Bring Me the Horizon's founding members came from diverse musical backgrounds within metal and rock. Matt Nicholls and Oliver Sykes had a common interest in American metalcore such as Norma Jean and Skycamefalling, and used to attend local hardcore punk shows. They later met Lee Malia, who spoke with them about thrash metal and melodic death metal bands like Metallica and At the Gates; Malia had also been part of a Metallica tribute band before meeting the pair. Bring Me the Horizon officially formed in March 2004, when the members were aged 15 to 17. Curtis Ward, who also lived in the Rotherham area, joined Sykes, Malia and Nicholls. Bassist Matt Kean, who was in other local bands, completed the line-up. Their name was taken from the line in the film Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl, where Captain Jack Sparrow says "Now, bring me that horizon."
In the months following their formation, Bring Me the Horizon created a demo album titled Bedroom Sessions. They followed this by releasing their first EP, This Is What the Edge of Your Seat Was Made For in September 2004 through local UK label Thirty Days of Night Records. Bring Me the Horizon were the label's first signing. It was recorded at Pristine Studios in Nottingham over the course of two weekends, with drums and bass guitar laid down over the first weekend, and guitars and vocals completed a week later.
UK label Visible Noise noticed the band after the release of their EP, and signed them for a four-album deal, in addition to re-releasing the EP in January 2005. The re-release gained the band significant attention, eventually peaking at No. 41 on the UK album charts. The band was later awarded Best British Newcomer at the 2006 Kerrang! Awards ceremony.
The band's first tour was supporting The Red Chord across the United Kingdom. As with other early tours, they were able to get this slot by tricking venue promoters. Kean and Oliver's mother were the de facto managers of the band at this time, a role they continued to occupy until 2008. For The Red Chord support, Kean emailed promoters and pretended they were opening on all the dates, when they were supposed to play only at their local show. This led them to being booked for the whole tour. In another case, Sykes created an e-mail account in the name of Johnny Truant vocalist Oliver Mitchell, which he used to contact a promoter requesting Bring Me the Horizon on their tour. Alcohol consumption fuelled their live performances in their early history when the band would get so drunk they vomited on stage and damaged their equipment.
The band released their debut album Count Your Blessings in October 2006 in the United Kingdom and in August 2007 in the United States. They rented a house in the country to write songs, but easily became distracted. They then recorded the album in inner-city Birmingham, a process which was infamous for their excessive and dangerous drinking. During this period drummer Nicholls summarised it saying "we were out every night, just being regular 18-year-olds". Critics panned the album adding to the strongly polarised responses the band were already seeing from the public.
Bring Me the Horizon recorded their second studio album, Suicide Season, in Sweden with producer Fredrik Nordström. He was unimpressed with their first album and was initially absent from the recording sessions unless he needed to be there. Nordström later heard the new sound they were experimenting with during a recording session and became very involved in the record. It was promoted virally in the weeks before its release with the promotional tag line "September is Suicide Season."
During the Taste of Chaos tour in March of that year, guitarist Curtis Ward left the band. His relationship with the band had deteriorated as his stage performances were poor. He was abusive to audiences during the Taste of Chaos tour, and had contributed little to the writing of Suicide Season. Another reason for his departure was the worsening tinnitus in his one functioning ear. Ward was born deaf in one ear and admitted playing in the band worsened the ringing in his other ear to such a degree that he was unable to sleep at night. Ward offered to perform the rest of the tour dates, which the band rejected and instead asked their guitar technician, Dean Rowbotham, to substitute for him for the remaining performances. Lee Malia noted that Ward's departure helped improve everyone's mood as he had been very negative. Within a week of the tour finishing, Sykes began talking to Jona Weinhofen, at the time the guitarist of Bleeding Through. The band knew of him from his work with his former band I Killed the Prom Queen, and he was asked to join them. Ward has since worked on the TV show Top Gear, and has occasionally performed on stage with Bring Me The Horizon, playing "Pray For Plagues", most notably at Wembley Arena in 2015. In 2016, it was announced that Ward had joined the band Counting Days.
In November 2009, Bring Me the Horizon released a remixed version of Suicide Season, titled Suicide Season: Cut Up! Musicians and producers featured on the album include: Ben Weinman, Skrillex, L’Amour La Morgue, Utah Saints and Shawn Crahan. Musically, the album incorporates many genres including: electronica, drum and bass, hip-hop and dubstep. The dubstep style of the record has been acknowledged in tracks by Tek-One and Skrillex while the hip-hop elements are found in Travis McCoy's remix of "Chelsea Smile".
