Of Mice & Men On Returning To Australia As Fierce As Ever…

Southern California alt-metal powerhouse OF MICE & MEN in less than two weeks, as fierce as ever and armed with their legendary live show, unrelenting energy, fan-favourite anthems and one hell of a team up courtesy of Japan’s metalcore prodigies, CRYSTAL LAKE! From crafting colossal arena songs to delivering them with blistering precision and heart-pounding intensity, every member of OM&M commits fully: body and soul, to every note, every lyric, every show and every fan encounter. It is this uncompromising drive, paired with undeniable talent, that’s earned them over a Billion streams worldwide, Billboard #1 albums, Gold certifications, and personal tour invites from the likes of Metallica, Linkin Park, and Slipknot. Their return to Australia promises to be a cathartic celebration of resilience, unity, and the unbreakable bond with their global fanbase. Frontman Aaron Pauley (vocals and bass) and drummer Valentino Arteaga talk to Rob Lyon about the tour.

Australian tour next month, you must be getting really excited to be getting on that plane and heading back for another tour?
Valentino: Yeah, man, we’re keen! Keen as.

I saw on your Facebook page you were looking for interesting ideas of places to go such as restaurants, cafes and all that sort of thing. Have people given you enough ideas and suggestions for every stop of the tour?
Valentino: Yeah, absolutely. We definitely love immersing ourselves in the culture, Australia being one of our most favourite places to visit in the world. It’s just such a similar vibe to California, where we’re from. Vibes are always good. We love food, we love going out, we love the culture, so just trying to get some ideas and kind of get people tuned in that we’re coming to visit. Not everyone knows that we’re going to be coming to town, so we just want to say, hey, My Cement’s coming, you know? Could be fun for the fans to come find us somewhere, or tell us about their mom’s favourite avocado toast spot.

So what is it about Australia that you guys love so much?
Aaron: It reminds us a lot of home. It reminds us a lot of California. Just half a world away.

Valentino: Yeah, it’s awesome. The vibes are good. We love how excited the fans get being an island out in the ocean. It’s pretty fun to get to travel out there, and just like I was kind of saying experience the culture. We’ve been touring for so long that it’s not just about the shows, it’s about immersing in the culture, immersing in the people, and just having a good time all around.

With the complexities in the world right now is that likely to throw a spanner in the works?
Valentino: That’s always a variant.

Aaron: We are monitoring the situation every single day.

Valentino: Every morning, we have a discussion about it, about what’s new, and as things develop, we feel like now more than ever, people need entertainment, they need a bit of a distraction from the negativity and the bullshit that is going on, but at the same time, it’s never at a risk of health or at a risk of danger or anything like that, so we just try and monitor everything. Most of it is out of our control, all we can do is rehearse the songs and get ready to rock out. Things are looking good right now. Our homies in Pierce The Veil were out there killing it, so we’re excited to see that. People are coming out to shows and enjoying themselves, so we’re happy about that.

Touring with the likes of Crystal Lake, that makes for an awesome double. Do you know those guys well? Does that relationship go back quite a way?
Valentino: No, but we were fans of the band. We’re also labelmates, too, so when we book these tours and stuff like that, we like to include bands that are exciting, and especially if they can come from the same roster as our record label, that’s good for everyone. Not only do they kick ass, but we hear that they have some exciting stuff in store for the show, and we’re just looking forward to getting to hang with them and rock these audiences.

Are you focusing mostly on the new album Another Miracle on this tour?
Aaron: It’s a good blend of old stuff.

Valentino: Yeah, bringing songs from all albums. Especially when we go out overseas, we know people don’t get to see us that often, so we like to make sure that we have a pretty, like Aaron said, a well-rounded set list. So everyone kind of gets to hear what they love and know, and then we throw some of our favourites in there as well.

Have you been really stoked and really pleased with how that album’s been received by fans?
Aaron: I think so.

Valentino: Yeah, it’s been great. We’re on our ninth album now, so to be able to still write music and have our audience really resonate with it, it’s something that we feel very fortunate to have, and we’re happy to continue. We love writing music, we love making albums, that’s why we have so many. First and foremost, we’re musicians, so we love this part of it more than anything. So the creative side is something that we love sharing with our audience, and if it resonates with them, that’s even better for us, because we get to go out and play these songs, and get the mosh pit started, and just have fun.

