Nora Dreamers And Deadmen

Finally, Trustkill has released a record that’s worth a damn (after release after release of middle of the road tonsil hockey). Nora’s latest, "Dreamers And Deadmen," is exactly that, a ‘dream’ come true to an otherwise ‘dead’ to me label. But let me assure you, this praise didn’t come easily, as I tried and tried to despise this record with all my might. But, my ears will do the talking any day. Much has changed with the Nora I had grown so unaccustomed to on previous releases, particularly "Losers Intuition" (in which I purchased solely for the standout artwork that grazed the layout and was ultimately disappointed by monotone vocals). Apparently my wish was my command as "Dreamers And Deadmen" is quite good, both musically and vocally. There’s ten pissed off songs here and because of the font used in the layout, I’m going near blind trying to make out the song titles. But aside from that, the layout is stellar, with some of the nicest Jacob Bannon art I’ve seen in a long time. Lyrically, typical hardcore rants round out this rock-inspired, metalcore album, dealing with both individual experiences and the more important fundamental concepts that drive us all in the scene, and in the world in general. The major step forward on this record musically is the incorporation of major rock elements into the fold. Traces of The Hellacopters rock n’ roll stylin’ as well as Mastodon stoner/sludge rock add a new dynamic to Nora’s otherwise bland overall sound. This can especially be heard on songs like “I Should Have Sent Flowers,” with its driving sludge riff. Another notable influence is that of The Hope Conspiracy. It’s kind of inevitable that this would happen, since rockin’ stoner type riffs played in a hardcore band is totally Hope Conspiracy territory. Morever, the tracks “Deadmen” and “That’s a Good Looking Machine” are vocally about as close to sounding like THC's Kevin Baker as you could get without risking a lawsuit. Bottom Line: I know that it’s hard to believe, but Nora has done it, albeit with a little help from their friends' bands. By incorporating some much-needed new elements into the Nora fold, what you have here is a damn good record, definitely worthy of you checking out. I honestly never thought I would say this about a Nora record. So take that as you will and make sure that this record finds its way into your collection one way or another.