Bring Me The Horizon – Count Your Blessings | Repented @ BEC Arena, Manchester

“Do not change the subject. Let’s go chase the sunset.“

Words by Jack Walker. Photography by Maisie Cooper, Zena Morris, and Jack Walker. Please ask before any usage.

When it was released back in 2006, Bring Me The Horizon‘s debut album, Count Your Blessings, quickly gained notoriety, spreading like wildfire across MySpace and allowing the band to tour extensively across the UK and beyond. Sharing stages with the likes of Enter Shikari, Architects, and Gallows, they were one name among an impeccable class of bands who, unbeknownst to most, would go on to become giants in the years that followed. Shunned within the scene, booed and bottled off stages, and generally hated by the public, Bring Me The Horizon endured. Whether you like it or not, they’ve gone on to become what could arguably be called the world’s biggest heavy band. There’s good reason for that, too. They really are that good.

Now, 20 years on, Count Your Blessings remains a deathcore mainstay, with countless bands citing it as an influence on both their origins and their sound. Despite that, most people would agree that the original recordings aren’t exactly renowned for their audio quality. There’s plenty of charm and energy to them, but it’s hard to imagine a modern band releasing something that sounded quite like that today. Enter the Repented edition, which saw the band re-record the album from the ground up, using the original instruments wherever possible and enlisting legendary producer Buster Odeholm to oversee the project. Breathing a fresh lease of life into an already beloved album, Bring Me The Horizon delivered a modern take on a classic, bringing it more in line with the huge sound they’ve cultivated over the past decade. It won’t be for everyone; yes, we know you prefer the original, but there’s no denying the band still have a knack for this sort of thing. To top it all off, they even threw in “DEHUMANIZED“, a brand new track that feels perfectly at home alongside the re-recordings.

To celebrate this mountainous effort, the band, along with the help of Outbreak, organised two day-fests, each of which was stacked with talent and promising to play through the titular title in its entirety. The lineup consisted of a plethora of bands, each of which represented the landscape of hardcore and deathcore in some way, shape, or form. Still In Love stood out immediately, with ex-Bring Me The Horizon member Curtis Ward being a key name involved with the project, and having been a part of Count Your Blessings’ initial release. Then there’s Showing Teeth, who, despite being relatively new, have been making waves due to vocalist Addison‘s social media posts showing vocals performed in her car. Car Underwater provided a change of pace amongst the bill, bringing their nostalgic yet fresh emo stylings from LA, whereas Dying Wish and Heriot both presented the opposite ends of the spectrum, with the former bringing their metalcore prowess, and the latter a sludgy, oppressive metallic hardcore edge. Then, as if that wasn’t enough already, Static Dress‘ impressive post-hardcore chops graced the main stage, whilst mathcore legends in Rolo Tomassi closed out the second stage. A lineup chock-full of talent, the day could only be a massive success, right?

Before diving into the bands, it’s worth talking about the event itself. Doors opened at midday, but with the first band not taking to the stage until 16:30, nobody really knew what to expect. To fill the gap, the venue housed a gallery packed with original memorabilia, a tattoo studio, and several photo booths where fans could grab a keepsake. For us, though, it wasn’t quite enough to justify the lengthy wait. Thankfully, re-entry was allowed, so we picked up our merch before heading elsewhere for a few hours and returning later in the afternoon.

Speaking of the late start, why? This was an absolutely stacked lineup, and beginning so late inevitably led to several frustrating clashes. We managed to catch at least part of every set we wanted to see, but it often meant sprinting between stages or leaving early. We understand the venue isn’t large enough for everyone to watch the same band simultaneously, unless it’s the headliner, but staggering the clashes a little more would have made the day flow much better.

The tattoo studio was certainly a cool idea, and the flash designs looked great, but getting tattooed at an all-day show in that heat felt like tempting fate. We’re sure it was run professionally; it just felt slightly out of place. The gallery, on the other hand, was fantastic. We only wish it had been bigger. Seeing old tour posters, photographs, merch, and other relics from the band’s early years really grounded the event in its history, with plenty of rare pieces that newer fans probably never even knew existed.

Still In Love (Second Stage – 16:30-17:00)

Opening out the day and no strangers to Outbreak‘s antics, having played the festival just two weeks prior, Still In Love pulled no punches. Playing a short but effective set consisting primarily of tracks from their debut album, Recovery Language, Still In Love made light work of getting the early-entrants moving. Commanding pits, demanding divers, and orchestrating two-steps, vocalist Nick Worthington put on a masterclass in crowd control. By the third track, “It Was Never Enough“, the band had won over even the shyest of moshers, warming attendees up for the day to come.