The band's third album, and first with their new rhythm guitarist Jona Weinhofen, titled There Is a Hell, Believe Me I've Seen It. There Is a Heaven, Let's Keep It a Secret., was released on 4 October 2010 and debuted at number 17 on the Billboard 200 in the United States, number 13 on the UK Album Chart, and number one on the Australian Albums Chart, the UK Rock Chart and the UK Indie Chart. Despite reaching number one in Australia, the album's sales were the lowest for a number one album in the history of the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) charts.
Matt Nicholls describes the lyrical themes of There Is a Hell as being "repercussions of everything we were singing about on our last CD [Suicide Season]," calling the music and lyrics a lot moodier and darker. Five singles were released from the album including: "It Never Ends", "Anthem", "Blessed with a Curse", "Visions", and "Alligator Blood", with music videos produced for each of the songs.
2011 ended with an announcement by the band on 29 December of a new extended play titled The Chill Out Sessions, a collaborative effort with British DJ Draper. Draper first released an "officially sanctioned" remix of the song "Blessed with a Curse" in May 2011. The EP was originally supposed to be released in time for New Year's Day, and made available for download and purchase though Bring Me the Horizon's website, but the EP's release was cancelled due to the band's "current management and label situation".
After an intense touring schedule, Bring Me the Horizon finally completed their third album's promotion at the end of 2011. They returned to the UK for an extended break and eventually starting work on their next album. Much like their previous two albums, they wrote their fourth album in seclusion and isolation to stay focused. This time, they retreated to a house in the Lake District. In July, the band started to publish images of themselves recording at a 'Top Secret Studio Location,' and revealed they were working with producer Terry Date for the recording and production of the album. On 30 July, the band announced they had left their label and signed with RCA, who would release their fourth album in 2013. In late October it was announced that the fourth album would be called Sempiternal with a tentative release in early 2013. On 22 November the band released the Draper collaborative album The Chill Out Sessions free of charge.
On 4 January 2013, Bring Me the Horizon released the first single from Sempiternal, "Shadow Moses". It was first played by radio presenter Daniel P. Carter on BBC's Radio 1. Due to popular demand, Epitaph released the music video for the song a week earlier than planned. In January, the band also saw a change in their line up. This began early in the month when Jordan Fish, Worship keyboardist and session musician for the band during the writing of Sempiternal, was announced as a full member. Then later in the month, Jona Weinhofen left the band. Despite the band denying speculation that Fish replaced Weinhofen, reviewers said that replacing a guitarist with a keyboardist better fit their style. The album was released the 1st of march, 2013. The album was supported by multiple music videos including "Go To Hell, For Heaven's Sake", "Sleepwalking" and "Can You Feel My Heart". The lyrics on Sempiternal mainly deal with Sykes' journey through rehabilitation from ketamine.
Later in 2014, the band released two new tracks titled "Drown" on 21 October, as a stand-alone single, and "Don't Look Down" on 29 October, as part of the re-score of Drive.
In late June, the band began to promote pictures of an umbrella symbol being used as a tattoo, and on stickers, and posters across England, the United States, Australia, and Europe; it was later used for a promotional cover for the band's first single. The band released a short video in early July where the words "that's the spirit" could be heard in reverse. On 13 July 2015, the promotional single "Happy Song" was released on the band's Vevo page, and on 21 July 2015, Sykes revealed the album's name was That's the Spirit. The band released the single and music video for "Throne" on 23 July 2015, and another promotional track from the album, titled "True Friends", was released on 24 August 2015. The album was released on 11 September 2015 to critical acclaim. It has led to several music videos including "Drown", "Throne", "True Friends", "Follow You", "Avalanche", and "Oh No".
On 22 April 2016, the band performed a live concert with an orchestra conducted by Simon Dobson at the Royal Albert Hall in London. The concert marked the first time the band had performed with a live orchestra. It was recorded, and the live album, Live at the Royal Albert Hall, was released on 2 December 2016 through the crowdfunding platform PledgeMusic on CD, DVD, and vinyl, with all proceeds donated to Teenage Cancer Trust.
In August 2018, cryptic posters appeared in major cities throughout the world with the message "do you wanna start a cult with me?". The posters were attributed by major media outlets to the band only by their use of the hexagram logo previously used by the band. During this time the band themselves have not acknowledged their involvement with the campaign publicly. Each poster provided a unique phone number and a website address. The website provided a brief message titled "An Invitation To Salvation" and shows the date of 21 August 2018. The phone lines placed fans on hold with lengthy, varied audio messages that changed frequently. Some of these messages reportedly end with a distorted audio clip of what was assumed to be new music from the band.
