Of Mice And Men - Restoring Force: Full Circle Album Review

After releasing 'Restoring Force' in January last year, Of Mice & Men are back with a deluxe version, 'Restoring Force: Full Circle', that provides four additional songs including an acoustic version of 'Feels Like Forever'.

The album begins with 'Public Service Announcement' and shows how the band is in a state of transition from the old OM&M to the new. Drummer Tigo Arteaga really carries the song and it's clear to see the passion behind it. Although 'Public Service Announcement' is similar to old OM&M, the rest of the album is a departure from their heavier music.

'Feels Like Forever' is the highlight, demonstrating the rockier side to the band, with more singing than screaming, and stands as the pivotal point of the album. The acoustic version doesn't quite have the same force and effect as the original, though it gives us more of an insight into the lyrical content and feeling of the song.

The double kick at the beginning of 'Bones Exposed' and the catchy guitar riffs instantly draw us in and it's bound to generate many a mosh pit live. The chaos is combined with a personal feel which sums up the collection as a whole as the band really explores both themselves and their music in this, their best album yet.

The first of the brand new songs on 'Restoring Force: Full Circle' is 'Broken Generation'. This again bounces back into the rockier ethos. The lyrics are deep and personal with lines like, "Can you pick up all the pieces of this broken generation?", and exploring themes that are rarely touched upon in modern society.

'Something To Hide' is another purely emotional song, lingering more on anger and betrayal. The repetition of the line, "When you look at me I see right through you" towards the end of the song intensifies this anger and without it the song may be seen to be structured like a typical rock song, but this change in structure really gives the song the forcefulness that we come to expect of Of Mice & Men.

'Never Giving Up' echoes the same themes of 'Would You Still Be There' that featured earlier in the album. This gives a complete contrast to 'Something To Hide', but tells the story of never giving up on someone that needs help. Whether it's implying some sort of addiction or mental illness, it shows how pure and consistent the band is with putting their heart and soul into what they write.

Of Mice & Men continue to impress with their music and are embarking on a European tour beginning in Paris on March 11th 2015, and coming to the UK from March 26th.

4.5/5

Sophie Brannon