Redeemer Review

Release Date: Sep 12, 2006
Label: Tooth & Nail
Genres: Heavy Metal, Post-Hardcore
Number Of Tracks: 11
While Norma Jean do show promise at times, it is still very hard to get all the way through some of the songs.

Sound:	8.5
Lyrics:	9
Impression:	8.7
Overall rating:	8.7
Users rating:	8.7
Comments:	156

overall: 7

Featured review by: UG Team, on september 23, 2006

Sound: Norma Jean is truly an anomaly of sorts. When you listen to the Atlanta natives’ music, which goes heavy on the distortion and growls, you’re probably not expecting to learn that Normal Jean is a fervent Christian band. It’s exactly that paradox that makes the band a bit more intriguing. The quintet’s latest CD Redeemer will probably not appeal to the masses, primarily for the abrasive vocals provided by Cory Brandan, but it is a fascinating addition to the Christian music genre.

The entire record is very raw in its approach, and one of the main reasons is Norma Jean’s (vocalist Brandan, guitarists Scottie Henry and Chris Day, bassist Jake Schultz, and drummer Daniel Davison) approach to songwriting. With many songs on Redeemer, there is a tendency to let vocalist Brandan repeat lines over and over again until you might just be ready to skip to the next song. This repetitious approach make work in some cases, but a band like Norma Jean needs some let up from the screaming at times. There is nothing wrong with a good screamer who can convey the emotional content of the lyrics, but it’s easy to be worn out by the first song “A Grand Scene For A Color Film” when Brandan incessantly asks, “Just what are you trying to say?”

“A Temperamental Widower” has a bumpy start as well. Once again, you’re immediately draw to Brandan’s raucous vocals until an underlying guitar line enters in the picture and leads the song in a different, melody-driven direction. The line plays while Brandan is holding out one of his screams, but it manages to work because it offers such a nice contrast between the melodic riff and the hell-sent roars.

“Cemetery Like A Stage” is one of the better tunes on the album, primarily because attention is averted away from Brandan and geared a bit more toward the bass work of Schultz. With the bass line leading much of the song, the track sounds vaguely like the beginning days of Tool -- the angrier days, of course. The bass is allowed to take control over the melody a few times in the song, and Brandan likewise eases up on his screams for a moment. It’s at those times where you actually can hear the construction of the song a bit better, not to mention that it provides a little intermission from the unceasing sound that is usually offered up in other songs. // 7

Lyrics and Singing: While Norma Jean is vocal about the band being Christian, the lyrics on Redeemer don’t necessarily scream religion. There are vague references here are there, but if you weren’t told the band was religious, you probably still wouldn’t know. While the songs do project the angry vibe heard in the songs on Redeemer, there are times when lines just get sung too many times.

In “The End Of All Things Will Be Televised,” the lyrics seem to have some religious metaphorical meaning. The writing is done effectively and never feels in-your-face by any means. Brandan sings, “Out comes the exit; Captain, this ship is sinking; Have mercy.” The strong contrast between the rough delivery and the message of asking for mercy is an intriguing one.

With the issue of repeating lyrics, the best example is the last track “No Passenger: No Parasite,” which coincidentally uses most of the words in the song in the title. The only other words added into the mix are when Brandan sings, “Wake up.” While the band does add different musical layers underneath the singing to build up the song into a crescendo, the lyrics still just become tedious after a while. // 7

Impression: Norma Jean will likely be disliked by many because of the vocals, plain and simple. Some bands can pull of the screaming, but it’s usually because they also have songs that consist of several different segments that make it more of an interesting listen. While Norma Jean do show promise at times, it is still very hard to get all the way through some of the songs.

There are plenty of interesting melody lines being played by both the guitarists and the bass player, but unfortunately all too often they are easily shadowed by the overpowering vocals. It should be said that Norma Jean does stand out from the rest of the Christian band pack, and that is fairly refreshing. If the band can strike the right balance between metal and melody, it will soon be known for much more than the religion. // 7

overall: 9.3

Reviewed by: Amalgam, on april 16, 2007

Sound: Any fan of Norma Jean, Underoath's newest album, Alexisonfire, etc, will enjoy this album. Redeemer is my favorite album out of their three studio releases (excluding the ones made as Luti-Kriss), and is a current favorite for my iTunes. The album features the righteous attack of Norma Jean's vicious guitars and drums, and the ever present screaming abilities of their frontman Cory. Much better screams than their old frontman, Josh Scogin, in my opinion. It has a very distorted sound that Norma Jean fans will find oh so familiar, along with odd time signatures and sometimes incomprehensible lyrics. But if you're a fan of this, then you'll find it as a breath of fresh, mathcore-influenced air. // 9

Lyrics and Singing: The lyrics in this album are really impressive. Stained glass windows into the souls of some amazing young men. My favorite lyrics on the album are probably from "Blueprints for Future Homes", or "Songs Sound Much Sadder". I fear the lyrics might not live up to their old albums, but they still sound extremely well done. Cory's screaming abilities are really well, not deep metal screams, more like an angry announcer screaming into his microphone, not quite indecipherible, but still with the raw intensity of Norma Jean. And, yes, I will admit, Cory screams because he probably can't sing. But who cares, I much prefer this screaming to any singing he could possibly supply me with. // 9

Impression: The overall impression of this album is that Norma Jean isn't going to soften up with their new albums. Comparable to Underoath's "Define The Great Line", but obviously not as melodic. The best songs off the album are "Blueprints for Future Homes" and "The End of All Things Will Be Televised" although every time I listen to it I listen through the whole album, so I'd have to put all the songs down as favorites. What I love about this album is that they stepped back and looked at what they got right from the last two albums, and said "Alright, let's not make the same album twice, let's go this way with this one." They burst out of their hangups with this one and really captured the perfect sound with this one. // 10

overall: 8

Reviewed by: unregistered, on december 27, 2007

Sound: Norma Jean and their music is very abrasive on so many levels that it almost creates it's own genre of music. The music can make you drop kick the nearest person around you. The CD is one of the few that you can listen all the way through to the end; especially with all the bands taking up all the success for their half-ass music and rip-offs. Norma Jean have created an underground following that can be measured in the thousands. We are a true fan base. Their is one slight misconception to the band though; a lot of people seem to think that they're a Christian band when they are not. Some people mistake that because there are religious people in the band but that does not make them a Christian band. Just like people relate Slayer with a Satan worshiping band when they're not, the lead singer is Catholic. I'm just saying that people don't need to mix up the titles. The fact of the matter is that Norma Jean created one of the most progressive records of all time and I applaud them for it. // 9