On 21 August, the band released the lead single "Mantra". The following day the band announced their new album Amo set for release on 11 January 2019 along with a new set of tour dates called the First Love World Tour. On 21 October, the band released their second single "Wonderful Life" featuring Dani Filth, along with the tracklist for Amo. That same day, the band announced that the album has been delayed and is now set for 25 January 2019. On 3 January 2019, the band released their third single "Medicine" and its corresponding music video.
Wonderful Life
Bring Me the Horizon Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Yeah, okay, no it's, that's fine
I read a fun fact about the brain and
How it starts to deteriorate when
We get to twenty-seven or thereabouts (yeah)
It got me thinking about my head
And what I can do to help stimulate it
Makes me sad, but I've forgotten what I'm on about
Looked on the bright side, got keratitis
And you can't sit there unless you're righteous
I wear a happy face like I'm Ed Gein
I feel all numb now, is that a feeling?
Like a plastic boxed orange with no peel on
I wanna waste, I wanna waste, I wanna waste away
(Yeah!)
Alone, getting high on a Saturday night
I'm on the edge of a knife
Nobody cares if I'm dead or alive
Oh, what a wonderful life
Oi, Debbie Downer, what's your problem?
Don't wanna be here, still call shotgun
You got the FOMO coursing through my veins (yo, yay, yo, yay)
This is not a drill, no, this is the real world
Domesticated, still a little feral
Well, don't you know to chew with your mouth closed?
(And it's all gone wrong!)
Alone, getting high on a Saturday night
I'm on the edge of a knife (yeah)
Nobody cares if I'm dead or alive
Oh, what a wonderful life
(Oh, what a wonderful life)
(Oh, what a wonderful life)
Alright
I got a Type Two kinda thirstiness
A far-out otherworldliness
And one day this might hurt me less
But everybody knows I'm still down
Don't tell me what the butcher does
There's no need for the obvious
So ugly, still, it's kinda lush
But everybody knows I made vows
Left feet on the podium
Can't think of an alternate
And hell yeah, I'm the awkwardest
But everybody knows I got bounce
(Yeah)
Alone, getting high on a Saturday night
I'm on the edge of a knife
Nobody cares if I'm dead or alive
Oh, what a wonderful life
Oh, what a wonderful life
Oh, what a wonderful life
Nobody cares if I'm dead or alive
Oh, what a wonderful life
The lyrics of "Wonderful Life" by Bring Me the Horizon may seem like a celebration of a nihilistic and hedonistic lifestyle, but upon closer examination, the song is a critique of the emptiness and superficiality of modern society. The first verse references a scientific study about brain deterioration, which leads the singer to question how he can stimulate his brain. He then gets sidetracked and forgets what he was thinking about, which highlights the scattered and unfocused nature of modern life.
The second verse features the singer lamenting his own numbness and inability to feel anything. He compares himself to a plastic orange without a peel, which is a powerful metaphor for the emptiness and superficiality of modern society. The chorus "Alone, getting high on a Saturday night, I'm on the edge of a knife, nobody cares if I'm dead or alive, oh what a wonderful life" embodies the nihilistic nature of modern society; where people are alone, disconnected from others, and searching for a sense of meaning in a world that is chaotic and indifferent.
The bridge of the song is the most potent part of the lyrics, in which the singer confronts the emptiness of his lifestyle and admits that it might eventually hurt him. The ambiguous nature of the lyrics forces the listener to reflect on the singer’s past and future. Is he a person who can't get his act together, or has he made vows that he knows he can't keep? Whatever the case may be, the song speaks to the widespread anxiety and despair that characterizes modern society.
Line by Line Meaning
Hey, uh, are we rolling?
Asking if the recording is on.
Yeah, okay, no it's, that's fine
Acknowledging the current situation and moving forward.
I read a fun fact about the brain and
Commenting on some information that they learned.
How it starts to deteriorate when
Describing what happens to the brain.
We get to twenty-seven or thereabouts (yeah)
Referencing a specific age.
It got me thinking about my head
Reflecting on their own state of mind.
And what I can do to help stimulate it
Considering ways to improve their brain function.
Makes me sad, but I've forgotten what I'm on about
Feeling melancholic and unsure about their original point.
