OF MICE & MEN
WAGE WAR KOKO, LONDON
OC metalcore crew dig deep for their next phase
iT’s clear ThaT
a large chunk of tonight’s audience is here for support act WAGE WAR [8]. Last year’s Deadweight was a huge step up for the Floridian metalcore crew and the glut of new tracks has injected monstrous power into their set. From opener Alive to impossibly huge closer Stitch, the band incite a floor-wide pit that swirls, bounces and seethes.
Can OF MICE & MEN [7] survive without Austin Carlile? That was the question at the back of everyone’s minds when the erstwhile frontman left the band to focus on his battle with genetic disorder, Marfan Syndrome. The sight of a half-empty and closed-off Koko is a worrying sign but the reaction sparked by the band’s arrival is nothing short of rabid. Having stepped up to the plate after Austin’s departure, bassist and clean singer Aaron Pauley is doing an exceptional job at pulling off some serious multitasking, segueing with ease between eviscerating barks and carrying the weight of massive choruses. The band’s recent, invigoratingly heavy album, Defy, was the sound of the band picking themselves up off the floor and fighting for their legacy. Yet the tracks start to make real sense live, be it the irrepressible bounce of the title track, the inescapably catchy Instincts or the defiant Unbreakable, as Aaron bellows the lyrics to Pain with a ferocity that pays testament to the strength and bravery of his absent friend. Are OM&M still a force to be reckoned with? On tonight’s evidence, the answer is hell yes.