Lyrics and Singing: The lyrics are very simple yet some aggressive. "Let's break out the shotguns, we're going to town." The way he delivers that lyric makes me think of horror movies and the last man standing against the zombies. Greatest lyrics out their right beside Protest The Hero. // 9

Impression: "Blueprints for Future Homes" and "No Passenger, No Parasite" are very deep in their simplicity. These songs are what creates the atmosphere of the whole record. These songs I hope are playing in hell so it'll be awesome; or they'll play Hanson so it might suck. // 6

overall: 9.7

Reviewed by: Kutless, on june 11, 2007

Sound: Where can I even begin. Even though I am a long time Norma Jean fan I have to be amazed with the new cd. The first thing I noticed was that it's not near as aggressive as past albums. Normally I would list this as a bad thing, but in this case it isn't. The maturity on this album is astounding. They do an excellent job of doing heavy stuff while still maintaining good musicianship. They do a good job of making each song sound different from the one before. This was a major improvement from previous cds. Musically the standout track would have to be songs sound much sadder. It's much more mellow than the other songs, but it's still norma jean style and is an amazing song. // 9

Lyrics and Singing: As always norma jean does an excellent job with lyrics. I've always been impressed with their lyrics and I was not dissapointed with this CD. "Let's break out the shotguns we're going to town." "I will not sleep while you're throwing anchors to a drowning generation." "While we thought that we were learning how to live we have been learning how to die, I should have known we would be legends." // 10

Impression: Amazing CD. That's the bottom line. Hands down it is the best Norma Jean CD to date. I could not imagine it being lost, I may have to kill someone. There's no down side to the CD what so ever, everything about it is good. I think the CD is a defininent must have for any norma jean fan or for any hardcore fan looking for something new. // 10

overall: 8.7

Reviewed by: The Spoon, on january 04, 2007

Sound: Astounding! This is the first Norma Jean CD I've heard. I have to say that I am impressed. The guitars and bass are both amazing. Working together, they create a very dirty sound, which works very well. The drummer is also pretty skilled too. The beats are amazing. The songs on the record are pretty catchy, despite the singer doing no actual singing, but screaming. You'll want to scream (or try) along. Norma Jean defies all songwriting rules, which each song being different in each other. The way Norma Jean writes their songs has it's flaws too, because some of the songs have boring parts which you'll want to skip. The singer repeats himself a lot too. // 8

Lyrics and Singing: The songs are amazing. You really want to try and sing along. The lead singer is an amazing screamer, but you can't really understand what he is saying. Sometimes you can understand what the singer screams, but this is only when he is repeating the same line for 2 minutes. You have to look up lyrics on the internet, but once you actually see the lyrics, it opens up a whole new perspective in the songs. You actually realize what they are saying and the point they are trying to convey. There is one song where lyrics are the lacking point, and that is the last track "No Passenger:NoParasite". There are only 3 lines. Wake up, no passenger, no parrasite. Occasionally, in different songs, the singer tones down the screaming a bit, and actually tries to, you know, sing. But the singer is one of the reasons Norma Jean is set apart from other metalcore bands. All he does is scream, but he is one of the best screamers I've heard. // 9

Impression: Norma Jean is a metalcore band, but it's not the same as the other metalcore bands. They are different because the singer just screams, the songs lack solos, and they don't follow melody. This makes them amazing, and sets them apart from everyone else. The most impressive songs have to be "A Grand Scene For A Color Film", "The End Of All Things Will Be Televised", "Amnesty Please", and "Cemetary Like A Stage". I love how different this band is than everyone else (as stated before) and the way they write their songs. I hate how the singer repeats himself alot. I also dislike the last track because it doesnt't make sense to me. If I somehow lost this album, I would definately buy it again, as it has influenced the way I write my songs and guitar playing. As a last word, I would like to say "bravo" to all the people invloved in the porduction of this record. // 9

overall: 9.7

Reviewed by: Schizopathic, on september 23, 2006

Sound: Norma Jean. The band that everyone once loved, and now everyone loves to thrash. The bands third full length since they became Norma Jean entitled "Redeemer", is quite possibly the bands best effort to date. Many will not appreciate the structured sonic chaos that is Redeemer, while not as chaotic as it's two predecessors, it still packs enough of a punch to leave you breathless. The songs themselves are shorter than NJ is usually know for. The song titles aren't 5 million words long, but this album is in every sense of the word Norma Jean (I know it's two words, shut up). They have proved that changing your sound from album to album is not at all bad, and in some cases, can even be an improvement. // 9

Lyrics and Singing: This album is very awesome lyrically, Norma Jean has always had thought-provoking, well written lyrics. Their first CD (Bless the Martyr, Kiss The Child) featured Josh Scoggin on vocals, his unprocessed scream made people fall in love with the band, it was raw and felt like he was right there next to you screaming in your face. After BTMKTC, he left the band and was replaced by Cory Putnam. They then released O'God, The Aftermath, and Cory stepped up and proved that he was just as good if not better than Josh. But there are always those people that just don't like change, every since his joining the band, Cory has been trash-talked by BTMKTC fans (or Scoggin elitist, as I call them), about how he ruined the band. Well I'm here to tell you that Cory Putnam is an amazing vocalist. He really shines through on Redeemer, he retains his guttural, visceral scream, and really shows off his range with his melodic, singing parts. The changes in vocal styles on this record will really surprise and shock people. The lyrics themselves are quite good, with lines like:"You've given us user-friendly grenades, just what are you trying to say?" (from the album opener "A Grand Scene For A Color Film), and "Don't you dare insinuate me!" (from "Like Swimming Circles"). This is some of Cory's best work as a vocalist(Even though I do love the raw power he expressed on O God). // 10

Impression: Redeemer is Norma Jean's best work to date. It just shows that a band can change up their sound, and still be completely amazing. I can't really say that their are any songs that I don't like. The most impressive on the album I would have to say are: A Grand Scene For A Color Film, Blueprints For Future Homes, A Small Spark Vs. A Great Forest, The End Of All Things Will Be Televised, and Like Swimming Cirlces(my personal favorite) Some of the songs kind of start of slow, but build to be equally as great as the others. If this CD was stolen, I would not hesistate to buy another copy, and if I ever found out who stole my first copy. I'd buy a Kelly Clarkson CD, and break it with their face! // 10

Comments

[TiDyCaTT900]

suprsied that they were a christian band?? Im not..all of those new christian bands are like that now,doesnt suprsie me in the least,not a fan not that I dont belive in god but I dont like this screamo crap.

