Live Review: Of Mice and Men, Caskets and Defects | 14/12/23 | The Dome, London
After years of absence, Of Mice & Men return to the UK, armed with a whole new catalogue of songs and a fresh new lease of life
Defects
Stepping into the spotlights for the first moments of the evening, Defects make their presence known as they take to the stage all clad in black. A standout effort this early in the night places their sound somewhere between the likes of Killswitch Engage and Bury Tomorrow, with melodic sections and groove laden rhythms accompanied by their frontman’s tight, expertly delivered vocals. They blister through their songs, cramming as much music as they can into their half an hour opening slot, even armed with a bunch of giant balloons that they unleash upon the crowd early in their set, which become almost a bonding tool between the crowd and the band, back and forth the balloons bounced, smiles exchanged as members kicked them back offstage each time they made their way up there. Defects are a great marriage of both older and modern metalcore sounds, a perfect reminder of the roots of the genre to begin the night with and by all means a strong and promising band to keep an eye on in future.
Caskets
The vibe as Caskets make their entrance to the room is electric, the immediate enthusiasm and engagement of the crowd spells it out plainly, this is one of those bands we’ll be hearing no end of in times to come. The give a captivating display of why people adore this band, emotive, resplendent vocal melodies pouring out of frontman Matt Flood like sweet honey, they have the room in the palms of their hands, so much so you’d be quite forgiven for thinking this was the headline act if you weren’t aware of the billing for the night and had just wandered in on a whim. Their set closing performance of Glass Heart had the crowed absolutely reeling, Caskets made a damn good attempt at stealing the show tonight.
Of Mice & Men
It’s been years since Of Mice & Men last played on UK shores, and for many in the room this moment has felt a long time coming. The return of one of the most prominent bands from the 2010’s metalcore scene, and it kicks off with a bang. The band launch into their set with ‘Bones Exposed’, as Aaron roams the stage, prowling, watching as the crowd bursts into song alongside him. A double whammy of Restoring Force nostalgia, the infinitely gargantuan chorus of ‘Would You Still Be There’ bellows throughout the room. But nostalgia isn’t the only trick up the quartets sleeve, newer cuts like Castaway, Obsolete and Warpaint go down a treat too, the entire band bursting with glee to be able to perform these songs finally in the UK, after a nearly five year absence.
‘Obsolete’ connects with earth shattering force, and proves that around 15 years into their career, people still have an undying love and devotion for Of Mice & Men. Ever a band rife with emotional outpour, Aaron Pauley proclaims “Everything that’s beautiful in this life will die, and grief is the price we pay to know love” as he sets up the intro to 2021 single ‘Bloom’. Tinged with both beauty and devastation, this blackened euphoria hits the room, transcending the song far and above what can be achieved by simply clicking play on a streaming app. The band are at their best when they’re playing songs they care deeply for. This is all too apparent here, a first glance at tonight’s setlist may raise questions about some odd song choices or glaring omissions, but as the band work their way through night, track by track it becomes obvious that each performance tonight has been chosen with meticulous care.
“I think this might be the most fun I’ve ever had on tour” Aaron tells the crowd, and it’s evident that Of Mice & Men have reached a place in their career where they’re cutting out the bullshit, they’re doing this for themselves and the people that still want to be along for the ride, and it shows. The band are positively gleaming, Aaron, Phil, Alan and Valentino all popping smiles and feeling their own music throughout various points in the performance, the old songs hit hard and the new song translate well to the live space, and Pauley‘s guttural range as penultimate song The Depths absolutely crushes the room paints him as easily one of the most skilled vocalists in the game right now. The band bring out one more golden oldie to close out the night, ‘Second & Sebring’, bringing the show full circle, a quick flash display of the bands strengths from their early career into the now, and in just one live show Of Mice & Men have more than proven that there’s still plenty of gas in the tank, they’ve displayed versatility, growth, and a fierce dedication to their craft. This band earned their stripes long ago, but they’ve not slowed down or faltered, the future is still a bright one for Of Mice, and their live shows remain as vibrant, exciting and fun as ever.