Rock band Bring Me The Horizon are celebrating 20 years of their debut album by re-recording it - something that has got fans asking questions. The four-piece from Sheffield started out in 2004 in the deathcore genre, a form of metal known for its heavy and aggressive sound. Their 2006 debut record Count Your Blessings was very much in that style, but the group's following albums moved towards metalcore, pop and electronic rock.
Despite that, they've been a key part in heavier music breaking through into the mainstream - and last year headlined Reading and Leeds Festival. Frontman and lead vocalist Oli Sykes told the BBC Radio 1 Rock Show earlier this week that going back to their roots was "a lot of fun" as they "got to remake the album how we wanted it to sound back then". But some fans have questioned if the original lyrics, which have been described as misogynistic, are still appropriate today.
While others are wondering whether Sykes - now 39 - will be able to recreate the intense screaming vocals he previously recorded as a teenager. Diehard fan Sash Vee tells BBC Newsbeat the announcement was a "very nice surprise" and it's good to see the group "appreciating their beginnings". However, the 27-year-old, who became a fan following the release of their later albums, is in two minds about whether the lyrics should be kept the same.
Some of the band's earlier lyrics have been criticised for being aggressive towards woman, particularly Sykes' ex-partners. Vee recognises controversial lyrics were part of the scene "back in the day" and wants the re-recording to be "similar to the original" as she thinks "it's sort of a time capsule". "But things evolve and if you're going to have the opportunity to remaster something, then why not, let's update the lyrics as well," she says.
Sykes told Radio 1's Rock Show that after originally recording Count Your Blessings as a 19-year-old, he felt "really bummed out about how it sounded". The singer said he could tell he was tired and they didn't have the right producer for the sound they wanted. "There was no-one there helping us with BPMs [beats per minute] and tempos and all that.
We had no clue what we were doing," he said. Having improved and refined their technique, Sykes said the new record would be "way easier to listen to now because it sounds like a proper record". Discussing whether the band have changed aspects of the songs, Sykes said if they went down that road "it just wouldn't be the record that people love".
Extract — continue reading at the source.
