Here's How Bring Me The Horizon Are Changing Rock Music 

Here\'s How Bring Me The Horizon Are Changing Rock Music

The only way to remain relevant in a music climate unwelcoming to guitar bands is to innovate. BMTH do just that...and they\'re taking their diehard metalcore fanbase with them

Imagine with us: You\'re driving in your car, you\'re walking into your neighborhood grocery store, you\'re in some space, public or otherwise, where the sounds of Top 40 radio surround you. What do you hear? Taylor Swift, the Weeknd, Justin Bieber, Fetty Wap. Pop, R&B and hip hop dominate the airwaves. With the very real exception of Fall Out Boy, Paramore and 5 Seconds of Summer, guitar-based music rarely makes an appearance. It\'s almost as if rock music has become a thing of the past, an antiquated concept.

That mentality is a defeatist one. There are tons of great bands of all rock sub-genres making really incredible, forward-thinking music. (Need examples? Click here and here.) They might not be in the Top 40, but they\'re shaking things up elsewhere: On the charts, in stores, in venues around the world. Their records have impressive debuts, their fans are rabid. Bring Me the Horizon, once cast off as just the pretty metalcore boys of Warped Tour, are part of this world. In many ways, they govern it.

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To the untrained eye, it looks like a coincidence. In the beginning, this Sheffield, England band found a home in the post-hardcore universe, screaming violent songs about unrequited love and other adolescent universals. It was thematically uncomplicated music laid over textually challenging sounds—they were more mature musicians than they were people. It resonated because they were growing up with the kids listening to their music. That connection is the kind that fosters lifelong love and admiration.

In their five-album, 12-year career BMTH have evolved from that foundation. With each record, they\'ve developed ambitious, complex songwriting styles. Before it became almost necessity to institute expansive, thematic soundscapes and experimental synths in heavy music—a trend that persists today—BMTH were doing it and doing it well. Before it became cool to celebrate darkness instead of just wallowing in it, BMTH were perfecting the message. They became accidental trendsetters the way all trendsetters are.

That brings us to their latest album, their first on a major label, September\'s 

The move from the indie Epitaph to Columbia was one out of necessity: Their popularity continued to swell, and they needed a platform that would be able to sustain it. For fans, that move could\'ve appeared to be betrayal...who knows what the band would become with substantial money behind them?

But Bring Me the Horizon became a better band than they\'ve ever been before. Instead of settling for what\'s safe, what works in traditional post-hardcore and metalcore, that start-quiet-get-loud-end-quiet structure, they became a band undefinable by genre. There are moments that feel like vintage BMTH, some that recall a more futuristic Linkin Park ferocity (there\'s a reason those guys are one of the biggest bands on the planet).

 debuted at No. 2 on the Billboard 200 and hit No. 1 on the album sales chart. It was a success beyond expectation, especially for this type of band, this type of music.

“Bring Me The Horizon have become accidental trendsetters the way all trendsetters are.”

They\'re not the first to come from obscurity, to rise to prominence after turning their back on genre expectation. Paramore moved from the smallest stage at Warped to a powerhouse writing records that could rival the resonance of full-on rock operas. 5 Seconds of Summer took what they learned from their beloved "scene" bands and made it marketable. Bring Me the Horizon has done the same, just with heavier music. In that regard, it\'s an especially impressive transformation.

, BMTH frontman Oli Sykes was asked if his band is metal. He responded, "We came from a metal background, so I guess we will always feel connected and relevant to the genre. I guess we are as much a metal band now as Fall Out Boy are a pop-punk band." When asked whose career he\'d like his band to mimic, he replied, "Foo Fighters. They clearly do it for the music and nothing else." Both are important statements because both show a clear disregard for the boundaries inherent in genre signifiers. If they\'re this successful now, imagine what the future holds. There\'s a bright light at the end of this road; make sure to keep an eye out. Bring Me The Horizon will probably beat us there.

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The title of original metalcore babe goes to Oli Sykes of Bring Me the Horizon. The vegetarian English hunk first came to our attention with the band\'s sophomore LP, 2008\'s 

, and have never left our hearts since. Especially in moments like Sykes\' emotional speech at last year\'s 

Music Awards, where he spoke about overcoming addiction.

Originally breaking out as lead vocalist for Attack Attack!, the gorgeous Florida native now fronts Of Mice & Men. This brave soul has undergone major heart surgery and is still a hardcore rocker. His journey makes him that much more metal(core) and that much more dreamy.

In this day and age, there\'s no metalcore band more popular than Sleeping with Sirens. They\'re the teen alternative band of choice (if you don\'t believe us, go to Hot Topic, where SWS stans are as plentiful as pants with chains and vintage Iron Maiden T-shirts). The group is lead by sensitive dreamboat Kellin Quinn, who kind of looks like Conor Oberst\'s younger, hotter brother. 

The guys in Emarosa are sitting pretty...in more way than one! Not only has their last record,

, scored them the biggest first week sales of their entire career, they\'re also, like, total babes. Bradley Walden, the band\'s latest vocalist, leads the pack of ruggedly handsome dudes.

Pierce the Veil formed almost a decade ago by brother babes Vic and Mike Fuentes. Vic is more of your skater hunk while Mike rocks something more of a punk look. The best of both worlds!

See what we mean? From the beanie to the neck tatts, Mike\'s look is a bit more aggressive, and we couldn\'t be more into it!

Did you know Matt Greiner handles both drums and keys for his band? Very hot 

Here\'s the thing about Sleeping with Sirens...the entire band is ridiculously handsome. Take Gabe Barham. This adorable dreamboat is the group\'s drummer—a role that might not usually get the most attention, but when you\'ve got a face like this, rules go out the window.

Bruised But Not Broken is one of our favorite rising metalcore acts, made up of five super-talented teens. We have to admit, though—we have a fave. We can\'t deny ourselves of Hudson Howler\'s adorable mug and always on-point hair game.

Formerly of the mid-aughts screamo group Escape the Fate, frontman Ronnie Radke has since changed his image...and his band, now singing for the wildly popular Falling in Reverse. This dude might have more tattoos than Travis Barker, and it\'s half of his appeal. Into bad boys? Look no further.

Anyone who follows longtime SWS lead guitarist on Instagram would probably agree that beyond being one of the Top 5 hottest members in his group, he\'s arguably the funniest member and most entertaining to follow on social media. Though when it comes to cuteness, we\'re not sure who wins: Jack or his pet corgi.

Best mane in metalcore? We think so. Marry us now, Levi.

We always thought of Toby as that high school BFF that you always secretly had a thing for, but could never admit it. Then when he left town to lead his band on tour, you realized you lost your chance—classic emo love story. Luckily, McAllister\'s got an Instagram for us to stalk with loads of super-cute selfies.

more SWS dude to gush over? Justin Hills might just be the closest thing the world has to a bassist who can outshine his band\'s lead singer

How could you have a gallery of sexy Instagram snaps and not include this heavenly-yet-sultry shot from Ben English? It\'s like a metalcore fan\'s fantasy, complete with the perfect filter.

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