[PaulieD17]

There is nothing wrong with a good screamer who can convey the emotional content of the lyrics, but it?s easy to be worn out by the first song ?A Grand Scene For A Color Film? when Brandan incessantly asks, ?Just what are you trying to say?

Are you kidding? That's my favorite part on the entire album.

[Sixpack5001]

yeah man i hate screamo

[metal4life66613]

there is no god

[Absentmental]

this might be the best cd of 2006

[Alkaline300]

sometimes there is a little much look at Nile

[scud22]

What trash, I mean metal is supposed to be brutal and satanic and tell stories of mythical beasts and crazy shit. Listen, you Hot Topic sweatshirt buying that think this is metal, try listening to some real metal like Opeth, Slayer, and Amon Amarth. And Absentmental, are you that crass or are you a 14 year old saying that this is the best album of the year? This shit's not even metal, let alone music.

[t3hrav3n]

metal4life66613 wrote:

there is no god

scud22 wrote:

What trash, I mean metal is supposed to be brutal and satanic and tell stories of mythical beasts and crazy shit. Listen, you Hot Topic sweatshirt buying that think this is metal, try listening to some real metal like Opeth, Slayer, and Amon Amarth. And Absentmental, are you that crass or are you a 14 year old saying that this is the best album of the year? This shit's not even metal, let alone music.

both of you, grow up.

[pasturofmuppets]

Sixpack5001 wrote:

yeah man i hate screamo

it isnt screamo...there is not such a genre called screamo...stupid mainstream kids called it that when they listened to hardcore and metalcore...what bands classifie themselves as screamo???

[HavokStrife]

This band always sucked.

I don't care who is singing/sung for them. They're horrible. Adam Dutkweitz got ahold of and they STILL sounded bad.

[Dobbin87]

Let's clear some things up:
This band isn't 'screamo'.
This band is not original.
Claiming that this band will not be accepted by the mainstream is wrong, because they already are.

[Agent_00Funk]

I thought this was a pretty good album.

[Flash]

I hope norma jean is'nt gay...

[Covin]

LoL, anybody calling Norma Jean screamo really hasn't listened to Bless the Martyr or O' God. I can *slightly* understand a face value perception if you listened to half a song on Redeemer, but even then, that's a stereotype by a bigot who, even if Norma Jean were the most talented people on Earth, wouldn't change his or her opinion.

[Alibi:Destroyed]

This cd is great and so is Norma Jean. I do like some metal bands but there is no way Norma Jean or any other hardcore band can be considered metal because metal is dead. Get over it. I know that there are probably a bunch of old guys who still think Ozzy is the greatest and that metal is going to come back that hate me right now but I don't care because they are all closed minded freaks who are still stuck in the 80's. Get a life instead of bashing the music you don't like. And for all those guys who do hate Norma Jean, Why are you even looking at this reveiw?

[twocenttip]

Blueprints for Future Homes is an amazing single, though.

[SlashRules]

Genres: Heavy Metal, Post-Hardcore
haha exactly my point of how dimwitted you all are.

[jasonkan]

some ppl can be so dam ignorant. norma jean have true talent and they arent 'screamo'. this album is brilliant, tho not as good as o god the aftermath.

[el drew]

Norma Jean is terrible. They give the mainstream audience an inaccurate depiction of what heavier music should sound like... go listen to mastodon, lamb of god, trivium, or any other band that is comparable to true metal. Leave your hot topic rocker bracelets and eye liner at home kids.

[jasonkan]

and post hardcore and heavy metal? who the hell wrote this review?? and how the hell is it hard to go through the whole album their work is genious

[SlashRules]

el drew your and idiot. your comparing norma jean to mastodon and lamb of god. which are a different genre of what norma is. your a dumbass.

[SlashRules]

norma jean*

[dougwagz]

All the people who think this kind of music is trash are trash themselves. Just because there arent 5 minute solos and guys with long hair doesnt make them not worthwhile. This cd is amazing. I can name tons of bands that sound like Slayer but very few that sound like Norma Jean.

[el drew]

how the hell are you gonna call me and idiot? you're the one listening to this pathetic band. They have no support in real circles of metal and theres a reason for that... there are bands that try to have a metal sound, but end up sounding like 3 minutes and thirty seconds of some guys finger gettin caught in a car door while someone throws trashcans down a flight of steps. Now the bands that i mentioned understand whats real and whats fake bulls**t. They have a certain level of integrity when it comes to music, and it shows when you listen to them. Norma Jean is terrible.

[el drew]

and for the record, on their myspace page they are classified as hardcore/metal, so stop playin that card.

[jasonkan]

r u sum goddam retard? 'norma jean is terrible' u wnt me to correct ur friggin english dude?

[el drew]

is terrible, are terrible, still terrible, will be terrible... its all the same. oh, and congrats on commenting on my grammar just because you dont have a counter-argument. typical norma jean fan, hahahahahaha

[jasonkan]

u relli have nuthin beta to say. all ur last comments have been just dam ignorant. have u even heard any of their album? u dnt haveto play like 10minute tappin solos to be talented actualli

[el drew]

yes, i've heard their music and it was exactly what i thought it would be... a type of music i dont listen to. but i'll agree though, a band doesnt have to have 10 minute solos and double bass constantly to be good. Yet it is my personal opinion that this type of music gives people the wrong impression of what metal is, which is what my first post stated.

