After the release of POST HUMAN: SURVIVAL HORROR, I was extremely excited for the next installment in the POST HUMAN series. After a grueling wait, the only song to release in 2021 was DiE4u, which was not a bad track by any means, but didn't feel extremely polished. With that single, Bring Me The Horizon also laid out their plans for their next record to be along the lines of "future emo", which intrigued me. All the first half of 2022 had to offer from them however, were a lot of collaboration features, some of which were cool, but mostly seemed like a fun side quest of theirs. So, almost a year after the first single and almost two years after PH:SH, we have sTraNgeRs, adorned in their weird font format and boasting their "future emo" sound.
It feels exactly like a Bring Me The Horizon song, it's reminiscent of That's The Spirit and amo, retrofitted to the emo sound of the 2000s and 2010s. The clean vocals have a rawer grit to it, the guitar riffs and chord progressions feel very homely to the genre, and the incorporation of modern electronic elements gives a new life and energy to this refurbished emo sound that they're going for. This, alongside their world-class musicianship and writing, has resulted in a very euphoric musical experience to enjoy.
I don't really have much to put in words, when it comes to the melodies and musical design of this song. It's just what I've grown to love about Bring Me The Horizon, that everything feels very well thought out and considered extensively. When they subvert musical expectations, it feels intentional, and more importantly, purposeful. The quirks of the song that felt weird on the first listen have quickly become integral to the identity and exceptionalism of the song.
I have to admit, I love the lyricism and sentiment behind the song, and when it comes to how much it affects my love for the track as a whole, it's about equal to the musical design itself. I remember how profound it felt when I learned that the line "we're just a room full of strangers" was not simply a pretentious jab at modern society, but rather a brilliant way of describing the inability to form a personal connection between artist and fan. It's amazing how it both laments on how the band will never be able to know their fans in a human way, yet they are so connected by the music they share, and the message it brings across. It's an even stronger message, knowing that the song is about mental health, and it's in a way an anthem for the broken.
I love the positive undertones they've injected into this song. The melody choices and certain guitar licks in the song have a very optimistic tone to them, and I'm sure there's a way to describe this in music theory words, but you should be able to understand what I mean. I also love that the incorporation of electronic elements is very strongly to add to the hopefulness and cheerful sound that's juxtaposed against the context, especially the fun little outro section that I'd like to think is meant to represent a happy ending.
I do think that they've really hit the mark on calling this "future emo", the music really embodies what a futuristic version of emo would sound like. The release of this song, along with the already released DiE4u, gives us a very definitive sound to expect for the next record. Hopeful cynicism, anthemic sounds, heartfelt lyricism, and a tasteful reimagination of the emo soundscape we're all familiar with. What's not to like? (other than the gap between releases...)
Rating: 4/5