“Come on and give me your expert opinion, ah, fuck it I settle down in a dump”

Amo is finally here and so I am to talk about it. I hope I am not rushing this since I definitely need time to process everything that has happened between That’s The Spirit and the new record but I have some stuff to say and I am literally itching to comment on the songs. I really wanted to take more time and get into the songs and their meaning deeper but this will also lead to a way bigger discussion around the entire album and era and I want to keep things short this time. Two things I want to make clear before the start –  first Amo is way more and way deeper than it looks like on the surface if you get into it, and second (as obvious as it is) what I am about to say is my personal view and opinion on the album and songs. Hope you find the blog interesting, enjoy!

Simple but incredibly fitting album art in the style of Bring Me The Horizon

13 songs, 51  minutes – a completely new Bring Me The Horizon. Considering That’s The Spirit era and the post Amo interviews the band did this album should not be surprising. However, I was definitely taken aback – and no I am not saying the album is bad. I actually enjoyed a big part of it (no, definitely not everything) even though I think there were several bad moves the band has made. But this is just my narrow-minded opinion and I am sure they know what they are doing. I have to say that I am extremely happy and proud that BMTH are taking their music in the direction they feel is closest to their desire and are doing it with a bang.

I see the album as a combination of a follow-up to That’s The Spirit – “the celebration of depression” the band manifested so well and a new theme revolving around love which goes in several directions. It is definitely very progressive and evolving with each song, the lyrics are just amazing (in the majority of the songs) and have references to past albums and motives the band has explored. What I really loved is that Oli and the band finally addressed the negative comments and annoying cries of the “old style BMTH fans” (yeah, seriously guys, this is not even a thing) in Why you gotta kick me when I’m down and Sugar, honey, ice, and tea. The lyrics of the first song are super on-point in terms of all the negativity the band has been taking for changing direction and following their ideas of how their music should sound like.

I see you, you on the edge of your seat
Ain’t you got some place to be?
Was hoping the suspense would kill you
Tell me, how would you begin?
Watching and waiting to sink your teeth in
Come on and give me your expert opinion, ah, fuck it
I settle down in a dump

With this being said, the album is quite diverse. Passive-aggressive lyrics and vibes from Oli towards people who have gotten on his nerves, songs about pure love and passion, a song which takes us back to the Antivist and The House of Wolves motives of religious fanatism (Mantra), several instrumentals and songs which sound like something that came out of The Chillout Session album, a song which deals with the pain you feel after a loss (I don’t know what to say). The album was said to be inspired by various effects of love and its consequences and I can definitely see that as the main theme, but I have to say it is also a combination of lots of other things. However, all of those things have something in common and it is passion. I feel that the band has finally managed to get to what they really wanted to do for a while after the (not so) smooth transition in That’s The Spirit.

In overall, for me personally, Amo is quite enjoyable. There are some extremely good songs which capture the essence of BMTH and blend it with a new sound and style, and there are some completely different songs far from anything we have heard from the band.

One thing for sure – I would love to hear some of the songs live and I think they would contribute to a great show so I am excited to see the new setlists for the world tour. I am happy that the band is evolving and experimenting with their sound and vibes, as well as that they still have their trademarked feel of “positive melancholy” present in most of the album.

Track by track commentary

Without getting carried a way I will share my synthesized comments on each track of the album based on my first impressions.

I apologise if you feel something

I have to say this is a great intro to the album. It leads to the overall feel and vibe of Amo and is also a very nice introduction to Mantra (and would be a perfect start of a concert, just saying). I find the autotune a bit unnecessary, but I am guessing it contributes to the effect of the song in one way or another.

MANTRA

The first single of the album, super energetic with on-point lyrics. Definitely has the BMTH type of energy to it, a song once again touching the topic of religion and blindly following the masses without thinking (or at least that’s how I see it). It brings back the Antivist and The House of Wolves vibes of aggression and anger.

But if I choose my words carefully
Think I could fool you that I’m the guru
Wait, how do you spell “epiphany”?

My favorite lyrics from the song

Nihilist Blues

I had huge expectations for this one judging by the name, however, it turned out to be my least favorite from the album. I find it extremely weird – like a trap song that you could hear in a shitty night club. The lyrics are great, but the overall sound and vibe push me away and I honestly do not enjoy it. Reminds me of a bad Celldweller song – repetitive and boring beat and an unsuccessful way to be hypnotic.