[scud22]

Norma Jean is just shitty made for the flavor of the month emo hair'd junior high kids. Apparently, screaming and lesbian hair is "in" and Norma Jean, or their record company is taking advantage and using this shit to sell more and more sweatshirts and man-purses. Metal albums like Iron Maiden's Killers or Blizzard of Ozz are timeless whereas twenty years down the road, Norma Jean will be the equivalent of some 80's glam band like Wham! One of those bands that you'll say, Wtf was I thinking? And I'd like to point out that there is a difference between "your" and "you're" Am I the only one who appreciates the irony in the phrase "your a dumbass" ??

[cynikal123]

Who the **** cares if its not metal or if its screamo,who cares about what the band ****ing looks like or if they are mainstream..They are doing what they want to do,dont like it,dont listen..easy as that...I personally thought it was a good album..Its not as repetive as the songs on O god where all the songs sounded the same..Its still not as good as bless the martyr.

[el drew]

thank god scud, someone else who appreciates real music. the hot topic kids were trying to gang up on me...

[cynikal123]

who the Hell cares if they are metal or not, who cares how they look and Who really cares if they are mainstream...if you guys dont like them,dont listen easy as that..I personally thought this album was great..wasnt as repetive as o' god but sitll not as good as bless the martyr

[cynikal123]

double post sorry

[saxaxe]

el drew wrote:

how the hell are you gonna call me and idiot? you're the one listening to this pathetic band. They have no support in real circles of metal and theres a reason for that...

Yes there is. And that reason is, they're not metal. Hardcore and metal are two different genres. I love both. I love bands like Opeth, Necrophagist, Nile, etc. But I also have a lot of respect for the hardcore/metal bands like Norma Jean and Unearth. I thought this was a good album. It goes in more of a spazzy direction, more like the number twelve or dillinger almost. I dont like the singing much, though.

[Alibi:Destroyed]

I don't care what genre they are. They are amazing and scud and el drew are morons. They have nothing better to do than look at reveiws of bands they don't like and bad mouth them. And is scud making fun of the way they look? from what i can tell he listens to 80's metal and that was the gayest time period for clothing and hair styles ever. I personally think Norma Jeans' image is much better than Iron Maidens with their teased out hair. Norma Jean rocks!

[aloveforenemies]

1st. Norma Jean is Metalcore. Not screamo, get it right.

2nd. They haven't made a good cd since 2000's Bless The Martyr

3rd. Just cause they're Christian doesn't mean shit. They rarely sing about Christianity. Just like Zao on their new cd. Devout Christians but not preachers.

[rockstarbowker]

If u dont like Norma Jean you shouldn't even be reading this!
I hate the band Panic! At the Disco therefore im not gonna read a reveiw about there gay CD's!
People can like what they want so stop wasting your time in fighting about something someone you dont even likes!

[desdin0va]

Everybody:

I'm pretty sure the teaser was supposed to say "The guys". UG articles have never exactly been all about correct spelling.

[rockstarbowker]

*I ment to say someone you dont even know likes.
Sorry

[el drew]

listen i can post a comment wherever the hell i want to. plus, what good is a board if everyone is just sucking off the band that the review is about. also, until i saw this article i had never heard any norma jean songs. i checked them out, and i think their music sucks. I didnt read this review with a bias, and once i listened to the songs i came up with my own conclusions. thats why they have a f**king section for comments you mental giants, so people can speak their opinion. If you're upset because i dont like your little piece of trash band then get the hell over it. the website is called ultimate-guitar.com not ultimate-normajean.com, so dont tell me i have no place posting here just because you listen to a trendy, temporary type of music.

[burritos2]

EL Drew ur probably some ****ing 42 year old guy with who beats his kids and listens to motley crue all day wearing his ex-wifes clothes and make up

[switchbladestar]

its funny that they are a flovor of the month when they have been around for years and during bless the martyr they were credited with being the forefront of noisecore/metalcore/ whatever you want to call it they are an amazing band and this cd is just them progressing they have yet to disapoint me and evidiently most of thier other fans if you dont like the band then why would you look at the cd review

[cynikal123]

quote]el drew wrote:

listen i can post a comment wherever the hell i want to. plus, what good is a board if everyone is just sucking off the band that the review is about. also, until i saw this article i had never heard any norma jean songs. i checked them out, and i think their music sucks. I didnt read this review with a bias, and once i listened to the songs i came up with my own conclusions. thats why they have a f**king section for comments you mental giants, so people can speak their opinion. If you're upset because i dont like your little piece of trash band then get the hell over it. the website is called ultimate-guitar.com not ultimate-normajean.com, so dont tell me i have no place posting here just because you listen to a trendy, temporary type of music.[/quote]
lol,you and your "anti-mainstream" rants..though i agree with you with the commenting part..you have your opinion

[el drew]

hey s**thead i'm twenty years old and my life is probably a hell of a lot more important than your pathetic norma jean-esque existenece... and like i said earlier this is a review section, so if i wanna say how bad this band sucks then i can... and in response to burritos brilliant arrangement of words and thoughts: IF you were my kid i would regularly beat the hell out of you and force you to listen to decent music...

[allapologies99]

im sure the gay thing was a misprint

[switchbladestar]

el drew wrote:

hey s**thead i'm twenty years old and my life is probably a hell of a lot more important than your pathetic norma jean-esque existenece... and like i said earlier this is a review section, so if i wanna say how bad this band sucks then i can... and in
response to burritos brilliant arrangement of words and thoughts: IF you were my kid i would regularly beat the hell out of you and force you to listen to decent music...

if i was your kid i would jump in front of a car and save myself a lot of time listening to your pointless nonsense trying to tell me what good music is

[Learn_to_fly]

el drew wrote:

hey s**thead i'm twenty years old and my life is probably a hell of a lot more important than your pathetic norma jean-esque existenece... and like i said earlier this is a review section, so if i wanna say how bad this band sucks then i can... and in response to burritos brilliant arrangement of words and thoughts: IF you were my kid i would regularly beat the hell out of you and force you to listen to decent music...

