Norma Jean O God, the Aftermath
Solid State Records TND75392 March 1st, 2005
By Jason Jordan
The metal gods have loved me recently; theyve sent releases by bands such as Epoch of Unlight, Novembers Doom, Buried Inside, and now Norma Jean. O God, the Aftermath chronologically follows 2002s Bless the Martyr and Kiss the Child, which was a chaotic hardcore outing that was never content to stay in the same place for more than a few seconds at a time. Whats changed, you ask? Well, for starters, former lead singer Josh Scogin left the group and forged The Chariot, so the guys obviously picked up a new leader. Moreover, O God, the Aftermath sees the band move into a groove-oriented mindset that simply wasnt present on their last excursion. Thankfully, this opus is superior to anything that resides in their discography.
This time around, the band still have a penchant for chaotic-sounding instrumentation, but the compositions are held together much better, as if there are invisible tendons in place. Murderotica: An Avalanche in D Minor utilizes riffs-o-plenty (1:20 minute mark, et al) while the vocalist spits typical whats-he-saying screams. The latter juxtaposes his heavy vocals with everyman, clean vocalizations once in a while as well. Vertebraille: Choke That Thief Called Dependence contains a lot of mosh-worthy moments, as does Bayonetwork: Vultures in Vivid Color. Unsettling extravaganza reigns at the beginning of Dilemmachine: Coalition, Hoax with Spitfire-esque stuff knifing through the commencement of Coffinspire: Multitudes, Multitudes in the Valley of Decision. Liarsenic: Creating a Universe of Discourse isnt vastly different from its predecessors, though Disconnecktie: The Faithful Vampire starts lightly and is much more brooding than I expected it to be. The latter has a spectacular build-up, and is perhaps the most accessible track because of its overt simplicity. Absentimental: Street Clam follows then transitions to the groove-heavy Charactarantula: Talking to You and the Intake of Glass. Pretendeavor: In Reference to a Sinking Ship is where the clean vox are most noticeable. Scientifiction: I. A Clot of Tragedy / II. A Swarm of Dedication is back at the grindstone, figuratively speaking, and I love the choppy rhythms that punctuate the first few minutes.
If you havent jumped on the Norma Jean bandwagon, now is the time to do so. O God, the Aftermath is their best work to date, and Im sure Solid State Records is going to have a difficult time releasing something better than this in 2005. Be sure to drink your Ovaltine. And, be sure to check UM in the forthcoming weeks for some exclusive Norma Jean content
9/10
Official Norma Jean website
Official Solid State Records website
Solid State Records TND75392 March 1st, 2005
By Jason Jordan
The metal gods have loved me recently; theyve sent releases by bands such as Epoch of Unlight, Novembers Doom, Buried Inside, and now Norma Jean. O God, the Aftermath chronologically follows 2002s Bless the Martyr and Kiss the Child, which was a chaotic hardcore outing that was never content to stay in the same place for more than a few seconds at a time. Whats changed, you ask? Well, for starters, former lead singer Josh Scogin left the group and forged The Chariot, so the guys obviously picked up a new leader. Moreover, O God, the Aftermath sees the band move into a groove-oriented mindset that simply wasnt present on their last excursion. Thankfully, this opus is superior to anything that resides in their discography.
This time around, the band still have a penchant for chaotic-sounding instrumentation, but the compositions are held together much better, as if there are invisible tendons in place. Murderotica: An Avalanche in D Minor utilizes riffs-o-plenty (1:20 minute mark, et al) while the vocalist spits typical whats-he-saying screams. The latter juxtaposes his heavy vocals with everyman, clean vocalizations once in a while as well. Vertebraille: Choke That Thief Called Dependence contains a lot of mosh-worthy moments, as does Bayonetwork: Vultures in Vivid Color. Unsettling extravaganza reigns at the beginning of Dilemmachine: Coalition, Hoax with Spitfire-esque stuff knifing through the commencement of Coffinspire: Multitudes, Multitudes in the Valley of Decision. Liarsenic: Creating a Universe of Discourse isnt vastly different from its predecessors, though Disconnecktie: The Faithful Vampire starts lightly and is much more brooding than I expected it to be. The latter has a spectacular build-up, and is perhaps the most accessible track because of its overt simplicity. Absentimental: Street Clam follows then transitions to the groove-heavy Charactarantula: Talking to You and the Intake of Glass. Pretendeavor: In Reference to a Sinking Ship is where the clean vox are most noticeable. Scientifiction: I. A Clot of Tragedy / II. A Swarm of Dedication is back at the grindstone, figuratively speaking, and I love the choppy rhythms that punctuate the first few minutes.
If you havent jumped on the Norma Jean bandwagon, now is the time to do so. O God, the Aftermath is their best work to date, and Im sure Solid State Records is going to have a difficult time releasing something better than this in 2005. Be sure to drink your Ovaltine. And, be sure to check UM in the forthcoming weeks for some exclusive Norma Jean content
9/10
Official Norma Jean website
Official Solid State Records website
