REVIEW: Of Mice & Men - The Flood

Of Mice & Men
The Flood
(Shock)
½ (out of 5)

America's latest post-hardcore heroes, Of Mice & Men, demonstrate just why they have become the flagbearers for the scene once known as ‘emocore’ with this, their sophomore album.

Melodically they tick all the boxes in terms of songwriting: crunch palm muted moments, double kick beats and flourishes of the jazz scale. Vocally, Austin Carlisle switches at times between the guttural roar of Alex Varkatzas (Atreyu) and the calm-caustic-calm singing style of early Killswitch Engage vocalist Jesse Leach.

In fact, it becomes perhaps apparent it is the influential reach of Killswitch Engage which might have influenced the group more so than any other; ‘Let Live’ is full of the discordance you gathered from ‘My Last Serenade’. It has its moments of ballad-core - harbingers of angst like ‘My Understanding’ and ‘Product Of A Murderer’ - but for the most part this is a blunt force trauma album.

It's refreshing to hear something that's a throwback to the post-hardcore of the early millennium and, dare I say it, breaks the mould by staying so true to when the genre starting to peak in mainstream standards.

The Vans Warped Tour has given birth to a new sect of hardcore heroes - and given fans old and new something exciting to listen to since Gallows’ Grey Britain.

By Benjii Jackson