Hahaha you're twenty yr old and wasting your time on UG arguing with 14-yr-olds on their opinions of a band that is raking in the money and not giving a **** what you think... shows how cool your life is...

Get offline and go out man, you've posted 8 times, we know you don't like them.... piss off now kk??

[swifty8083]

I wasn't a fan of Norma Jean before this album but they really cleaned up and found their sound. They still use like a million sour notes but they also finally got good production. I would reccomend this album to anyone who likes hardcore music.

[Guitar_musician]

What the hell guys. First of all if you're going to make fun of someone and call them stupid or an idiot, then mabey you should learn how to spell first, so you don't look like an idiot yourself. When people say "screamo" it's just a slang for the type of music it is. People say it because the band screams alot! DUH. And whoever thinks that the old style metal is dead is an idiot. Iron Maiden just came out with a new album and i think it was #2 on the charts in Canada. The album did really well and infact it is metal, and infact it does have long guitar solos and infact you can hear the words that the man is saying, unlike Norma Jean. Thats probably the reason for the repitition, because you need to hear the same line over and over to understand what he's saying. I do enjoy new style metal like COB, but this stuff is just too much. To me it's all good but the fact that the vocals make it uneasy listening. Basically, the only metal I don't like is the type where i can't understand what they're saying.

Metal Rulz!!!!

[S2S]

dougwagz wrote:
I can name tons of bands that sound like Slayer but very few that sound like Norma Jean.

That's because no one in their right mind would want[i] to sound like Norma Jean.

[RedNovember]

God damn, I knew there was gunna be a bunch of flaming going on.

But not THIS much.

I also noticed that screamo/emo/hardcore/fans, or whatever the hell it's called (I don't pay attention to dumb ass labels)can't spell at all. That's kinda funny.

Anyway, no offense, but this band sucks, as does the entire genre. Wait, that was meant to cause offense. Whatever.

But you do have to give them props for actually being a band and making millions. I'd love to be that successful. So until I am, I have no right to post my opinion.

I think I covered myself from all sides from flaming, eh?

[RedNovember]

oh, and by the way, what's the point in being a "christian" band if you aren't going to convey christianity in your lyrics?

Just a thought.

[Dust&AshesInc]

ok, i generally don't post anything. but i'm sick of reading you guys and not saying anything. look,

1.) all of this is opinion...you don't need to get heated about it (my opinion). if you don't like what was said, FREAKIN IGNORE IT! they don't own you, they don't own your likes/dislikes, and they don't force you to listen to it (fact). anymore than i force you to give a crap about what i'm saying. this is MY opinion (fact). as you see, i'm all for people voicing their opinion. but you should do so as an opinion....not as fact (my opinion).

2.) i'm a recording engineer (fact), and the genre's of music are SO misconstrued now-a-days that we should just STOP trying to clasify things (my opinion). our music no longer fits any mold....because the molds no longer are concrete (my opinion). bands mix genre's and influences at will.....so our genre's are blured. to fix this, retards (opinion) come up with new names for the genre. but now all that anyone knows is what they think is "hardcore" or "metal" or "screamo". and if you ask 100 people to tell you what those genre's entail, you'll probly get 100 differant answers (my opinion).

.....seriously people. this is way too much argument and discussion over something that is personal, a grey area if you will. some people will love it, some people will hate it, and some people just like starting fights (my opinion). who gives a crap about any of it (my opinion) , if you like it then listen, if you don't then....*gasp* dont.

[blinnk16]

Dust&AshesInc wrote:

ok, i generally don't post anything. but i'm sick of reading you guys and not saying anything. look,

1.) all of this is opinion...you don't need to get heated about it (my opinion). if you don't like what was said, FREAKIN IGNORE IT! they don't own you, they don't own your likes/dislikes, and they don't force you to listen to it (fact). anymore than i force you to give a crap about what i'm saying. this is MY opinion (fact). as you see, i'm all for people voicing their opinion. but you should do so as an opinion....not as fact (my opinion).

2.) i'm a recording engineer (fact), and the genre's of music are SO misconstrued now-a-days that we should just STOP trying to clasify things (my opinion). our music no longer fits any mold....because the molds no longer are concrete (my opinion). bands mix genre's and influences at will.....so our genre's are blured. to fix this, retards (opinion) come up with new names for the genre. but now all that anyone knows is what they think is "hardcore" or "metal" or "screamo". and if you ask 100 people to tell you what those genre's entail, you'll probly get 100 differant answers (my opinion).

.....seriously people. this is way too much argument and discussion over something that is personal, a grey area if you will. some people will love it, some people will hate it, and some people just like starting fights (my opinion). who gives a crap about any of it (my opinion) , if you like it then listen, if you don't then....*gasp* dont.

Yep, that sums it up *claps*

[rdm86]

you guys are all retarded. I sat here and read some of this stuff you guys have written and its rediculous.

First of all el drew... trendy maybe that is your opinion and I can respect that, but temporary no. You should learn something about the band before you say anything. They have been around since 1999 as Luti-Kriss. And who ever said they were unoriginal was retarded. The "real metal bands" that you all speak of are the ones you should call unoriginal . I dont remember who said it but there are many bands that sound like slayer and iron maiden. how many bands can you say sound like norma jean? not many.
Second of all whoever compared them to not being christian like zao was on their latest album is wrong. Zao, like as i lay dying are all christians, but they dont say they write their music based on christian beliefs, one of norma jeans songs is actually named from Joel 3:14 and if you actually listen you can pick up the religious messages.
All of you guys who say they suck can piss off. You do not have to like a band to recognize talent, structurally the music is sound, it may sound like noise but it is arranged extremely well. I do not like a lot of "metal" bands but that does not give me reason to say they suck... i can still recognize and appreciate their talent anyway.

I am not saying you guys are wrong because you dont like them, I saying you guys are wrong for saying this band sucks.

So go ahead flame on, it will be a waste of your time. These points i have made are not based on my opinion but actual facts if you were to know anything about these bands before you rip on them them i wouldnt care. So you can make fun of my crappy sentence/paragraph structure but I dont care enough about what you think to take enough of my time to make this nice for you to read.

[Alibi:Destroyed]

Thnak you rdm86.

