You're Not Alone (Of Mice & Men song)

"You're Not Alone"
Single by Of Mice & Men
from the album Restoring Force
Released	December 3, 2013 (2013-12-03)[1]
Format	Digital download
Recorded	2013
Genre	Metalcore, nu metal, alternative metal
Length	3:21
Label	Rise Records
Producer(s)	David Bendeth[2]
Of Mice & Men singles chronology
"The Depths" (2012) "You're Not Alone" (2013) "Would You Still Be There" (2014)

You're Not Alone is the first single from the third Of Mice & Men album Restoring Force.

Release

The song was premiered on the first of December, 2013, accompanied with a lyric video,^[3] while the single was released on Google Play and iTunes on 3 December. This dates the first release the band has made with the new bass player and clean vocalist Aaron Pauley, formerly of band Jamie's Elsewhere, who replaced former member Shayley Bourget.^[4] It is also the band's first charting single, peaking at no. 7 in the UK rock charts and no. 44 in the US rock charts. This song premiered the bands new album, "Restoring Force" which was released on January 28, 2014 via Rise Records. The bands front runner Austin Carlile unveils his reasoning for the name when saying, "What happens after a disaster? What happens after 'The Flood'? You return to normal. You find balance again. That's what we felt like were doing with this album. We wanted this record to bring equilibrium back to our band and music. Were letting everyone know that we're here to stay. We're 'Restoring Force'." ^[5] The albums theme of togetherness and balance is well portrayed through both this song and the album as a whole.

Lyrics and meaning

Carlile stated during the premier of the lyric video with Loudwire that he wanted listeners "...to know they’re not alone. We’re all going through it with them.'”. It is also suppose to follow a theme of "togetherness, working together, and being a family" with the rest of the album. Carlile wants his fans to know that they're not alone and to feel a sense of togetherness from the group.^[6] This sense of togetherness is portrayed through the lyrics, "When it feels like all is lost, and there's no guide that's left to prove it, Take a look inside, Cherish your life & live before you lose it. You're all waiting for the answers, Keep on searching, strength in numbers." Through these lyrics and much more Carlile and his band members are trying to create a culture of unity and togetherness between the band members and the fans.

Critical reception

The single was positively reviewed. When Loudwire premiered the lyric video, they stated that the song alternated between "...an uplifting refrain and guttural verse...".^[6] Artist Direct reviewer Rick Florino praised the way the clean and scream vocals composed together and that the mix of guitar riffs and "chugs" where an "...elegant balance between crashing heavy metal and careening hard rock.", and that the revolutionary sound compared to the last two albums where alike the change Deftones made between the albums Around the Fur and White Pony.^[7]

Under the Gun's James Shotwell also praised the vocals used in the song, stating that the vocals of Aaron Pauley worked well with Austin Carlile. Shotwell also said that despite Metalcore being a "overcrowded" genre, the band appears to have "...managed to captivate throngs of young music fans with an intensity unmatched by their genre peers..." and continued to say that this particular song is one of the band's greatest efforts, praising the new musical direction the band is taking, comparing the efforts to bands such as Disturbed and Slipknot.^[8]

Chart performance

References