Of Mice & Men to re-release 'The Flood' tomorrow

    Last week, Woe Is Me began the hype to their new album by re-releasing its predecessor, Number[s] with several new songs and old material that had previously only been available in single form. While some of the new material was less than stellar, the re-release was nevertheless a great way to get people's attention now that the band has officially finished recording and joined We Came as Romans and Attack Attack! on the Scream It Like You Mean It tour.
    Interestingly enough, this week Warped high-profilers Of Mice & Men are also planing to re-release their critically acclaimed sophomore album The Flood. Featuring two discs, including four new songs, the purpose behind this interesting move is, as did Woe Is Me, to potentially generate hype for OM&M's upcoming, as-yet untitled, new album.
    While it's certainly very possible that the band views Woe Is Me as competition, and is attempting to consolidate its fanbase, it can't be denied that the new Of Mice & Men will be turning a lot more heads. The Flood was massively successful in its own right, and, unlike Woe Is Me, the inclusion of new material makes this re-release more likely to gain attention than simply a consolidation of past material that Woe Is Me did.

     Naturally, this isn't as much of a necessity for OM&M. The band's lineup hasn't been nearly as turbulent as Woe Is Me's (as a side note, OM&M is fronted by ex-Attack Attack! vocalist Austin Carlile, who rejoined the band by replacing now-Glass Cloud's Jerry Roush). The Flood made its debut last year with almost the exact same lineup as now, minus Shayley Bourget, who left the band for personal issues after 2011's Warped Tour. Interestingly enough, he's been replaced by Aaron Pauley (ex-Jamie's Elsewhere). In any case, because of Bourget's departure, the new songs have a marked emphasis on Carlile's fry screams to make up for this.
     Nevertheless, I can't help but wonder why OM&M has chosen to re-release an album after barely a year. As far as a PR move goes, I feel like the band's presence on Warped Tour this year is enough of one (Carlile was on the cover of AP this month) that re-releasing an album is almost overkill. The four new songs could have easily been released as an EP, which would have been a smarter move as it, not only expands OM&M's discography, but gives fans a reason to actually buy the music - why pay for an album you already have?
      In any case, the re-release is set for tomorrow, and even though I don't completely understand the rationale behind it, the new material is stellar. Hopping on the energetic bandwagon this summer has (thankfully) brought, OM&M deliver about fifteen minutes of head-nodding djent that gets in your mind and doesn't leave. In a departure from the sometimes-hollow sound that plagued their previous work, the new material has a quality to it that I can only begin to describe as 'fat'. Every riff has a physical presence that gets your heart racing. Chronicling an apocalyptic, biblical flood (surprisingly enough, given the album's title) through the calming, clean sound of introduction 'The Calm' and the first few notes of 'The Storm', there's no indication of the coming hell. Again, this goes without saying given the song titles, but it nevertheless sets the hype, lulling you into a false sense of softness, before abruptly erupting (and I mean that quite literally. Listen to 'The Storm') into the sound that will define the next three songs.
       It's this rapid contrast that makes the new songs so enjoyable. Clean breaks are emotional and pulse-pounding. By constantly keeping the listener on edge, but always keeping the rhythm catchy, OM&M ensure that every song is likely to get in your head and stay for a while. There's no need for a breakdowns - the intensity is set to 11 and never lets up. A silent break in 'The Flood' is chilling, as a submarine's radar breaks the silence and keeps you waiting. All in all, the new songs give the band some much-needed substance. Quite simply, they are now unforgettable. Now, here's where I think the band would have profited the most from making the new songs into an EP.
        More often than not, EPs are a chance for a band to experiment on a sound - they act as a transition period between one idea to another. If it works, incorporate it into your next album. If it doesn't, well, it's only a few songs. Batten down the hatches and admit you made a mistake (Chelsea Grin, I'm looking at you). Had OM&M chosen to release these four songs as a separate EP, it would have attracted new fans eager to hear more. Instead, by bundling it together with their previous album, new listeners who might not like the Flood will be repulsed.
         The new song that steals the show, ironically enough, is the one released first - 'The Depths'. Debuting in late June, and featuring a spine-chilling guitar whine in the background, 'The Depths' is as much an attention grabber as it is a holder. If the catchy riffs don't make you nod in time, it'll be the INCREDIBLE break near the middle of the song. Focusing on Carlile's incredible sustained vocals, the return of the guitar riff after such a short amount of time brings everything to a head. Lyrically, it's pure, unrestrained fury, which makes the song all the more fun - no better reason to jump around than the feeling that restraints are being broken. That's why we listen to punk and metal, right?
           To conclude, even though this is a strange move from the band, the re-release's new material is incredible and worth checking out. Listen to 'the Depths' here: