True to its title,
Of Mice & Men's fifth album defies the odds after the loss of frontman
Austin Carlile, who was finally sidelined in late 2016 after years of health woes. In his place is clean vocalist and bassist
Aaron Pauley, who assumes the responsibility of both screaming and singing on
Defy. After
Carlile's departure and 2016's rather limp
Cold World, the big question was whether the band could continue in a manner befitting the brand and its fans. On
Defy, while they prove that it's not only possible to persist but also thrive, the simple answer is that this is no longer
Carlile's
OM&M. Nor should it be. The
Pauley-led incarnation of
OM&M hits just as hard. In some ways,
Pauley's vocals are more welcome; depending on his role in each song, he's not only a better singer than
Carlile, but also a devastating screamer. Naturally, the band has something to prove on
Defy and that defiance is empowering. The opening title track is triumphant, cracking open the sky before "Instincts" whips up a torrent of swirling guitars and pummeling drums with
Pantera-like levels of might and fury.
Pauley holds his own with blood-curdling bellows and soaring clean vocals, which help carry
Defy to the very end. "Back to Me," "Unbreakable," and the swaggering
Pink Floyd cover "Money" display an energy and vigor that had long been absent from the
OM&M catalog. On less furious moments like "Vertigo" and "If We Were Ghosts," the band plays with atmospherics and
Pauley adopts his best
Maynard James Keenan for a pair of tracks that sound quite similar to
A Perfect Circle. In the same vein, the unexpectedly melodic "Sunflower" is an evolution for the band, a beautifully soaring highlight. Undoubtedly,
Defy may split fans down the
Carlile-loyalty line. However, the album warrants attention for its melody, power, and pure catchiness. Here, the band are not diminished, they've actually received a new and satisfying lease on life. ~ Neil Z. Yeung