[Alibi:Destroyed]

sorry it was supposed to say "Thank you rdm86."

[misfitsrocker14]

I thought Redeemer was really good compared to O God the Aftermath.

[dyingbreed88]

Norma Jean is one of the few bands that can go out there and do what they do. To sing in an industry of depravity and this fascination with themseleves they have come and been one of the few bands to actually survive the way they are. They haven't conformed to the world's view of how they should be and they act the way they feel they need to. Last time I checked I thought that that was the whole thing rock music was about...don't care what they think and be yourself whoever that is. Norma Jean is awesome and they deserve respect whether you like them or not.

[frontman54]

i think some people here should start typing like normal human beings. "ur", "u", "nuthing", "beta". come on people, it takes an extra two seconds to type the real words and it makes it a hell of a lot easier to read. it takes me more time to type [ilyk dis[/i]

[frontman54]

lyk dis*

[Dorito]

Stupid people.

Norma Jean isn't screamo.

Norma Jean isn't metal.

Norma Jean is hardcore.

Of course they wont stand in any ring of metal, their not trying to be metal, its hardcore, and damn good hardcore.

If you dont like hardcore, why read a Norma Jean review?

[rockstarbowker]

el drew wrote:

listen i can post a comment wherever the hell i want to. plus, what good is a board if everyone is just sucking off the band that the review is about. also, until i saw this article i had never heard any norma jean songs. i checked them out, and i think their music sucks. I didnt read this review with a bias, and once i listened to the songs i came up with my own conclusions. thats why they have a f**king section for comments you mental giants, so people can speak their opinion. If you're upset because i dont like your little piece of trash band then get the hell over it. the website is called ultimate-guitar.com not ultimate-normajean.com, so dont tell me i have no place posting here just because you listen to a trendy, temporary type of music.

Hey I wasnt saying that u cant have your opinion!
I was just saying that it's pointless and a waste of time to try to get people to have your opinion too!
So dont give me that crap!

[Surrylic]

Arguing is pointless. I'm baffled as to why people are saying anything about screamo. NJ is pretty cool, but I'm not too much into hardcore unless I'm watching it at a show (and metal? I can barely begin to consider them that).

As a side note:
1. When you are trying to say "you *are*", the contraction is "YOU'RE," not "YOUR."
2. It's suppose to be said "Norma Jean IS..." (not are) because Norma Jean is *a* band, which is singular. Just because the band is made up of multiple people doesn't mean you use their name as a plural term. You don't say "That group of people are playing music" you say "That group of people is playing music," unless you want to sound stupid. Just substitute band names for "That group of people" whenever writing it.

[AcrosstheTracks]

Here's an idea...how about someone posts another actual review about this album instead of spouting off childish and ignorant opinions, which by the way make you appear as a whining bigot who dosen't know d!ck about music.

[el drew]

norma jean and tori amos should tour together, what a totally sick ass metal show that would be...

[Gorilla Fingers]

real metal died when the scene died in LA. No more Rainbow club...man does any body remember the good old days of strippers booze and awesome metal? All these things claiming to be "metalcore" have very little to no roots in metal...just because there is a shit load of distortion doesn't make it metal.

[GetTheGasoline]

nothing could ever be better than bless the martyr and kiss the child. WOW. miss the old singer. the chariot's good. just miss his voice with the rest of norma jean

[ironman316]

norma jean is metalCORE. there is a huge difference between metalcore and metal. metalica, slayer, pantera... thats metal. norma jean, throwdown, on broken wings, killswitch... thats metalcore.

norma jean is sick. i can't wait to hear the new album.

[[NIN]_ROCK!]

They're not really innovators, but I LOVE their songs because they put all they've got on them. That's probably one of the main points where most of the bands fail. New album is awesome, just as I wanted it to be! Rock On!

[<3isNotTheEnd]

metal4life66613 wrote:

there is no god

you're just trying to get attention, congratulations. you know what i've learned...people like you want to be told that God is real, or else you would've had no reason to post this. well im sure you've been told many times and you get to hear it again, God is real. Much realer than you. i mean hey, im a christian and i personally cant stand the whole in your face approach, but sometimes theres no other way.

[<3isNotTheEnd]

oh yea...
Norma Jeans awesome.....woo
i think i might name my kid that.

[<3isNotTheEnd]

aloveforenemies wrote:

1st. Norma Jean is Metalcore. Not screamo, get it right.

2nd. They haven't made a good cd since 2000's Bless The Martyr

3rd. Just cause they're Christian doesn't mean shit. They rarely sing about Christianity. Just like Zao on their new cd. Devout Christians but not preachers.

^^^hey im with you man

[<3isNotTheEnd]

just a thought...
Who cares whether they're metal or hardcore or screamo-i agree, totally not screamo, the blood brothers are screamo-...
All that really matters is whether you like the music or not! Am i right?

[YYZ]

This band is awesome.

[wd40s]

god people on this site are such winey bitches about what genre each band is, stop complaining about stupid shit

[katman243]

plain and simple, new music sux ass, and all u people who listen to slipknot, korn, AND Norma Jean, need to die. there is NO musical talent in today's music. u need to go back and listen to led zepplin, van halen, black sabbath etc. 60's to the late 80's has all the musical talent. today's Punk And screamo Sucks donkey dick, And the definition of rock has changed, and needs To go Back BADLY!!!

[katman243]

actually, ALL PUNK AND SCREAMO SUX!!!

[jasonkan]

katman243 i bet ur lyk sum 80yr in spandex- grow a d*ck. norma jean are immense and are proper talent. as i sed norma jean are HARDCORE nt screamo, metal or post hardcore. plus their older albums are betta tbh.

[Kaney]

katman243 wrote:

plain and simple, new music sux ass, and all u people who listen to slipknot, korn, AND Norma Jean, need to die. there is NO musical talent in today's music. u need to go back and listen to led zepplin, van halen, black sabbath etc. 60's to the late 80's has all the musical talent. today's Punk And screamo Sucks donkey dick, And the definition of rock has changed, and needs To go Back BADLY!!!

Thats your opinion. Get a haircut, have a wash and stop living in the past.

