Defy (album) explained

Defy
Type:	studio
Artist:	Of Mice & Men
Cover:	Defy cover by Of Mice & Men.jpg
Released:	January 19, 2018
Recorded:	2017
Studio:	West Valley Studios, Woodland Hills, Los Angeles
Genre:	Nu metal^[1] ^[2] alternative metal^[3] metalcore heavy metal hard rock^[4]
Length:	45:31
Label:	Rise
Producer:	Howard Benson
Prev Title:	Cold World
Prev Year:	2016
Next Title:	Earthandsky
Next Year:	2019

Defy is the fifth studio album by American rock band Of Mice & Men. It was released on January 19, 2018, through Rise Records. The album was produced by Howard Benson and is the follow-up to the group's fourth album, Cold World (2016). This is the first album to feature Aaron Pauley as the sole lead vocalist following the departure of Austin Carlile, who left the band in late 2016 due to health issues. It sold 9,400 copies in the US in its first week.^[5]

Personnel

Credits adapted from AllMusic.^[6]

Of Mice & Men

• Aaron Pauley – lead vocals, bass
• Alan Ashby – rhythm guitar, backing vocals
• Phil Manansala – lead guitar, backing vocals
• Valentino Arteaga – drums, percussion, backing vocals on "Unbreakable"

Additional personnel

• Howard Benson – production, recording
• Mike Plotnikoff – co-production, engineering
• Hatsukazu Inagaki – engineering
• Zach Darf, Trevor Dietrich and Nik Karpen – assistant engineering
• Chris Lord-Alge – mixing
• Adam Chagnon – additional engineering
• Ted Jensen and Chris Athens – mastering
• Paul DeCarli – editing
• Marc VanGool – guitar technician
• Jon Nicholson – drum technician
• Charles Tsuei – assisting
• Stevie Aiello – composition on "Back to Me" and "How Will You Live"
• Roger Waters – composition on "Money"
• Scott Stephens – composition on "On the Inside"
• Lindsey Byrnes – band photography
• Kevin Moore – art direction, design
• Laurie Belotti – art direction, design assisting

Charts

Chart (2018)! scope="col"

Peak position
New Zealand Heatseeker Albums (RMNZ)^[7]	7

Notes and References

1. Web site: Lucas. Carrol. Of Mice & Men // "Defy" Album Review. The Modern Record. January 18, 2018. January 19, 2018.
2. Web site: Grönecke-Preuss. Jeanette. Of Mice And Men - Defy. Metal.de. January 23, 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180124022702/http://www.metal.de/reviews/of-mice-and-men-defy-305717/. January 24, 2018. German. January 6, 2018.
3. Web site: "Defy" By Of Mice & Men-Album Review. The Haystack Music. January 21, 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20190623050619/https://www.thehaystackmusic.com/major-artist-reviews/2018/1/20/defy-by-of-mice-men. June 23, 2019. dead.
4. Web site: Of Mice & Men – Defy (Album Review). Wall of Sound. January 15, 2018. December 26, 2019.
5. Web site: Of Mice & Men album fails to chart on Billboard 200. Lambgoat. October 8, 2019.
6. Web site: Defy - Of Mice & Men - Credits - AllMusic. . January 22, 2018.
7. Web site: NZ Heatseeker Albums Chart. Recorded Music NZ. January 29, 2018. January 26, 2018.