Showing Teeth (Main Stage – 17:00-17:30)

Swiftly flanking an impressive opening set, Showing Teeth made their UK debut, opening up the main stage, with vocalist Addison showcasing her impressive vocal range immediately. Snarled growls, gravel-laden lows, and sickly-sweet cleans collide, compacting into a package that is more than the sum of its parts. Despite only having two singles released at the time, the crowd remained transfixed on the performance, with Addison remarking at the number of crowdsurfers and moshers who turned out for the set. A stellar UK debut, it’s no wonder that this band is already finding themselves on some utterly ridiculous lineups.

Car Underwater (Second Stage – 17:20-17:50)

Self-proclaimed Los Angeles emo act Car Underwater then provided a brief respite from the heaviness, providing a sound much more reminiscent of early 2000’s post-hardcore. Despite making numbers on streaming services, it seems that many Bring Me The Horizon fans are yet to hear of this band, which is a real shame. Despite the lesser turnout, Car Underwater made the most of the situation, and their set oozed energy from front to back. Performing their debut EP, Dagger Breaks Window, in its entirety, those who did know the band were treated to something truly special, and even those who didn’t know them undoubtedly left the set with a new band to check out.

Dying Wish (Main Stage – 18:00-18:40)

Dying Wish‘s metalcore stylings have placed them as one of the US’ most consistent and entertaining live acts for quite some time now, so it came as no surprise that they were included on the lineup. With a mere 40 minutes to play with, the band wasted no time in bringing out the bangers, kicking things off with “I Don’t Belong Anywhere“, before proceeding into a slew of “greatest hits” from across their catalogue. Frontwoman Emma Boster reflected upon the opportunity, discussing how Count Your Blessings was an inspiration to them when starting, and how Bring Me The Horizon have shaped the scene over their decades as a band. A remarkably wholesome set backed by an expectedly impressive performance, it should surprise absolutely nobody that Dying Wish are the band right now.

Heriot (Second Stage – 18:10-18:50)

Tragically clashing with Dying Wish, Heriot took over the second stage, their sludgy, oppressive style a stark contrast to the set on the main stage just a short walk away. Backed by a wall of flames, Debbie Gough growled and snarled every lyric, demanding violence and dives. Having sadly missed the start of their set due to the clash, we made it over just in time for “Mourn“, which never ceases to please. Of course, the cherry on top was then the follow-up, with “Master of Deceit” being performed with a feature from Showing Teeth‘s Addison, whose vocals contrasted perfectly against Gough‘s. One of the lineup’s more “off the wall” choices, their sound contrasted perfectly amongst the rest of the lineup, and drew an impressive crowd despite the clash.

Static Dress (Main Stage – 19:10-20:00)

Making their return to the main stage just two weeks following their secret set, post-hardcore heroes Static Dress exploded onto the stage, with vocalist Olli Appleyard bounding side to side, demanding movement. No strangers to us here at Boolin, we already knew exactly what to expect: insane energy, ridiculous vocals, and irresistibly danceable instrumentals. What we didn’t expect, however, was for the set to be stopped twice due to injuries. It’s a genuinely sad reality, and you could see it getting to the band, who ultimately had to cut their set short to accommodate the delays. Despite this, they made the most of the situation, managing to smash out plenty of hits from across their catalogue, including “Nostalgia Kills” with Showing Teeth, “Courtney, Just Relax” with Emma Boster of Dying Wish, and “Male-Bomb“. Despite the injuries, Static Dress were still able to prove that they really are that band, and with a US tour supporting Motionless In White kicking off as we write this, they’re only poised to blow up even further.

Rolo Tomassi (Second Stage – 19:30-20:30)

Rolo Tomassi have been a name that we’ve known for as long as we can remember, yet somehow have all managed to miss until now. And what a special one to catch, as James Spence mentioned, the band’s debut gig circa 20 years ago was supporting Bring Me The Horizon. Unfortunately for them, being stuck between Static Dress on the main stage and the start of BMTH, the crowd was rather thin; nonetheless, Rolo put on a fantastic show. Performance aside, which was predictably fantastic, it’s crucial we note their fantastic use of the backing screen, which added another level to their live setting. An already amazing blend of ambience, dreamy vocals and abrasive screams, the backdrop really set the scene and immersed us in the performance from start to end.

