The current line-up consists of Phil Manansala (guitar), Valentino Arteaga (ex. Lower Definition; drums), Aaron Pauley (ex. Jamie's Elsewhere; vocals/bass guitar) and Alan Ashby (guitar).
Shortly after forming, Carlile and Hall enlisted the help of Though She Wrote to create their first collaborative demo track "Seven Thousand Miles for What?" and later began recruiting the remaining band members.
After a short time, original guitarist Jon Kintz was replaced, solidifying the line up with Valentino Arteaga on drums, Shayley Bourget (ex. Covette) on guitar and vocals, and Phil Manansala (ex. A Static Lullaby) on guitar. The band then set about creating their self-titled debut album, released in March 2010 via Rise Records.
After heart surgery ahead of a gruelling tour schedule and growing tensions within the band forced Carlile to step down, former Sky Eats Airplane vocalist Jerry Roush took up his duties in 2010. This sparked a string of line-up changes that saw the departure of founding member Jaxin Hall, movement of Bourget from rhythm guitar to bass, the recruitment of an entirely new member in Alan Ashby and culminating in Carlile's return to the mic in 2011.
Between touring that year the band completed work on their sophomore effort, The Flood which would later be reissued in a deluxe format featuring 4 extra tracks in 2012. Early that year Bourget left the band due to personal issues and at present Carlile has taken over all vocal duties.
Third album is called Restoring Forces debut in 2014.
Austin Carlile left the band in 2016, months after their fourth album "Cold World" was released.
Since 2009, the band has released six studio albums: Of Mice & Men (2010), The Flood (2011), Restoring Force (2014), Cold World (2016), Defy (2018), and Earthandsky (2019)
The Mountain
Of Mice & Men Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And placed it inside the mountain
Because I can't stand to think
That the strongest roots won't
Save you when the bough breaks
I count the days on my hands
That I've sat inside this mountain
Beaten by the wind and fire and rain
Plagues and pestilence, they fill my head
Trapped in the finality of every end
When every tear shed becomes a sea
For you to sink in
You have the same disease
And the contagion spreads
The same disease (the same disease) as me
The curse of empathy
The curse of empathy
All hail the mountain
Cold and callous
Bastion of blood and stone
All hail the mountain
Altar and antidote
You have the same disease
And the contagion spreads
The same disease (the same disease) as me
The curse of empathy
The curse of empathy
The curse of empathy
Have I just become a monolith
Somewhere in between gallant and grotesque?
Well, I could never find peace in emptiness
With these drums of war pounding in my chest
Pounding in my chest
We're not concerned, just mad
I refuse to come down
Leave me inside my mountain
Leave me inside my mountain
Leave me inside my mountain
All hail the mountain
Altar and antidote
All hail the mountain
Altar and antidote
"The Mountain" by Of Mice & Men explores the theme of emotional isolation and the struggle to find solace and acceptance in a harsh and unforgiving world. The lyrics depict the persona's decision to protect their vulnerable heart by placing it inside the metaphorical mountain, symbolizing isolation and emotional detachment. The persona expresses their fear of vulnerability and the belief that even the strongest roots cannot save them when they are hurt or broken. They have witnessed the decay of the world and the destructive forces of nature, feeling trapped in the inevitability of every ending.
The song also delves into the idea of empathy as both a blessing and a curse. The persona realizes that they share the same disease as others, referring to the emotional burden of empathy and the ability to feel others' pain deeply. They perceive empathy as a contagion that spreads and affects everyone, making them aware of the suffering in the world. This burden is portrayed as a curse, alluding to the emotional toll it takes on the persona.
The chorus celebrates the mountain as a symbol of strength and resilience, both offering solace and acting as a defense mechanism against the harshness of the world. The mountain is hailed as an altar, representing a place of worship and refuge, but also as an antidote, suggesting that it can provide healing and protection from emotional turmoil.
The bridge of the song reflects on the persona's struggle with their own identity. They question whether they have become a monolith, an immovable and unfeeling entity, somewhere between gallant and grotesque. They reject the idea of finding peace in emptiness and instead find their heart constantly affected by the drums of war, highlighting their internal conflict and the tension within them.
Overall, "The Mountain" portrays the persona's yearning for emotional security and a sense of belonging, their battle with the burden of empathy, and their search for inner peace amidst a chaotic world.