The energy and intensity of the album, I think that’s what really stands out, is this the most excited you’ve been creatively with this album?
Aaron: Yeah, definitely. I think we had a a little bit more of a clear direction. This was our third record that we self-produced, so just having a couple points of direction, and then going in and making a bunch of songs that we felt like would rip live. Yeah, it was a lot of fun to make.

When you’re self-producing an album, once it’s finished, does that make it even more satisfying seeing the songs unfold and come together?
Aaron: Totally, and it gives you a lot of points of reference to think back to the song with regards to just how it was made and thinking back and remembering the process. There’s nostalgia that’s tied into multiple elements of the songs.

Does that add another layer of stress, having that responsibility of overseeing the whole production side of it as well?
Aaron: Oh, definitely.

Valentino: Aaron is the mixing board wizard, so we do put a lot of responsibility on him, not only from bass playing and singing and lyric writing, but also mixing, mastering, I mean, he is a wizard. We appreciate all the effort that he puts in. This is our third go-around with the self-produced albums. We had to develop a good workflow to be able to do this in a timely manner and not get too lost in the weeds. Aaron’s a wizard at that, so we’re all very communicative on that side, and I think we’ve learned a lot. From our skills in doing this, and we’re still shaping, we’re still honing, we’re still writing… it allows the stream of consciousness style of writing and recording to never stop. We can be as creative as we want, as late as we want, as early as we want. We don’t have to pay a producer to open the doors to the studio, and turn all the gear on, and do whatever, we all can just work from home and do that, we file share, Zoom meets, Zoom jams, and all kinds of stuff to make these records. We’re really living in the future with how bands can do it in, you know, 2026 and 2027, so we feel very fortunate to have honed those skills, and we’re still working towards it.

What was the feeling once you finished the album? Triumph? Relief?
Aaron: It’s a little bit of both, excitement and then a kind of numb, slightly jaded feeling of, alright, on to the next. When you genuinely love creating, the focus isn’t so much on the finished product as it is on the joy of making it. For me, there’s always a bit of melancholy when a record is done, because the creative process is the part I love most. Promoting and touring a record is far more demanding and, at times, less rewarding, whereas making a record is pure imagination and fun. So there’s always that mix of emotions. It’s definitely multifaceted.

Valentino: Not to mention the waiting game. We turn an album in, and then we have no idea when it’s actually going to be released. After that, everything moves into the hands of the label, the marketing teams, the companies, the suits, all the people involved in bringing the record to the world. We’re incredibly appreciative of them, but that part of the process takes a long time. Sometimes six, nine, even twelve months can pass before the album finally comes out, just so the right plan can be put in place.

By the time we delivered the record, these songs had already been finished for quite a while. There was a lot of planning behind the rollout. And honestly, that’s all part of the process. We’re fortunate and privileged to have teams working with us to make sure we’re putting our best foot forward every time, musically, visually, creatively. We think about everything: the writing, the release strategy, the artwork, the colours, the sound, the music videos. That’s the beginning of the next phase of making an album, which is so much more than just writing songs and enjoying the creative spark. It becomes a whole world you have to build.

Are you still able to the album like a fan would?
Aaron: Kind of. I do get a little annoyed, because I can always hear something I’d change, and it’s usually obvious the moment I listen back. For some reason, you just don’t notice those things while you’re in the thick of making the record. But it’s never that serious. With any piece of art, you could keep tweaking it forever; at some point you just have to declare it finished. Still, going back to the album is fun. When you’ve been this involved in the process, there are nostalgia points everywhere. Every song reminds you of a moment, a decision, a feeling. So even with the little things I’d change, there’s a lot of joy in revisiting it.

So does it get you thinking about what you might do with the next album?
Aaron: Always. Especially now, it feels like most labels and bands put the bulk of their promotion on the front end, and once the album is out, it’s out. So my instinct is always, alright, let’s get back to work. The contracts don’t always allow that, but we’re always writing anyway. That part never really stops.

Interview By Rob Lyon

Catch Of Mice & Men on the following dates with Crystal Lake, tickets from The Phoenix…