Southern California hard rockers OF MICE & MEN have had quite a prolific 2021 thus far. The quartet used their time spent in the 2020 lockdown, which was the result of the COVID-19 pandemic, in an incredibly productive way. During that period, the band wrote and recorded both the "Timeless" and "Bloom" EPs, which were released in February and May of this year, respectively. But today, OF MICE & MEN is back and continues its consistent feed of new music with the new single "Mosaic".
"'Mosaic' is about questioning whether or not we, as human beings, can overcome our seemingly primal need for combativeness, because it's more prevalent than ever in our lives these days," shares bassist/vocalist Aaron Pauley about the track.
As is the case with all previous 2021 music drops, the artwork (pictured below) was designed by the iconic artist Derek Hess.
OF MICE & MEN enjoyed a groundswell of activity around the well-received "Timeless" EP. The three-song collection was described as "crushing" by Revolver, and as "thought-provoking" and "cinematic" by Loudwire. MetalSucks celebrated the new material as a "call back to the band's heavy roots," while Knotfest enthused that it's "a gut-punch reminder of their dynamic songwriting and unrelenting heft." The single "Obsolete" dominated SiriusXM's Octane channel upon release.
At its best, heavy music produces songs of escape and catharsis. Few bands demonstrate this ethos as powerfully as OF MICE & MEN, the multifaceted metalcore machine whose mission is to make the soundtrack for every heartbreak, melancholic rumination, and moment of triumph. It's a potent and perfect storm of elements. A bombastic and uplifting roar familiar to fans of LINKIN PARK; a layered crunch akin to the DEFTONES; thrashing old-school riffage a la SLAYER and EXODUS; the sensual atmosphere of SADE or RADIOHEAD; swirled into a singular sound uniquely OF MICE & MEN.
Across a half-dozen studio albums, the group's combination of crowd-moving breakdowns, staccato rhythms, and soaring melodic vocals bridged the gap from the underground to the world at large. Their songs catapulted them onto massive tours with LINKIN PARK and RISE AGAINST (2015); SLIPKNOT (2016); and FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH and IN FLAMES (2017).
At every turn, no matter what obstacles presented themselves, the four men at the OF MICE & MEN core since 2016 never lost sight of the strength of their connection to the audience or each other. They refocused and persevered at every turn, delivering massive anthems that work in the most intimate of punk clubs, the biggest of European festivals, and American rock radio formats alike. It's all about the songs themselves and what they mean to people at the end of the day. The music of OF MICE & MEN begins as something deeply personal shared among the quartet. Once they're turned loose, they take on new meaning, adding to the soundtrack of people's lives.