Line by Line Meaning
I took my heart in my hands
I bravely embraced vulnerability
And placed it inside the mountain
I sought refuge and protection
Because I can't stand to think
I am unable to bear the thought
That the strongest roots won't
Even the strongest foundations cannot
Save you when the bough breaks
Protect you when everything collapses
I count the days on my hands
I keep track of time passing
That I've sat inside this mountain
That I've remained secluded in this refuge
And watched the world decay
And witnessed the decay of the world
Beaten by the wind and fire and rain
Overwhelmed by destructive forces
Plagues and pestilence, they fill my head
Dread and suffering occupy my thoughts
Trapped in the finality of every end
Imprisoned in the inevitability of endings
When every tear shed becomes a sea
When each tear forms a vast body of water
For you to sink in
For you to be consumed by
You have the same disease
You share the same affliction
And the contagion spreads
And the illness spreads
The same disease (the same disease) as me
The identical ailment as mine
The curse of empathy
The burden of feeling deeply
All hail the mountain
Let us praise the mountain
Cold and callous
Unfeeling and indifferent
Bastion of blood and stone
A stronghold of strength and resilience
Altar and antidote
A place of worship and healing
Have I just become a monolith
Have I transformed into an immovable figure
Somewhere in between gallant and grotesque?
Existing in a state between courage and ugliness?
Well, I could never find peace in emptiness
I could never find tranquility in nothingness
With these drums of war pounding in my chest
With the relentless beating of war within me
We're not concerned, just mad
We are not worried, only consumed by anger
I refuse to come down
I adamantly resist descending
Leave me inside my mountain
Let me stay within my sanctuary
All hail the mountain
Let us praise the mountain
Altar and antidote
A place of worship and healing
Lyrics ยฉ BMG Rights Management
Written by: Aaron Pauley
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
SkinnyP x
That breakdown reminds me of a breakdown that would be on The Flood. I'm loving this album. Heavy at times and very melodic at times. I think this song has the perfect combination of heavy and clean. Thank you OM&M for this album.
Yo Gamer Boi
This song is the definition of why I love OM&M. Easily the best song on the album
[Sz2S] oIVIegatron
I wouldnโt go that far. Itโs an insane song, and Iโm very drawn to it. But this whole album is wonderful. Their current sound is perfect. Mushroom Clouds is my favorite!
Curse The Sky
Yes It Is
Artribution Gaming
I really like gravedancer too tho
Matheus Shipp
OM&M*
Ives
โThe mountain that we reference in this song is an ideation of a personโs monolith of identities that they create for themselves. If you think of a social media profile, or the face that you show to the world, that is very much a curated version of yourself. While that person is still you, it is a specifically designed version of you, because you canโt or donโt want to fully open up because itโs not the right time or place.ย Along with that, this song focuses on empathy, and how for somebody like me, empathy can be just as much of a curse as it is a blessing. I tend to, for better or worse, assimilate pain from the circumstances and people around me - I canโt see something sad happen to somebody else and not feel bad. But conversely, I can decide to turn myself into a stone-cold mountain and not feel anything - itโs always possible to turn yourself off but you risk losing yourself within that. I donโt like to think that my songs are about me - Iโm more of a storyteller, and from that perspective, the subject that Iโm talking about loses themselves within their mountain, they lose who they are in the cold identity that they have designed so that they donโt have to be open to compassion and empathy. I feel like people are doing that more and more, and we have more mountains in 2019 than we have people.โ - Aaron Pauley
KL3MM3R
Personally, as a veteran 04-08 3.8 deployment time in the suck: this hits a different meaning for me. I liken the mountain to my faith in God and God himself. I see things others don't knowing how miniscule and pointless life and death can be in whom it chooses. Losing brothers in arms and untold tales of war that never leave yet always linger. Makes me put my life in God's hands, in his will by Faith i.e. the Mountain.
Also I've seen many mice proclaim to be men till shit hits the fan.
But every song to the listener is thier own crossword puzzle.
*In addition: Yes, I can show you how to survive ๐บ๐ธ๐ดโโ ๏ธ๐ค
Brandon Ralphs
I fucking love Aaron
Brian Givens
true poetry in and out of song, Aaron is a musical genius