“Life is unpredictable – we can’t always control where life takes us,” Carlile says. “We’ve become really close to all of the guys in the band, they’re a great bunch of guys. When Chester is healed we will be right there with them. I can honestly say there isn’t a band I would back more.”
Of Mice & Men have had their fair share of misfortune. Lineup changes, addiction issues and personality clashes had created general unrest within the band for years. However, since the arrival of Jamie’s Elsewhere former lead singer Aaron Pauley (bass and clean vocals), the band experienced a rebirth. Their new found conviction can be heard within the verses of Restoring Force, Of Mice & Men’s third studio album.
“The making of the new record was such a different experience this time round. Aaron and I flew out to the studio for about two and a half weeks before the rest of the band did,” Carlile explained. “We started working on preproduction and wrote some skeletons of songs. Then together Aaron and I trialled some basslines. Soon our producer [David Bendeth] suggested we work separately and see what we could come up with.”
After years of turbulence in the band, Carlile admits he felt pressure to produce something that was worth the wait. “I’d be lying if I told you it was easy. We’d never recorded with Aaron before and we didn’t know if it was going to work. Until one day he asked me to listen to a chorus and verse he said he’d had in his head forever. As a musician, you know when you have a good chorus and verse, the rest is cake. Even still there was a lot riding on this and Aaron knew it.”
Carlile knew everyone needed a break from recording; the tension was getting to them. While back in California, he ran into Mike Shinoda. “We got to talking and had lunch together. I’d mentioned I was working on a new record and he seemed interested, so we went to his car and we listened to these super rough demos. I was doing vocals, even though I felt pretty silly. I had idolised this guy, now I’m singing to him in his car,” Carlile laughed. “Suddenly he looked at me and said, ‘You would be an idiot not to let me help you with this. I love it.’ He [Mike] helped bring that song to life and it was that day in the car that started our friendship with Linkin Park.”
That song turned out to be Feels Like Forever, the record’s lead single and arguably the stand out track on Restoring Force. “It has become one of my favourite songs. I don’t want to sound corny but Aaron bringing that song to the table was the restoring force for our band.”
Out now through Rise Records is Restoring Force: Full Circle. The deluxe edition includes all the original tracks including four bonus tracks and an acoustic version of Feels Like Forever.“I am so proud of this album and we can’t wait to play these songs for you live at Soundwave.”
Of Mice & Men have earned their place on the bill at one of Australia’s biggest festival this year: Soundwave. They’ll rub shoulders with some of the world’s premier punk and hardcore acts when the rock‘n’roll road show hits Melbourne. “We have some buddies in the lineup.” Carlile says excitedly. “I love Slipknot and I can’t wait to catch up with the guys from Incubus and Hollywood Undead.
“We’re playing a very healthy 45-minute set, which is perfect for us. We’re not Metallica, we don’t have any eight minute songs,” he joked. “We plan to play half off Restoring Force, lots from The Flood [2011] and of course, tracks from the re-release. There may even be an acoustic song or two in there, you never know.”
“The last time we were in Australia was Soundwave 2013 and we had a lot of fun, maybe a little bit too much,” he chuckles. “It is such a blessing to be able to make music and travel the world. Before I started the band I’d never even left the US, and we’re the biggest bunch of tourists. We’re the band that does all the clichéd stuff, camera in hand. So if you see us around please come say hi.”
BY NATALIE ROGERS
