make every song about me and a wider issue at the same time,” he added. “I don’t want to give too much away but the first song for the album is finished and it’s almost like an AA meeting, where we’re all sharing our stories about our guilt and trying to work through it together.”

As stated, Bring Me the Horizon's Post Human: NeX GEn is on target for a Sept. 15 release. Pre-orders are available here. And you can look for the band on tour in support of the album. Get your tickets here.