Of Mice & Men
The Flood Reissue
Reviewed by Shelvin Singh and Melissa Duong
A fitting title which embraces its year old nostalgia and brings forth a feral flood of semi-refreshing new-age metal. Featuring two discs and an additional four new tracks, OM&M, who is headlining some 2012 Warped Tour events, delivers by meticulously and attentively approaching a style that is typically labeled as over incisive. That is, they definitely put some effort into this reissue. Faithful fans will be jubilant to find that a method to a hardcore madness exists and will hear the sound of the young band evolving. However, new listeners shouldn’t expect to be blown away; because after all, OM&M is simply an above average band producing above average music.
The first disc, in contrast with the second disc which is a rerelease of the 2011 album titled The Flood, contains four new tracks. The first, titled “The Calm”, is a soothing and serene instrumental where Alan Ashby is allowed to show off his true mastery of the guitar. “The Calm” exquisitely sets the stage for the three remaining tracks, which are harder, louder, and more ferocious than any previous OM&M tune. “The Calm” also attests to the overall versatility displayed by the band over the course of the four tracks. Each has its own character, organized confusion, and methodical madness. To say OM&M improved from the original The Flood might be an understatement. In comparison, the total artistry and effort put forth in the reissue is evident, especially in “The Depths”, where the hardcore meter is cranked ten-fold. Again, the record teases by offering only four new tracks, but as we see, the limited quantity provided to the audience has proven to maintain their level of potential and yet maximizes expectations of future quality. Moreover, expecting greatness from OM&M’s latest album is gratuitous, but it might be fair to extol them and hold them to a higher standard later on due to their promising potential.
