Fresh off the announcement of the January 19, 2018 drop date for their new album Defy, Of Mice & Men —vocalist/bassist Aaron Pauley, guitarist Alan Ashby, drummer Valentino Arteaga, and guitarist Phil Manansala— have revealed their Winter 2018 tour plans and have shared the title track from the forthcoming record. Listen to “Defy” here.
The band will embark on a headline run this winter, with Blessthefall, Cane Hill, Fire From the Gods, and Mscw in tow. The trek kicks off in Santa Cruz on February 1 and runs through March 7 in San Diego. All tour dates are below. Tickets and VIP packages go on sale Wednesday, November 29 at 10am local time. Tickets and VIP packages will be available here.
Regarding the new track, Pauley said, “To defy means to challenge the power of; resist boldly or openly. Our song ‘Defy’ is all about digging your heels in, and being defiant towards feelings of hopelessness, and defining yourself in the process.”
The song, which is also the album opener, premiered on Sunday night on Daniel P. Carter’s Rock Show on BBC Radio 1. It provides a clarion call for the new record. Hinging on gnashing guitars and an anthemic and empowering chant, the song sees the band embrace its roots, while further sharpening its songwriting.
Defy was produced by Howard Benson (My Chemical Romance, Three Days Grace, Skillet, The All-American Rejects) and mixed by Chris Lord-Alge (Green Day, Breaking Benjamin, Shinedown, Rise Against).
Earlier this month, Of Mice & Men released the video for the explosive and unforgettable new track “Warzone,” along with the previous one-two punch of the singles “Unbreakable” and “Back to Me.” Those songs have clocked over 8.5 million Spotify streams and 6 million YouTube/VEVO views in six months. Loudwire described the new material as “soaring,” while Billboard, Alternative Press, and more featured the tracks.
Over the course of nearly a decade, Of Mice & Men have steadily risen to the top of the genre’s ranks, hitting No. 1 on Billboard’s Rock and Independent Charts and No. 4 on the genre-spanning Top 200.
The band has also racked up close to 5 million social media followers, along with a following so dedicated that it’s practically disciple-like in its fandom. Through the years, they’ve shared stages with artists such as Metallica, Linkin Park, Slipknot, and Queens of the Stone Age, holding their own all the while winning over new fans with each performance.
OF MICE & MEN ON TOUR:
With Blessthefall, Cane Hill, Fire From the Gods
2/1 — Santa Cruz, CA — Catalyst*
2/2 — Portland, OR — Wonder Ballroom*
2/3 — Seattle, WA — El Corazon*
2/4 — Boise, ID — Knitting Factory*
2/5 — Salt Lake City, UT — Complex*
2/6 — Denver, CO — Summit Music Hall*
2/8 — Minneapolis, MN — Music Hall MPLS*
2/9 — St. Louis, MO — Ready Room
2/11 — Chicago, IL — House of Blues
2/12 — Detroit, MI — Crofoot
2/13 — Toronto, ON — Opera House
2/14 — Montreal, QC — Corona Theatre
2/16 — Boston, MA — Paradise Rock Club
2/17 — New York City, NY — Gramercy Theatre
2/18 — Asbury Park, NJ — Stone Pony
2/19 — Philadelphia, PA — Trocadero
2/20 — Charlotte, NC — Underground
2/21 — Atlanta, GA — Masquerade Heaven
2/23 — Orlando, FL — Beacham
2/24 — Destin, FL — Club L.A.
2/25 — New Orleans, LA — House of Blues
2/27 — Houston, TX — White Oak
2/28 — Dallas, TX — Canton Hall
3/1 — Albuquerque, NM — Sunshine
3/4 — Vegas, NV — Vinyl @ Hard Rock Live
3/5 — Flagstaff, AZ — Orpheum
3/6 — Phoenix, AZ — Nile Theatre
3/7 — San Diego, CA — SOMA
*No Cane Hill
DEFY TRACK LISTING:
1. Defy
2. Instincts
3. Back to Me
4. Sunflower
5. Unbreakable
6. Vertigo
7. Money
8. How Will You Live
9. On The Inside
10. Warzone
11. Forever YDG’n
12. If We Were Ghosts
