Valerie Myers
Contributing Writer
On November 14, American hard rock band Of Mice & Men released their ninth album, “Another Miracle.” Four of the album’s tracks had been released in the months leading up to the album, including title track “Another Miracle.”
Known for their raw, personal lyricism and rock and metal roots, Of Mice & Men doesn’t stray far from what they’re known for in “Another Miracle.” However, this album is significantly heavier than their 2023 album, “Tether.”
The first track of the album, “A Waltz,” starts with bells that turn into heavy guitar and drums. The song utilizes a whispered refrain that repeats the words “One, two, three” as if counting the steps to the waltz mentioned in the title. These whispers create a chilling contrast and help you visualize the dance even despite the heaviness of the instrumentals.
The next song, “Troubled Water,” is one of the best on the album, and already has the third most streams on Spotify. Opening up heavy again, the tempo increases from the last track and explores Aaron Pauley’s vocals during the chorus. Developing the title of the track, the chorus goes “I just can’t seem to bridge that distance over troubled water” and “in that terrible water, everybody drowns.”
“Safe & Sound” is a curveball compared to the rest of the album. Highly melodic and less intense than the songs before it, it tells a story about Aaron Pauley’s daughter’s “journey to earth as a newborn baby,” something he explained in an interview with Rock Sound. The song has a lullaby feel to it, as the name suggests.
The most listened to song is title track, “Another Miracle,” with 2.76 million listens on Spotify. This song is another impressive vocal piece and tells a story about the “hopeless and cynical” wishing for a miracle.
The last song on the album, “Infinite,” may even be tied for my favorite with “Troubled Water.” It’s the perfect blend of metal elements and a smooth chorus. I find myself enjoying the catchy guitar riffs more than anything else.
Overall, the album gets about a 4/5 from me. It’s a huge improvement from the band’s last release, but I would like to see a little more diversity in the way the songs start.
Seeing this album do so well feels great after Of Mice & Men’s last album, “Tether,” didn’t quite meet fans’ expectations. Instead, music threads on Reddit, music magazines and even people on TikTok seem to enjoy the new sounds this time around.
“Another Miracle” felt like I was being transported back to middle school and I enjoy the nostalgia that the music brings me. I look forward to finding out if the band can keep this up.