Last year Metalcore band Of Mice & Men released "Restoring Force" which was new direction for the band to try and go main stream and appeal to a bigger audience. Most recently the band released of deluxe reissue of the album entitled "Restoring Force: Full Circle" with 3 new tracks and an acoustic version of "Feel Like Forever" the new tracks venture further into Of Mice & Men's new Nu Metal sound. Here's my official take on the album.
1. Public Service Announcement 9/10
The band opens up the album with a little more of their old sound, Austin screaming and all the heavy instruments in the back going nuts. I think its a great opener which should appeal to the old crowd who enjoyed "The Flood" and the self titled album.
2.Feels Like Forever 8/10
Now here is where the new sound kicked in. And it sounds great, new bassists Aaron Pauley takes care of the clean vocals replacing Shayley Bourget and sounds just as good as the previous bassist. Austin Carlie also begins sounding a little more clean for his screamos here, marking a turn in OM&M's direction.
3.Bones Exposed 10/10
The band follows up with another heavy track to match their old work. The beginning sounds like the start to the earlier title track of "The Flood" album off the deluxe reissue. But the song in totally different, its a great heavy track and one of the best tracks off the album.
4.Would You Still Be There 9/10
Now back to the new Nu Metal sound, Aaron takes care of all lead vocals here, and its sounds amazing, its great for the newer fans (and the occasional Fan Girls) to enjoy, older fans who are more in the Deathcore genre would have a hard time catching on to this song.
5. Glass Hearts 7/10
Now we start dimming things down a little bit, the track is heavy. Not much to say about this one.
6.Another You 8/10
Another Nu Metal track, starts off mellow, then goes into hardcore instruments with Austin provided screams in the background while Aaron screams. This is more of track the newer fans would like
7. Break Free 5/10
Now we always have those unpopular tracks that make the album as possible a filler or ones maybe a select group of fans would like. This song is one of them. This one just can't catch on, its good, sounds all together but not they're best work.
8.You Make Me Sick 7/10
Following "Break Free" things pick up a little more, back again to the older sound.
9. Identity Disorder 8/10
Here's another one of those newer sounds, and its so phenomenal. Aaron proving he has the clean vocals to make the new OM&M sound look great.
10. You're Not Alone 9/10
The newer sound continues onto this track, Austin provides some light screaming that differentiates from his previous work. But its still a great track for fans to enjoy, if you are into more melodic metal than just hardcore screaming.
11. Space Enough To Grow 7/10
Aaron now tries to compare to Shayley from "The Flood"'s track "When You Can't Sleep at Night", and it's not as good as Shayley's. It's well constructed, sounds good, but not as good as "The Flood"'s light track, but Aaron knows not to lets any of the melodic fan's down and gives his best.
12. Broken Generation 9/10
Now here is the start of the bonus tracks, each sound more venturous into the Nu Metal/Melodic. Austin now does more cleans along side Aaron as they try to appeal more to the main stream, and they are successful at it. It's great well constructed, shows a great future for the band.
13.Something to Hide 8/10
The band keeps it up with "Something to Hide" more cleans, more melodic sound, and its still great.
14. Never Giving Up 8/10
Austin takes it back to light screaming on the last new one but this song still packs the new sound, showing the new direction will still have some screams for people to bang their heads.
15. Feels Like Forever (Acoustic Version) 9/10
Now I knew this acoustic was gonna be good, but not THIS good. They put in some light percussion and Austin nailed the singing. Now hardcore fans will criticize but its good.
Full album take: 8/10
Of Mice & Men has a great attempt at trying to perfect their sound and will surely continue to venture deeper in their 4th album. And hardcore/deathcore bands will criticize but change is what bands have to do to stay alive. Love it or hate it they did a good job
^So their's my review, anyone like it? I was thinking on opening a blog for these reviews if anyone was interested.
