Heavy and Heartfelt: Reviewing The Flood
Brett Peter Cooper
November 15, 2012
The much anticipated release of Of Mice & Men’s latest album,The Flood on June 14, 2011, unveiled a list of 12 new tracks, including the band’s headlined single Still Ydg’n. A fiery sequel to the group’s first album in 2009, The Flood was well-received amongst fans to say the least, going down as Rise Record’s highest sold album to date. The release of the second album saw the group undergo significant changes, as bassist Jaxin Hall was replaced by Alan Ashby, Hall having left the band previously for personal reasons. Austin Carlile also returned as the front man of the group, after a leave of absence due to heart surgery and broken ties with existing members, forcing a unanimous decision to part ways with interim vocalist Jerry Roush.
The Flood came across considerably heavier than its predecessor, featuring tracks outlining riveting personal stories of addiction concerning both Shaley and Austin. The band opted to copy their first album in 2009 and continue to deliver a Christian-based message. A truly moving compilation of tracks, The Flood reveals a deeper side to the band not seen previously, cutting deeper into the flesh of many members, letting the audience not simply listen to hardships, but live them as each band member had endured.
Brett Peter Cooper
November 15, 2012
The much anticipated release of Of Mice & Men’s latest album,The Flood on June 14, 2011, unveiled a list of 12 new tracks, including the band’s headlined single Still Ydg’n. A fiery sequel to the group’s first album in 2009, The Flood was well-received amongst fans to say the least, going down as Rise Record’s highest sold album to date. The release of the second album saw the group undergo significant changes, as bassist Jaxin Hall was replaced by Alan Ashby, Hall having left the band previously for personal reasons. Austin Carlile also returned as the front man of the group, after a leave of absence due to heart surgery and broken ties with existing members, forcing a unanimous decision to part ways with interim vocalist Jerry Roush.
The Flood came across considerably heavier than its predecessor, featuring tracks outlining riveting personal stories of addiction concerning both Shaley and Austin. The band opted to copy their first album in 2009 and continue to deliver a Christian-based message. A truly moving compilation of tracks, The Flood reveals a deeper side to the band not seen previously, cutting deeper into the flesh of many members, letting the audience not simply listen to hardships, but live them as each band member had endured.
A unique twist was thrown into the production of the album, as both Shayley Bourget and Austin Carlile have recorded songs with solo vocals. When You Can't Sleep At Night is undoubtedly The Flood's softest composition, and possibly the simplest. On the other end of the spectrum, Bourget also produces a solo with a louder, more powerful tone in My Understandings. However, the core of The Flood's anger is fuelled from the solos, such as Ben Threw, telling the story of Austin's hardships and his opinion on, well, quite frankly, learning when to keep your mouth shut.
Though Of Mice & Men's latest release provides a broadly diverse sound, one thing can be said about all 12 tracks featured on the album. Each song has a story to tell, as the band stresses. The genuine meaning and pain associated with this album unarguably makes it that much more relatable, encouraging listeners to value who they are as individuals, and realize that
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