[jasonkan]

n also those ppl sayin how norma jean are livin in the shacks with no $$ shud shut df up. so heres talent for u then: james blunt.

[aloveforenemies]

Alright, listen up.

Who cares if you hate them. They do what they do cause THEY like it. And people do go out and buy their cds, so they're signed and touring because of them.

You shit-talking Norma Jean isn't gonna help anything, guaranteed that if they read this, they'd do nothing but laugh and agree with the shit-talkers to piss you off cause thats the kind of guys they are when I hung out with them last time they came to Long Island.

If you say words like Sucking donkey dick or such, I'm almost positive you're under 15 years of age.

And no talent? Actually you need to have alot of knowledge of technicality on the instruments to play metalcore, with all the fills and double bass on the drums, and even blast beats and weird timing patterns, and the technicality that their guitarists DEFINATLY have.

I'm not really a big Norma Jean Fan, and the only cd i like is their first cd as Norma Jean (Bless The Martyr) but honestly, alot of you are arguing like girls over the internet over a subject that really doesn't need any arguing over. Half of you can't spell, a quarter of you have absolutely no idea of what you're talking about and the other quarter actually has a brain.

[aloveforenemies]

And for the record. Here's examples of bands of genres so you can all learn a thing or 2.

Metal- Pantera, Slayer, Anthrax, etc

Screamo- From First To Last, Ascend In Red, Senses Fail

Hardcore- Agnostic Front, Madball, Black Flag, Murphys Law, Most Precious Blood

Metalcore- Norma Jean, As I Lay Dying, Unearth, Reflux

[Somekid182]

that's right a love for enemies, norma jean is metalcore at most. just cuz metal back in the day is different, can't u guys accept the fact that the genre has evolved. Plus emo kids don't listen to f***ing norma jean, it's scene kids and who the F*** cares about that. Norma Jean has meanings to their songs and that's really all that matters. WTF is wrong with change in music okay.

[sum loser]

desdin0va wrote:

Everybody:

I'm pretty sure the teaser was supposed to say "The guys". UG articles have never exactly been all about correct spelling.

The U button and Aare pretty far though...

[depth]

norma jean bless the martyr kiss the child is one of my favorite cds don't listen to their new stuff, and also listen to The Chariot that is some brutal shit

[SweetDissonance]

Remember that winning a fight online is like winning the special olympics -- you're still retarded.

[Anarion614]

metal4life66613 wrote:

there is no god

yes there is. lol

[Anarion614]

everyone here really needs to cool off, its pretty ridiculous how much arguments go on...

[Hellraizer31990]

lmao u all sound like idiots...this album is pretty good i still like thier first one the best

[axiom]

SweetDissonance wrote:

Remember that winning a fight online is like winning the special olympics -- you're still retarded.

rofl

[deenasguitarist]

Norma Jean is terrible. They give the mainstream audience an inaccurate depiction of what heavier music should sound like... go listen to mastodon, lamb of god, trivium, or any other band that is comparable to true metal. Leave your hot topic rocker bracelets and eye liner at home kids.

rock on.....btw.....crusade....best ablum of 2006

[Dobbin87]

Dobbin87 wrote:

Let's clear some things up:
This band isn't 'screamo'.
This band is not original.
Claiming that this band will not be accepted by the mainstream is wrong, because they already are.

I am right.
Norma Jean, as well as a few other popular bands in similar music scenes, are descendants and/or ripoffs of a sound that a band called Botch created. Norma Jean was never and should never be credited for being at the forefront of the genre. I am not commenting on the value of this album, because I have not listened to it, because I am not a fan of Norma Jean.

[apc--ibanez]

aloveforenemies wrote:

And for the record. Here's examples of bands of genres so you can all learn a thing or 2.

Metal- Pantera, Slayer, Anthrax, etc

Screamo- From First To Last, Ascend In Red, Senses Fail

From First to Last and Senses fail screamo???? I thought they were more pop/punk?

[armon77]

i dont like their music, and yeah it is hard to get through one of their songs all the way.

[count forstula]

i like the album. as most have said, not as good as bless the martyr, but good.

and as far as the whole arguement goes, i'd like to say no one cares, but i know thats not true, so i'll just put in my 2 cents.

ok, first off, norma jean arent metal, theyre hardcore of some sort (metalcore, noisecore, mathcore, whatever), and theyre one of the best of the genre. i agree with some of these metal purist tools that a lot of this music sucks. like as i lay dying. they ****ing suck. but norma jean don't. i used to be like you, all purist, and, you know, assholish, but hey, look! i grew up! and i managed to do so at age 16 as opposed to be 20. i think ill kill myself if im still arguing with 15 year olds over music genres when im 20. if you dont like it, thats cool, i dont expect you too. most of my own friends don't. and yes, you have every right to voice your opinion. but seriously, most of you guys are being total *******s about it.

and by the way, at least norma jean have a decent message/lifestyle, or whatever, and are a good band to look up to, as opposed to slayer, who don't even know what theyre doing with their instruments (yes, kerry king admits that himself), and pretend to be satanists for record sales.

[dude488]

i liked it, not as good as their previous stuff but its still good.

[Jcocarooski]

Remember whatSweetDissonance wrote:

Remember that winning a fight online is like winning the special olympics -- you're still retarded.

well, plenty of you should be ashamed for genretizing music. wtf do you all do? listen to only one genre? i doubt it. this cd is just as good as the first 2 cd's, and if you don't like it go to a fallout boy concert or jack off to your megadeth poster.

[Jcocarooski]

no offense to the rest of you, but this is sad.

[Covin]

SweetDissonance wrote:

Remember that winning a fight online is like winning the special olympics -- you're still retarded.

LOL

Dobbin87 wrote:

Norma Jean, as well as a few other popular bands in similar music scenes, are descendants and/or ripoffs of a sound that a band called Botch created. Norma Jean was never and should never be credited for being at the forefront of the genre. I am not commenting on the value of this album, because I have not listened to it, because I am not a fan of Norma Jean.

I disagree. A band can create a sound that is appealing and very open to work with, but that doesn't mean it's accessible. I've listened to some of Botch's stuff, and I simply don't like it. I admire the effort and the art that's put into the music, but I don't care for it. Norma Jean on the other hand is catchier, more passionate (in my opinion), and definitely more accessible, and that's why they're much more popular.