Looked on the bright side, got keratitis
Trying to stay optimistic despite a medical condition.
And you can't sit there unless you're righteous
Declaring a specific requirement to sit in a certain spot.
I wear a happy face like I'm Ed Gein
Using a reference to a notorious killer to ironically describe their own demeanor.
I feel all numb now, is that a feeling?
Questioning whether their emotional state is truly a feeling.
Like a plastic boxed orange with no peel on
Comparing themselves to a fruit without a protective outer layer.
I wanna waste, I wanna waste, I wanna waste away
Expressing a desire to self-destruct.
Alone, getting high on a Saturday night
Describing their current state of being.
I'm on the edge of a knife
Feeling metaphorically close to danger or death.
Nobody cares if I'm dead or alive
Believing that no one values their life.
Oh, what a wonderful life
Sarcastically emphasizing the irony of the previous line.
Oi, Debbie Downer, what's your problem?
Addressing someone with a negative attitude.
Don't wanna be here, still call shotgun
Unwilling to participate, but still wanting to be in control.
You got the FOMO coursing through my veins (yo, yay, yo, yay)
Feeling the desire to be part of something they are missing out on.
This is not a drill, no, this is the real world
Emphasizing the seriousness of the situation.
Domesticated, still a little feral
Describing one's own behavior as a mixture of tame and wild.
Well, don't you know to chew with your mouth closed?
Admonishing someone else for bad manners.
And it's all gone wrong!
Expressing frustration with the way things are going.
I got a Type Two kinda thirstiness
Describing a specific type of thirst.
A far-out otherworldliness
Feeling disconnected from reality.
And one day this might hurt me less
Hoping that things will improve in the future.
But everybody knows I'm still down
Acknowledging that they are still struggling emotionally.
Don't tell me what the butcher does
Pushing back against being told what to do.
There's no need for the obvious
Feeling insulted by something that is self-evident.
So ugly, still, it's kinda lush
Finding beauty in something that others may not appreciate.
But everybody knows I made vows
Referencing past promises made to oneself or others.
Left feet on the podium
Feeling awkward or out of place.
Can't think of an alternate
Being unable to come up with a solution or alternative.
And hell yeah, I'm the awkwardest
Embracing one's own awkwardness.
But everybody knows I got bounce
Asserting that they have resilience and energy.
Nobody cares if I'm dead or alive
Echoing a previous line about lack of concern for their well-being.
Oh, what a wonderful life
Repeating the sarcastic exclamation from earlier in the song.
Oh, what a wonderful life
Repeating the sarcastic exclamation from earlier in the song.
Oh, what a wonderful life
Repeating the sarcastic exclamation from earlier in the song.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: Oliver Scott Sykes, Matthew Kean, Jordan Keith Fish, Lee David Malia, Matthew Stephen Nicholls, Daniel Lloyd Davey
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@beesechurger5177
Amo is a 13 song Album and has been delayed from the 11th of Jan to tthe 25th of Jan.
"I Apologise If You Feel Something"
2."Mantra"
3."Nihilist Blues" (featuring Grimes)
4."In the Dark"
5."Wonderful Life" (featuring Dani Filth)
6."Ouch"
7."Medicine"
8."Sugar Honey Ice & Tea"
9."Why You Gotta Kick Me When I'm Down?"
10."Fresh Bruises"
11."Mother Tongue"
12."Heavy Metal" (featuring Rahzel)
13."I Don't Know What to Say
@iDimitriTV
The song seems to be about the boring life as an adult in your late 20s/early 30s. No regular going out anymore, friends don't hit you up as often, everyone's having families, acting like they have the time of their life even though it got boring as hell. The video is a great addition to the song, it's just random boring clips of everyday life, the exact vibe the song is trying to get across.
@Hanntaytay
yep
@charlieberry4354
Well that’s a good interpretation 👍
@hilton8948
Just because it got boring to you, doesn't mean it's boring to them. Could also be interpreted as that one guy who never "grew up" and is complaining now all his friends have moved on and he's still getting high on a Saturday night. While there's nothing wrong with either situation though, one just needs to find people who have the same sorts of habits as oneself.
@nihilisticcannibal4477
Hilton Good point
@wasp3959
... alright there Captain obvious.
@Wyzai
I feel this video is an accurate representation of what it's like to listen to music with headphones.
@funneneym9965
That's true lol
@JuanGonzalez-tr1hw
How
@corvuscabal9764
Pretty much. I almost always have headphones in. It helps distract my mind and deal with being in a crowd.