Last week it was announced that Austin Carlile would depart Of Mice & Men and the Orange County metalcore mob would continue their life as a four-piece. For fans and those who had been following the OM&M saga over the past 12 months, this didn’t come as much of a surprise, as Austin had been publicly struggling with a very serious health condition known as Marfan Syndrome all his life. Many stories and hospital updates had been posted from Carlile and the band in recent months, but it was just before 11pm on December 30 that the true scale of his illness was revealed.
In a candid Twitter post by Austin, he told fans of the painful ordeal his body has been and still is going through. He had three tears around his spinal cord, which would fill with fluid every time he tried to scream, causing “violent pain” every time he’d perform onstage. This isn’t how anybody wanted the Of Mice & Men story to end, especially Austin, and it’s heartbreaking to take in… but it is necessary.
My heart is heavy… I never thought I would be writing this… Wanted to leave this announcement in the mess that is 2016… pic.twitter.com/T02QIt2hUp
— Austin Carlile (@austincarlile) December 30, 2016
As much as people moan about there being a lack of rockstars in the 21st century – how nobody pushes the status quo, parties like they’re immortal, or sticks two fingers up to the man – the tragic exit of Austin Carlile hammers home the fact that even our heroes are human, and sometimes more frail than we are. It would be awful if Carlile tried to continue fronting Of Mice & Men. Having cancelled numerous dates in recent months due to his health, it’s not the way for any touring band to live their lives, and we shouldn’t expect anybody to go through that level of pain for our enjoyment – even Johnny Knoxville has a limit.
I spoke with Austin in May last year at Slam Dunk festival, just before the release of latest album Cold World, and there was not even a glimmer of pain or unrest, there was fire in his eyes and he was ready to take on the world, one show after another. That was just over six months ago, and this once raging inferno has now been extinguished thanks to a terrible illness.
But, this isn’t the end of OM&M. Yes, they’re carrying on as a four-piece, but as fans, the four albums they gave the world should be cherished, now more than ever. This is the sound of a man screaming until he literally couldn’t scream anymore, until his body physically wouldn’t let him in a cruel twist of fate. He will always be a part of the band, as they will always be a part of him, and now the Cali metallers are sailing without a captain, it’s up to the fans to rise and support the good ship, restoring force to its once mighty sails. This probably won’t be the last we see of Austin, and making the decision to leave was one last nail in 2016’s coffin, but it shows integrity, spirit and courage in a scene often lacking in all three. We salute you, sir.
You can read Of Mice & Men’s recent Upset cover feature here.
