Of Mice & Men

Bloom

Of Mice and Men’s new three-song EP, titled “Bloom” after the single previously released and the second song on the EP, pulls no punches — musically or philosophically. In their latest release, these hard-hitters prove that brevity and substance can not only coexist, but meld into strength.

Starting the journey, “Levee” trickles in with a combination of light storm noise and electronic tension, peaked by Valentino Arteaga’s teasing drum groove, and finally broken by Aaron Pauley‘s ruthless vocals. With explosive force, the band floods in with driving grooves and impressive instrumentation, paired with a lyrical back-and-forth of hope and dread — a universal reality.

The band doesn’t make you wait very long for your new favorite breakdown either. Teased prior to the bridge and brought back in after the last word of the song, the slow-tempo trudge transitions seamlessly back into the sound of rain from the intro and ushers in the next track — and the band’s single — “Bloom.” The clean, steady chorus leads this song and builds on the album’s philosophy with continued inner discussion of both optimism and pessimism. If you’re not too busy headbanging along, the lyrics cover concepts ranging from death and life, to heartbreak, rage, and all the intricacies that are included in the rollercoaster of those inevitable events and emotions combined.

In a recent press release, singer and bassist Aaron Pauley shared more about the title track:

“‘Bloom’ is a song about grieving the death of a family member. It’s about understanding, through that loss, that grief is not only love in its most visceral and wildest form, but that it’s also the ultimate price we pay to experience such love. To know profound grief is to have known profound love. Nothing and no one lasts forever. Love isn’t a bouquet of plastic flowers; it’s watching the petals fall.”

The final song, “Pulling Teeth,” holds its own against the previous tracks, strewn with plenty of circle pit moments that fans have been craving since live music was shut down. Again, should you pay attention to the lyrics, you’ll be armed with some of the best words to scream your way through grief or tragedy.

Bloom is a strong force of honesty and creativity in virtually every aspect — from concept to delivery — and one of OM&M’s most intimate releases to date. If their new EP is any indication of what fans can expect from the band’s return to the road next year, it’ll be well worth the wait.