I Breathe the Underground

With the Death of Christian Rap Comes Metalcore's Redeemers

If you like a little noise in your diet, Norma Jean is always a tasty little treat.

Norma Jean exploded into the metalcore scene with 2002's Bless the Martyr and Kiss the Child, still reigning in my music collection as the noisiest recording I've ever laid ears on. Somehow, Norma Jean captured a charm and personality that most hardcore bands up until then couldn't grasp. Kind of funny looking a little farther back in the lives of the band members, who were part of a Christian rap-rock band called Luti-Kriss (does anybody remember POD??). Something tells me Norma Jean's noise-metal style is an overcompensation for all those years trying to figure out how to recapture the charm of classics like 'Nookie,' 'Southtown,' and, of course, 'Bawitdaba.' Woof.

Norma Jean has been one of the most interesting bands I've listened to over the years, mainly because each album has been equally unpredictable. Shortly after BTMAKTC, lead vocalist Josh Scogin left the band to start the Chariot, a band that holds true to Norma Jean's first album. Scogin appears to have been a large part of the writing process, and 2005's O God, the Aftermath proved that by presenting an equally noisy, even more chaotic approach to NJ's self-imposed genre 'mathcore,' with a completely different feel. New vocalist Cory Brandan was really a spectacular fit for Norma Jean, but, even though I love the album, OGTA is still lacking something.

The band found whatever they were missing on 2006's Redeemer, combining the noise with awkwardly melodic hooks that really stuck with me. Redeemer is my favorite NJ album to date, but I'm in love with all of them in very different ways.

AbsolutePunk recently reported that Norma Jean has finished writing their newest album, called The Anti Mother. NJ will be hitting the studio in April to record and expect the album to drop sometime during the summer.

For some reason I've been on a Christian hardcore kick lately. I keep discovering all these new bands on Solid State. Sorry, I'll snap out of it soon.

"You make me want to singe my no-no parts."
- Joel, Blog Commenter

Rome Didn't Burn in a Day

Oh, hey there. It's time for my band of the week.

This week, I've been listening to a charming post-hardcore act from down in Lou'siana called As Cities Burn. The album is titled Come Now, Sleep.

I use the term 'post-hardcore' loosely, as they employ some hard-core elements but really strut that 90's emo sound, made most popular by bands like Texas is the Reason, Further Seems Forever (Chris Carrabba era), and Pedro the Lion. ACB showcases a sort of tempered pacing that plods along under the weight of dissonant dual guitars. Lead vocalist Cody Bonnette will probably never get nominated for a Grammy or start a solo career, but he's got a raw emotion behind his lyrics that makes up for his lack of skill, something a lot of bands nowadays take for granted.

There's something awkward, yet dominating, as ACB takes their time song by song, crafting a collection that melts together into a sort of concept album. They've accomplished what most bands today can't understand; under the weight of label pressure, bands seem to write songs specifically as singles. If I'm going to buy an album, I want to pay for an experience. I've discovered hundreds of albums out there that I can listen to straight through and, generally, wouldn't have it any other way. Come Now, Sleep does exactly that.

Anyway, I have a good feeling about these guys. They signed to Solid State (a label that continues to impress me) in 2004, with a sound that was more similar to Underoath than anything else. As much as I enjoy Underoath and a wealth of other Christian hardcore bands, these guys were just another screamo group. They must have come to that realization quickly, as they broke up for a month in mid-2006. But the fans must have known there was something more, as the disappointed outcry led the band to reunite quickly. After screamer/lead vocalist TJ Bonnette left the band, the evolution appears almost instantaneous.

Start expecting big things out of these guys. Check out the video for "Empire" up top. Get mellow, suckas.

"And brother have you found the great peace that we all seek? / You say take a look around. / If there's a God, then he must be asleep."
- Cody Bonnette, "Contact"

Composure Isn't Something You Can Teach

If you're as big of a metalcore geek as I am, you miss the days of Misery Signals a la Jesse Zaraska (the golden age, when Of Malice and Magnum Heart was released). And yes, Mirrors rocks on a plane all its own, but some of the charm that got me into Misery Signals in the first place has slipped through the cracks. Zaraska had a voice that could empty an entire graveyard, a voice that my own god-fearing mother -- who's heard most of what my busy music collection has to offer -- heard and observed that Satan himself had started his own band.

So it's time to name my hardcore band to watch of the week, or month...at least until I name the next one.

Band to Watch: August Burns Red

Stop longing for old Misery Signals and move on with your life. Check out August Burns Red's Messengers (2007).

Take Norma Jean's grit, Misery Signals' technique and vocal styling, the Black Dahlia Murder's speed and Bullet for My Valentine's hooks and throw them into a demolition derby. By the halfway point of this album, you won't be sure if you're going to make it out alive.

Honestly, I'm afraid I picked up on these guys a little too late. They've already got a video (posted below) that will melt your face off. I'm serious. Your skin will literally crawl right off your face. Maybe I'm exaggerating a little. Just take a break from my rambling and watch the video, then come back.

Oh hey, welcome back. How's your face? Still solid?

Speaking of solid, I found out these guys randomly one day months ago when I was looking through the Solid State Records repertoire. Now, Solid State is a Christian-label, and for the life of me I can't understand why all this pent-up aggression decides to manifest itself in these likable little church-going boys. To be fair, not everyone on Solid State is Christian. But, uh, with band names like Living Sacrifice and Advent, I think it's at least fair to say Jesus is Solid State's home-boy.

So you checked out the video, you've listened to some songs from the album, you even went out and bought the friggin' record. Now what?

The next place to find up-and-comers is the Take Action! Tour. Unfortunately, the tour is almost halfway over already, and it looks like they'll be embarking on a European tour after that, but I have a feeling they'll be sprouting up on another one soon after the dust settles.

"It's time to gain some ground."

- Jake Luhrs, "Composure"