Bring Me The Horizon

Sheffield ragers celebrate a year on top of the world

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Whatever you thought of the poppier, super-synthed leanings of That’s The Spirit, Bring Me The Horizon have undoubtedly earned their seat at heavy music’s Big Table, and tonight is a celebration of a year that’s seen them cement their spot at the top of the UK food chain.

So, in light of that, perhaps we should cover tonight’s one minor gripe upfront: if Oli Sykes isn’t still miming on some of those new songs, he’s most definitely at least letting the backing track do a lot of the work for him.

In the grand scheme of things and given the spectacle of the show itself, it’s a small grumble that doesn’t appear to bother 99.9% of a delirious Ally Pally crowd, but it does make you wonder how he and the band will cope with what will likely be an increased reliance on clean vocals moving forward. We guess we’ll have to wait and see.

Oli Sykes up the crowd

Oli Sykes up the crowd (Image credit: Jake Owens)

Regardless of all that, the show must go on – and what a show it is; from the flurry of pyro, confetti cannons and smoke screens that pepper the stage at various points to the retina-scorching visuals that spin and swirl across the monstrous, two-tier screen, this is as good a stage show as has ever been put in this venue. It’s an incredible sight from start to finish, and the band deserve kudos for managing to put on an extravaganza that matches anything rock and metal’s greats could throw out, making for an electric atmosphere that never lets up. Predictably, the setlist draws heavily from That’s The Spirit and its predecessor Sempiternal, with only Blessed With A Curse and Chelsea Smile making the cut from anything pre-2013.

Not that the sold-out Palace seems to mind: every single song, including newies like a crushing Happy Song and a pandemonium-inducing Throne, is greeted with the kind of delirium usually reserved for decades-old classics, while Sempiternal jams like The House Of Wolves and a spinetingling Sleepwalking only further cement that album’s deserved reputation as one of the best heavy records of the decade. Ultimately, whatever you think of the whole miming thing, this was supposed to be a celebration, and a celebration it most definitely is. What this band has achieved over the last 12 years is nothing short of astounding, and the scariest part is that it could just be the start.

Merlin Alderslade
Executive Editor, Louder

Merlin moved into his role as Executive Editor of Louder in early 2022, following over ten years working at Metal Hammer. While there, he served as Online Editor and Deputy Editor, before being promoted to Editor in 2016. Before joining Metal Hammer, Merlin worked as Associate Editor at Terrorizer Magazine and has previously written for the likes of Classic Rock, Rock Sound, eFestivals and others. Across his career he has interviewed legends including Ozzy Osbourne, Lemmy, Metallica, Iron Maiden (including getting a trip on Ed Force One courtesy of Bruce Dickinson), Guns N' Roses, KISS, Slipknot, System Of A Down and Meat Loaf. He is also probably responsible for 90% of all nu metal-related content making it onto the site.