
In 2004, the very concept of the then-new metal band Bring Me The Horizon filling out arenas around the world was laughable to both metal-heads and the press. This was a band that initially formed to create music which sounded, "as heavy and brutal as they possibly could make it,” but with the extremely tight jeans, long straightened hair, and band t-shirts with flamboyant designs that the members donned in their early days, Bring Me The Horizon was a joke to the rock and metal community. As the members matured, so did their music, and the experimentation and life experiences of the members over the years has resulted in Bring Me The Horizon now being regarded as amongst the most influential bands of the “Myspace Era,” and receiving praise from their peers and gatekeepers of the scene.


On Oct. 19, Bring Me The Horizon played a show for an energetic crowd at Viejas Arena on San Diego State University’s campus. The band is currently on the Threesome Tour with opening acts Sleeping With Sirens and Poppy in support of their new album “amo.” In contrast to their previous work, “amo” is far less aggressive and abrasive sounding, largely ditching the hard rock and metal core sounds of their prior albums and incorporating more electronic and hip hop influences to their music. Despite the radical change in their music style, the band’s live performance was still full of explosive energy, with frontman Oli Sykes constantly initiating mosh pits and interacting with the crowd, at one point inviting a fan on stage to sing vocals on a song with the band.

As different as the music may sound today compared to their early work, Bring Me The Horizon has maintained the raw energy that initially gained them a fanbase in 2004. The difference in the band today versus the band of teenage boys from 15 years ago, is beyond the more welcoming and communal environment of the concerts, as we also see a band that is far more open to experimentation and evolving as songwriters. No longer wanting to make the loudest and heaviest music imaginable, Bring Me The Horizon has proven that no matter their genre and musical direction, they have earned their place on the stages of the world’s largest arenas and concert venues.


Written by: Alex Vasquez
Photos by: Alex Vasquez
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