Out with the old and in with the…. Old?
Most bands when having a Vocalist / Band member leave try to change the direction and image to adapt to the new situation and hope to attract new fans to their material, which in turn can upset original fans. However, Of Mice & Men have decided to not jump on this and keep the same ideals making the listener know they are listening to Of Mice & Men from the first few seconds. Keeping it in line with the Of Mice & Men generic style, you barely notice that Austin has left which is what the band wanted to achieve and with the new album and completely smashed it. With the band taking a hit with loosing singer Austin Carlie last December due to sickness, Aaron Pauley has defiantly stepped up to the plate to fill Austin’s big size 9s. I got the chance to listen to the new album Defy which was produced by Howard Benson (My Chemical Romance, Three Days Grace, Skillet, The All-American Rejects) and mixed by Chris Lord Alge (Green Day, Breaking Benjamin, Shinedown, Rise Against).
Of Mice & Men have previously teased the forthcoming album with singles “Defy”, “Unbreakable” and “Back to Me.” and “Warzone”. Those songs have clocked over 7 million Spotify streams and 5 million YouTube/VEVO views in six months. Loudwire described the new material as “soaring,” while Billboard, Alternative Press, and more featured the tracks. “Unbreakable” being one of my favourites with the heavy chugging sounds and moody emotive vocals making the listener feel what the band is trying to portray.
The band has also racked up close to 5 million social media followers, along with a following so dedicated that it’s practically disciple-like in its fandom – to which I have seen with my own eyes usually centring around the late singer Austin, its whether Aaron can wear the hat on the social media following should he have a big enough backer of personal fans behind him. Through the years, they’ve shared stages with artists such as Metallica, Linkin Park, Slipknot, and Queens of the Stone Age. Also playing Download 2017 creating a social media hype when they crowd sat down and all rowed being shared all over the internet.
Of Mice & Men —vocalist/bassist Aaron Pauley, guitarist Alan Ashby, drummer Valentino Arteaga, and guitarist Phil Manansala— have shared another new track from their forthcoming and much anticipated album Defy, out January 19 through Rise Records. The song “Money,” which is a Pink Floyd cover, premiered via SiriusXM’s Octane earlier this week and is now available at all DSPs.
Out now Check it out!