In The Dark

I have a very strong feeling this song is about Hannah and how their relationship unveiled. As I said this album explores love from several sides and this particular song touches the painful part of the otherwise great feeling. The song is one of my favorites since it has the melancholic vibe I am used to hearing in BMTH, great melody, super catchy, the lyrics are just priceless and Oli‘s voice is beautiful. I love to hear him sing gently and this fills my soul. It’s also a very progressive song which gets deeper and deeper with each verse and if you are familiar with the story of Oli and Hannah the song gets even stronger.

What A Wonderful Life

Another one of the singles from Amo. Great sound, way heavier than the majority of the album, which for me at least, brings great balance. It has the vibe of Bring Me The Horizon and is a great collab with Dani Filth, who I think should have had more time on the record actually. Just like Mantra, it is more aggressive and energetic and it also has a nihilistic feel to it which suits the band very well.

Ouch

Another super strong and very well executed song about Oli‘s relationship with Hannah (this time I am absolutely sure). The entire lyrics of the song depict Oli‘s feelings towards his ruined marriage really strongly and have a ton of references (for only a few lines of texts that’s impressive). I love the throwback to Follow You “I know I said I was under your spell/But this hex is on another level/And I know I said you could drag me through Hell/But I hoped you wouldn’t fuck the Devil”. The song is also super catchy and fast-paced and honestly, I think it fits very well for an intro or outro (add it to the setlist pls).
Medicine

Another one of the lead singles which shows the potential of Oli‘s voice when he sings. Really great sound and killer lyrics (once again I believe referring to a post-break-up situation). I would define it as a pop-rock masterpiece with a touch of passive-aggressive feeling.

Sugar Honey Ice and Tea

A very interesting way to say we are all full of sh*t. The song has a strange but not so bad start, it is energizing and in its majority, I have to say it’s pretty good. The lyrics are obviously a winner once again and the passive-aggressive mindset is still present. One of the songs I think is a great follow-up to That’s The Spirit and the topic of facing depression and not trying to run away from it.

Why you gotta kick me when I’m down

One of my absolute favorites on the album. The introduction with the kids’ voices is working really well for me and the overall vibe is super good. A mash-up of pop and heavy rock riffs which works surprisingly well, a very good statement from the band towards the people who keep complaining about the change of style – the lyrics are priceless. And the outro of the song is amazing.

Fresh Bruises

The song I feel came out of The Chillout Sessions. It’s a very eery electronic-infused song which has elements of Can You Feel My Heart. Exactly like a chillout remix, the song has sharp lyrics creating a great transfusion from the bad towards the good side of love. At first, I didn’t see it fit the album but after a few listenings, I see it fit perfectly in the concept of love.

Mother Tongue

This is what I am talking about. After covering the not so pleasant feelings Oliver has had to go through, after going through the fresh bruises we are ready to embrace love in it’s best and most enjoyable form. The meaning of the song is beautiful and really makes me happy to hear the progress Oli has made and the way he depicts the journey. It’s mellow, catchy, addictive – pop-rock at it’s finest.

Heavy Metal

A very catchy song, which is definitely one of the heavier ones from the record. Another song dedicated to the “old-school fans” of the band with heavy riffs and on-point lyrics. It kind of reminds me of Three Days Grace in their One-X era.

I don’t know what to say

An extremely emotional song which depicts the third aspect of love – the pain and confusion of losing a loved one (not in a romantic sense). The song strongly reminds me of Don’t Go and if you know the story behind it the emotional aspects gets even stronger. The orchestra touch of the song also fits perfectly to the vibe and reminds of the performance at the Royal Albert Hall (which by the way was incredible). A great way to end the album.

To be fair, the more I listen to the album, the more I love it and the more I start appreciating it. It is actually quite a good move come to think about it and it blends several very important and well-working topics. I strongly recommend it and if you have the chance – go see the band live, trust me they are amazing. I can only say congrats for making it till the end, thanks a lot for reading, and I hope you enjoy it. I would love to hear your thoughts on Amo so don’t hesitate to leave a comment or send me a DM on social media.

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