So many kudos to Botch for scouting the territory, but just as many to Norma Jean for building on it.

[Unleashed]

Alibiestroyed :
This cd is great and so is Norma Jean. I do like some metal bands but there is no way Norma Jean or any other hardcore band can be considered metal because metal is dead. Get over it. I know that there are probably a bunch of old guys who still think Ozzy is the greatest and that metal is going to come back that hate me right now but I don't care because they are all closed minded freaks who are still stuck in the 80's. Get a life instead of bashing the music you don't like. And for all those guys who do hate Norma Jean, Why are you even looking at this reveiw?

Well if this guys doesnt know what he is talking about I dont know who does. This is probably the guy who wants to play guitar and cant because his mom wont buy him one. Metal is alive and will still be for a long time to come, and for anyone who thinks metal is dead lets talk about a few of the more popular metal bands like Slayer who are still around or how about Metallica, oh God here comes the "Metallica sucks" comments, and Black Label Society. Anyways most of these bands out there now are just ripping someone else off, for example every band out there and yes every band are doing things Sabbath already has done. For those of you who think Im wrong then you truly do not know what the hell you are talking about.

[Unleashed]

Oops almost forgot. All music critics are failed musicians, thought all of you critics out there would like that.

[EmoxKid]

Uhh... I was Mostly Following what El drew said reading this whole damn thing that was very repetitive and well i thought it was pretty exciting, it was a regular two sided discussion(cant spell)
Not screamo bad musicMetal died, blah blah blah
Every one kept refuting the same thing and well it was quite funny, then annoying but hey noone asked me and well i Dont like Norma, although i could stand to listen to them, but for now im going to watch the stupid arguements go back and forth...

[xKilltoBelievex]

I reckon it exceeds O'God the Aftermath , but just falls behind Bless the Martyr, Kiss the Child, Allround a pretty good album. Solid effort though.

Just a thought, cant a hardcore/metalcore band bring out a new album and not have their fans/non-fans argue about metal and emo/screamo sounds?

Alexisonfire said-
"This shit isnt about pants, and this shit isnt about shirts and this shits definatley not about hair.
Maybe Music isnt Dead, Maybe we all forgot what it ****ing sounded like"

[GetTheGasoline]

im pretty sure norma jean isn metal. im pretty sure they qualitfy as post hardcore, considering that a girl and i got in a tiff about whether norma jean deserved to be called hardcore. she said that because bands like dead kennedys, etc. were considered hardcore...i have to qualify norma jean, underoath, it dies today as POST HARDCORE.

[Covin]

Unleashed wrote:

Oops almost forgot. All music critics are failed musicians, thought all of you critics out there would like that.

That's factual, but you can't stereotype them all. I do agree that it's 9 times out of 10 though.

[Jcocarooski]

thank you. almost all people that are critical about music have failed themselves.

[jasonkan]

hu cares norma jean are immense.

[burritos2]

any 1 who is like every band 2day sucks old metal is the only good music are the most close minded idiots and are not open minded to music at all
and i agree with whoever said slayer pretends to be satan worshippers 4 record sales

[burritos2]

but anyway i really liked the album
i actually thought this and o god the aftermath were better than bless the martyr
blueprints for future homes is a crazy song

[Mushok413]

ok why dose every one have to talk bad about Norma Jean
i absoulutley love this album.

For a band whos changed there name got a new singer and bassist they have kept it together very well.

Btw there Metal-core with some hardcore influence.

And who cares about people flaming there not metal...
your right there a different genre idiot.

[Mushok413]

Btw they havent been a christian band really since they got there new singer and bassist.

[Indie Purist]

not into them anymore, thank god i grew out of that annoying hardcore phase

"the gays" misprint cracks me up haha

[GetTheGasoline]

wow. great cd. just bought it. i love it. better than o god the aftermath? yes. better than bless the martyr? no. of course not. that was the best hardcore/metalcore/whatever cd of all time

[NirvanaFan101]

I really wanna hear this band and I wanna buy this cd.. but is it REALLY REALLY hardcore.. like are they more HxC than UnderOATH? ..

[Covin]

Mushok413 wrote:

Btw they havent been a christian band really since they got there new singer and bassist.

LoL, uh, a little oblivious, eh? :P

[jasonkan]

this album is awesome~beats OGTA~ favs r amensty please, a small spark vs. a great forest, blueprints for future homes and songs sound much sadder.

[Jcocarooski]

ok nirvanafan, underoath is not really considered hardcore if you're into the whole genre thing. norma jean is a really chaotic, but put together band with this one being the best they've made... you'd like it. i assure you.

[eeinx]

Aha. Grow up children.
Norma Jean is a great band. Better than alot of hardcore styled bands coming out with unoriginal stuff these days. (Between the buried and me is labeled as hardcore, how'd that happen? I dunno, but it all doesn't make sense anyways. To me, Norma Jean is good new-fashioned southern metal. But genres are all opinionated nowadays anyways. Hardcore used to be an electronica genre, but something happened. All these core genres.. Who decides that crap? You're Rock n' Roll, or Metal. Just pick one and stop crying, Music ain't no ice cream man.)
Heres some douchewagon remarks:

El Drew:
Norma Jean is terrible. They give the mainstream audience an inaccurate depiction of what heavier music should sound like... go listen to mastodon, lamb of god, trivium, or any other band that is comparable to true metal. Leave your hot topic rocker bracelets and eye liner at home kids.

I'm quite sure they're not mainstream, and I happen to love mastodon, lamb of god, and trivium. If you've heard Lamb of gods new cd like I have, I'm sorta disappointed with them. But then again, theres not much you can do to follow up on Ashes of the Wake, but thats beside the point. You're telling people to isolate themselves to a certain musical genre and a certain style of bands, and that makes you just as gay as all those hot topic wearing weiner kids. If you really love music, the best thing to do is explore, because you might find your fancy somewhere else. Diversity. Try it.

burritos2:
any 1 who is like every band 2day sucks old metal is the only good music are the most close minded idiots and are not open minded to music at all...

Are you gonna let a