After the departure of previous vocalist Josh Scogin, things looked like they were all over for Georgia metalcore quintet Norma Jean. Just a few years later, Norma Jean resurfaced with ex Eso-Charis Cory Brandan and a new bassist in the form of Jake Schultz. This revamped incarnation of Norma Jean released
O' God The Aftermath in early 2005 to a positive response. Produced by Ross Robinson,
Redeemer, the band's third studio album as Norma Jean, comes just over a year after the release of
O' God The Aftermath.
Norma Jean
Scottie Henry - Guitar
Chris Day - Guitar
Cory Brandan - Vocals
Daniel Davison - Drums
Jake Schultz - Bass
If one thing is obvious right from the beginning of
Redeemer, it's that Norma Jean haven't lost the energy of last year's
O' God The Aftermath. The album's opening track begins with noisy a mess of dissonance, before calming down for a few seconds only to jump straight back into heavy guitar riffing along with Cory Brandan's brutal screaming. Norma Jean have had quite the busy year, filling up their time with touring, releasing a special edition of
O' God The Aftermath, writing, recording and even being nominated for a Grammy. The band worked in the studio with Korn/Limp Bizkit producer Ross Robinson and although the production is perhaps a little less intense than the efforts of Matt Bayles on
O' God The Aftermath, it nevertheless succeeds in making Norma Jean sound just as heavy and pissed off as they ever have.
While Norma Jean's label mates Underoath changed the direction of their music wildly on their new release this year, the changes that Norma Jean have undergone for
Redeemer are much more subtle; an evolution rather than a dramatic change. Possibly the most noticeable change can be found in Brandan's vocals. Though his gut wrenching screams aren't drastically different from those found on the band's last album,
Redeemer does include a lot more of his clean singing (or perhaps 'clean' is not the right word), something which
O' God The Aftermath hinted at in tracks such as "Liarsenic". Some tracks such as "Songs Sound Much Sadder" even have melodic sections and, dare I say, catchy sections that resemble choruses. The songs on
Redeemer are also a lot shorter; the 10-15 minute epics that were present on the last two albums don't make an appearance on
Redeemer. Instead, we are given 11 sharp tracks which all clock in around or under the five minute mark. Thankfully,
Redeemer still retains the heavy dissonance of previous releases. This is best exemplified in the breakdown that closes the album's longest song "The End of All Things Will Be Televised". Album closer "No Passenger: No Parasite" starts as a surprisingly quiet affair that builds up until its conclusion and is based around more of Brandan's singing.
All in all,
Redeemer is a great follow-up to
O' God The Aftermath; the songs are a little shorter, there is a little more diversity and the new sound is a solid evolution for Norma Jean. Despite the small changes, the music is angry, noisy, dissonant and heavy, which is what most fans have come to love and expect from Norma Jean. Fans of
O' God The Aftermath should find very little disappointment in
Redeemer.
Pros
Technical, heavy, dissonant
Good production
The album shows a natural progression in Norma Jean's sound
Cons
Perhaps a little less intense than previous efforts
Some fans may not enjoy the slightly more conventional song structures
Recommended Tracks
A Small Spark Vs. A Great Forest
The End Of All Things Will Be Televised
Amnesty Please
Final Rating: 3.5/5
