Album Review: Of Mice and Men — Tether

 

An album that binds 

Of Mice and Men offers something for everyone — their sound is brooding and powerful and has an infectious melody. They’re powerful and take root in the deepest, darkest parts of their listener’s brains. Their music is beautiful and yet dynamic; it doesn’t ask for attention — it demands it. 

Tether offers one rapid chord progression after the next, exploiting the minor scale and enjoying every second of it. Consider “Integration.” It’s effortlessly haunting, but the entire composition is calculating, playing into a myriad of emotions – and it’s brilliant. 

“Castaway” is just as quick as listeners would expect, falling back at the perfect intervals to allow the vocals to take the lead. The occasional screaming is the reminder that OM&M is multitalented and offers a versatile approach to all things musical. Yes, the music is emotive, but it’s also incredibly fun and fits seamlessly into any playlist. 

OM&M is more than dark chords and lyrics worthy of midnight pontification sessions. The band also knows how to command an energy so powerful, so palpable, that there simply is no choice but to raise the volume on the speakers and obey. “Warpaint” exemplifies this and then some. The rage is discernible, in your face, tangible through and through. 

As effortlessly as OM&M can summon feelings of fury, they can embody feelings of beauty and tranquility, “Into The Sun” is proof of this. But there’s still plenty of room for seething vocals, pulling listeners from their reverie as they’re pulled into transcendental music. 

Rare is the band that swoops in and tackles a myriad of sounds, insisting that they will not — cannot — be confined to a box; to a single sound. OM&M amplifies all that is known and comfortable in music and Tether is its validation. 

 

Kelly Catlin: Kelly is a writer, editor, journalist, musician, and lover of all things horror, fantasy, and sci-fi. She's featured on various websites for her entertainment contributions. When she’s not writing or playing music, she’s happily spending time with her family. Her book, "Kurt Cobain: Forever in Bloom", is slated for a 2025 release.
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