Bring Me The Horizon are masters of spectacle.
The British metalcore titans have never been bigger. Over the past five years, they’ve released their most successful album yet—last year’s POST HUMAN: NeX GEn— and become the most-streamed rock band in the world.
By vocalist Oli Sykes’ own admission, Friday night at the Toyota Center marked BMTH’s biggest Houston show. And the English quintet from pulled out all the stops.
The set exploded out of the gate with “DArkSide,” a slick, soaring opener that blended crushing riffs with anthemic hooks. “Mantra” and “Happy Song” turned the arena into a massive singalong, while “Teardrops” and “AmEN” ignited circle pits so wild they threatened to swallow the floor whole.
Then came the real heaviness: deep cuts from Sempiternal that sent longtime fans into a frenzy — “Shadow Moses” and “Sleepwalking” — and a metal-inspired cover of Oasis’ “Wonderwall.”
Oli’s vocals were a highlight, his voice effortlessly shifting from guttural screams to melodic highs. (Though a few understandable cracks slipped through on songs like “Follow You” and “Dig It.”)
Still, the show wasn’t just about the music. The visual production was a spectacle itself, with pyrotechnics, lasers, half a dozen confetti cannons and a surreal narrative about society’s collapse.
Behind the band, giant screens morphed from a cathedral into a nightmarish, soul-devouring demon whose wings disintegrated as the show wore on. All the while, a digital woman warned of impending extinction. Though it was unclear whether she was on the side of the apocalypse or humanity.
The plot didn’t always make sense, but it didn’t need to. It was a visual feast: chaotic, over-the-top and impossible to look away from.
Given BMTH’s relatively recent rise, a first-time fan could be forgiven for assuming they’ve been selling out arenas for decades. Everything about the performance felt effortless and commanding. Most importantly, it sounded incredible.
“I don’t know why so many people like our shit,” Oli admitted near the end of the show, grinning through the sweat and smoke, “but I’m thankful.”
Before BMTH, Motionless In White delivered a more traditional but no less electrifying metal set.
Blending gothic and industrial with hook-driven choruses, and rocking their signature undead aesthetic, the Pennsylvania natives tapped into a sound that would make longtime fans of Marilyn Manson and Rob Zombie (hi!) proud.
Highlights included “Meltdown, “”Thoughts and Prayers,” and “Slaughterhouse.”
Their set was short, just 10 songs, but its intensity hit hard. Selfishly, I wish MIW had played a few tracks from Reincarnate, namely the title track, “Death March” and “Everyone Sells Cocaine.” But with BMTH’s high-octane set still to come, MIW’s brevity gave fans a chance to catch their breath—and grab some water—before diving back into the chaos.
Two bands, two approaches, one unforgettable night that proved metal, in all its forms, is alive and thriving. May the circle pits endure.
SET LIST