In 2002 I heard about this band from Douglasville, GA, a suburb of Atlanta about 3 hours away from me. My friends and I were stoked that there was this band that close to us signed to a known label. At that point we were all trying to find ourselves in this world and music played a huge role in that. Over the course of the past few years I have lost touch with that band, however with their newest album Norma Jean has managed to bring back those feelings I had in 2002.
Norma Jean is a band that is hit or miss with me. Their first few releases were brutal and right in your face. Then I just stopped listening to them. Maybe it was the music or maybe I had moved on. This has changed with their new release Wrongdoers. This album has the kick that I enjoyed from their early years. This is a band that has grown over the years and it is very apparent on this album. Part of that may be due to the fact that this album was recorded with three new members. These members have been a part of the band for a few years but this is the first time they have recorded with the band. The track, “If You Got it at Five, You Got it at Fifty” is organized chaos at its best. The guitars are outstanding and the vocals are some of Cory’s best. It at times reminds me of “Memphis Will Be Laid To Waste” from their first release.
[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_gXp4hdd2pk&h=297&w=450]Another standout track on the album is the title track, “Wrongdoers”. This song takes the listener from 0 to 60 in no time at all. This track is fast, loud and heavy and at the same time very beautiful. The melodies in this song are some of the best to ever come from this band. Again showcasing the voice of Cory. One of the best tracks on the album is a little over one minute long. “The Lash Whistles Like a Singing Wind” could easily fit on a Converge album. That is the best way to describe this track. It has to be one of the hardest songs these guys have written in years.
This is one of those albums where I cannot wait to hear the songs live. Norma Jean has always put on a great show but now with these new songs their arsenal is going to be better. Norma Jean has stoked their claim as one of the best in their genre and I hope people listen to them. This album is going to end up on many end of year lists.
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