Bring Me The Horizon (21:00-22:30)

Finally, the moment we’d all been waiting for. Bring Me The Horizon performing Count Your Blessings in its entirety for the very first time. A set which had been slowly accumulating hype over the months of build-up finally reached its climax. With the front section closed off due to being at capacity well before their start time, the tone was already set – things were about to get chaotic. Introducing their set with some scene throwbacks, the tone was set, and we were all ready to be transported back to 2006 and witness where it all began.

The screens faded to black, and it began. “Pray For Plagues” roared across the BEC car park, with fans shouting back in unison, and divers launching themselves left, right, and centre. This quickly transitioned into “…Slater…“, following which frontman Oli Sykes took the opportunity to rile the crowd up. The set progressed, with the band playing the album in order, and clearly loving every second of it. Any doubts surrounding Sykes‘ vocals were dispelled almost instantly. He still has it. If anything, he sounds better than ever. Ferocious roars and vicious growls boomed from his chest, leaving us utterly speechless. Walls of death, head-runs, spinkicks- this set had it all, and the band was revelling in it. Pits started outside of the front section, and fans all over were getting involved; it truly was a spectacle to behold.

Notably, the band’s theatrics were not present. Their stage setup matched the more DIY feel that the band used to possess, and felt more than fitting for an Outbreak event. Gone were the large video walls, which pushed forward a story throughout the set. Instead, a simple yet effective light display of the band’s now iconic hexagram logo backed them up, with live shots being shown on the pillar screens on either side of them. There was something beautiful about the simplicity, and the band showed that they knew their audience. Fanfare stripped away, this was all about the music.

Back to the set itself, and Sykes continued to demolish all doubts, his brothers in arms beside him. Whilst Lee Malia shredded the fretboard, pulling off some absolutely filthy solos, drummer Matt Nicholls showcased his prowess behind the kit, with every crash hitting like a gut punch. Matt Kean and Jon Jones were more subdued, but don’t be mistaken, they were equally as crucial in forming the band’s crushing sound, and they absolutely deserve their flowers for their incredibly tight performance. Put simply, the band sounded bloody incredible. And as if that wasn’t enough, they were all very clearly enjoying it, spending the majority of the set with smiles plastered upon their faces. A group of young lads from Yorkshire have made it, and they’ve still got fans from back in the day alongside them.

“Fifteen Fathoms, Counting” marked a well-timed break from the carnage, with Malia donning an acoustic guitar to debut the track live for the very first time, ever. A sombre number, it allowed us to catch our breath ahead of the one-two punch of “Off The Heezay” and new track “Dehumanized“, which sounds even better live and will undoubtedly become a set staple going forward. That was it, Count Your Blessings, in full, for the first time. Was it worth it? Abso-fucking-lutely. Oh, and that wasn’t all…

Following a brief break, the band returned to the stage, and they meant business. Kicking off their “hits” set with “Suicide Season“, which was being performed for the first time since 2011, fans were speechless. A peculiar yet fitting choice, this set was for the real fans. Those fans who know the deeper cuts and truly love the band. The true highlight here for us was the inclusion of This Is What The Edge Of Your Seat Was Made For‘s “Re: They Have No Reflections“, a track which nobody ever expected the band to play again. A debut track for the band, it being the single in which they reference their name’s origins made it all the more fitting for a show like this. The OGs were there, and they meant business. Limbs flew, dancers exploded into action, and the crowd chanted along to every single word. On too much of a high from that? “Memorial” into “Blessed With A Curse” then slowed things down, a sombre mood descending across the BEC. The sadness of the track aside, we all knew that this fantastic night was nearing its end. Closing out with “Diamonds Aren’t Forever“, potentially for the final time ever, fans rejoiced, and got one last pop before the day came to an unforgettable ending.

Bring Me The Horizon have changed dramatically over the years, but if this show proved anything, it’s that they’re still every bit as capable of delivering the heavy material as they are the arena-sized anthems they’ve become known for. This wasn’t just a nostalgia trip. It was a celebration of where the band came from and everything they’ve achieved since. Their modern material may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but denying their talent at this point feels impossible.

Credit should also go to the team behind the lineup. Pulling together this many exciting names is no small feat, but doing so while showcasing such a broad cross-section of hardcore and deathcore made it even more impressive. From established favourites to exciting newcomers, and with a refreshing number of female-fronted acts throughout the bill, it was a lineup that reflected a scene moving in the right direction. Progress is being made, but seeing representation so prominent at an event like this is still far from commonplace, and it certainly didn’t go unnoticed.

As we left the BEC, reflecting on a day spent watching some of the best bands in heavy music alongside some of our closest friends, one thing was abundantly clear. Bring Me The Horizon and Outbreak had pulled off something genuinely special. Here’s hoping it isn’t the last time.