OF MICE & MEN
The Flood – Deluxe Reissue
[Rise Records]
Verdict: 9.5/10
If you’re going to do a reissue, then this is a great way to go. Basically, Of Mice & Men have attached a brand new EP to last year’s awesome record, The Flood. Rather than mix the new tracks in with the original, the band has attached them as a separate disc, which is actually genius. It makes the listener view the new recordings as a brand new release (even though it’s coming combined with the previous full length). As far as actually discussing these wonderful new songs, Of Mice & Men have once again taken things up another notch. Opening with the peaceful intro, appropriately titled “The Calm”, the 4 track batch reels the listener into a false sense of security. Then, gradually, the intro moves smoothly into “The Storm”, which erupts into a panic about thirty seconds in. Once this has happened, all bets are off; the rest of the track is absolutely devastating. The same goes for the song that follows. “The Flood” has some classic metal vibes that surprise, both vocally and instrumentally. That combined with the already awesome OM&M formula, and “The Flood” comes out as an unstoppable and grand beast. Lastly, you have “The Depths”, which feels a little more hardcore in its speed and “padding” drum beats in the earliest stages. It then becomes a bit more chug-chug with its guitars, punk in its screaming styles, and all around arena with its occasional group shouts. This is the kind of reissue that actually makes an impact. – by Nathaniel Lay

>> Classification: Intense Thrash Screamo
>> Recommended Tracks: “The Storm”, “The Flood”, “The Depths”
>> In Conclusion: Think of this reissue as a brand new EP that also comes with last year’s OM&M album, which was already a killer album. The new songs are some of the best recordings yet from the band, so you can bet this is a highly recommended release.