Of Mice & Men released their second EP this year, Bloom, and it has a bit of a twist. In their previous release, Timeless, fans could hear the band’s distinct sound with a bit of flare. However, Bloom takes the band to another level.

This three-song EP is strong and the songs are generally longer than those that are on normal albums. In our interview with Aaron Pauley, vocalist of OM&M, he said, “Just the thought of creating shorter pieces of work and being able to release them in a more timely manner with our fans is exciting.” Pauley also stated, “Part of [writing the songs] was us chasing whatever excited us the most rather than nailing down a three-and-a-half-minute radio spot.”

The EP starts off strong with “Levee” with some hard guitars and amazing mixing. This heavy track starts off with big energy though it is a bit dark as well. The EP touches on loss and death throughout, which reflects on the band’s hard times over the past year. Pauley said loss was “the shared human experience of the last year with a lot of people, so it was kind of pervasive, unfortunately.” We can hear the tearing riffs and the heavy kick drum in this track that helps deliver this message. 

Next on the EP, we have “Bloom” which served as the single. This song is a bit different than what fans are used to listening to with Of Mice & Men. This song transports the listener to hear the heartbreak and redemption that can come from loss. 

Pauley shared, “A song like ‘Bloom,’ where we can release something that’s deeply personal but sonically and musically push our boundaries a little bit, we can give our fans something new and exciting from our band.” This song has a beautiful composition with heavy guitar, but also with powerful lyrics: “We were born to bloom / Destined to deteriorate.”

These lyrics bring us into “Pulling Teeth” which is quite a heavy and powerfully aggressive track. Not only does this song have melodic choruses, but it also has elongated screams that resonate deeply with the listener. Listeners will be able to feel the bass and the knock of a kick drum when concerts are finally back in session with this one. 

Overall, this EP is powerful and creates a connection with all listeners who have struggled and felt loss over the past year, as well as reflecting the pandemic. The connection with the audience is what makes good art, and because it is so real, everyone can feel a connection to the songs. Pauley noted, “I think it becomes more powerful when you can share in the collective experience, even if it is a terrible experience. It’s specific because it resonates.” The band has come out with another strong EP and made note that it is only getting better from here. Stay tuned to see what comes next in the EP series and check out our interview with Aaron Pauley where he shares how the band created Bloom.