Norma Jean - All Hail

I'm not gonna lie, I've never followed Norma Jean very closely.  To be honest, the only reason I even picked this album up was because a friend of mine sent me a link saying they used Walrus Audio pedals during the recording process.  I'm REALLY glad he did.  This album starts how I imagine walking down to the ring for a WWE title fight would feel... stomping down the metal ramp, going through the ropes, hearing the roar of the crowd, the bell rings and then... getting punched in the face by the Undertaker.

Norma Jean has been through the ringer with their band members.  According to Wikipedia, 14 former members.  That doesn't include touring members, or session musicians or anything else.  After learning that, I became more intrigued.  The band formed in '97, the longest current tenured member is lead singer Cory Brandan.  His vocals have been at the forefront of their band since '04.  Dude has some serious vocal skill.  After a 5 year break and a new label (Solid State), Norma Jean put out "Polar Similar," a solid album, putting the bands progressive metal skills on display.  But, let's get back to All Hail.  Where were we?  Right!  Just punched by the Undertaker.  This album has the feeling of a live show.  The strings are bursting through the speakers of your headphones (which was what new guitarist Grayson Stewart wanted), with all the distortion and aggression of a sweaty, underground, church basement.  

Some of the coolest parts of this album are just the intelligence and creativeness of the riffs.  They are as heavy and as hard as I had hoped, anyone who cranks this is their car will be banging their head from start to finish. Stewart and Brandan share the guitar duties. They bounce off each other, at one point, they literally use a knife to "pick" slide.  I know, plenty of bands have done stuff like that, but it's still cool as hell.  The full metal riffs and the production work on this album are pure metal from Orphan Twin to Anna, (and bonus track The Mirror and the Second Veil.)  This is drummer Matthew Putmans' first appearance with the band and the dude has some serious drum clairvoyance.  He puts the drums together with ease on the 8th Norma Jean record.  He stands out the most on /with_errors.  Although it's one of the more mellow tracks on the album, I think he puts his chops on display a little bit more than he does on the rest of the album.  Going into Trace Levels of Dystopia (probably my favorite track on the album) also has some serious percussion flex as well.  I think it shows a little more of the progressive dynamic the band has (and displayed on Polar Similar.)  

Vocally, Landslide Defeater caught me, which the switch between the "coming through an old radio sound" and melodic screaming.  It really shows off that 43 year old Brandan can still hang with the youngest and best of them.  He's just an honest and just as pure as any other singer in the scene right now.  One thing I see as belonging only to Norma Jean are the lyrics of this album. I'm not sure how they get written, if it's all Brandan or a collaboration.  But whatever it is, it is cyclical.  He (they) seem to have a style that feels reciprocal.  He (they) often spin phrases around on themselves, and recycle words into clever imagery. It's a writing style that feels good to read along with, it keeps you thinking with lines like "Forgetting rules that rules forgetting," or "down you put the hand that puts you down (see what I mean by cyclical?)"  It's also impressive that he is laying down a majority of the rhythm guitar on the album.  Really brings together the fact that these guys are monster metal musicians (catch the alliteration?) 

At last, the production of this album needs to be complemented.  From the use of effects, to the absolutely PERFECTLY mixed snare.  Will Putney deserves a crisp fresh high-five for this album. From the effects on the bass and guitars.  The clarity of the microphones.  The hi-hat carves a sonic home in between snare hits.  Mr. Putney should be considered as much a part of Norma Jean for this album as any band member, touring or otherwise.  If there is one last thing that should be noted here, it's the auditory heavenscape Putney has created for all Norma Jean fans who were excited for this release.  I get a buried positive message from this album.  It feels like it is trying very hard to be positive, but the world may be weighing too heavy.  There are plenty of dark tones, and it's easy to find the negativity, but I get the feeling that Brandan wanted something positive to come through the calamity.  "If you fall down, you are never crawling out, if that's where you want to be," call you out and motivate you at the same time.  Seems fitting for a band that just keeps pushing.