Norma Jean October 9, 2008

Norma Jean was formed in Douglasville, GA (a suburb of Atlanta), in 1997. In the early 2000s, the band recorded two CDs as Luti-Kriss. Their first release was the 5 EP, followed in 2001 by the full-length Throwing Myself on Seattle's Solid State label, a subsidiary of Tooth and Nail Records. Often mistaken for the controversial rapper Ludacris — who, coincidentally, is from the Atlanta area — the members of Luti-Kriss opted to adopt the Norma Jean name. Bless the Martyr and Kiss the Child introduced this new moniker in 2002; it was also the band's heaviest, most brutal effort to date. While Norma Jean's first recordings inspired comparisons to Limp Bizkit and Korn, Bless the Martyr and Kiss the Child was often compared to Hatebreed. Isis and Mastodon producer Matt Bayles lent their help to 2005's O God, the Aftermath, while Korn and Limp Bizkit producer Ross Robinson helmed the epic Redeemer in 2006. Chris Raines, the drummer for Spitfire, joined the band in early 2008, and the new lineup released Antimother that summer.

Official Website: http://www.meridianhouston.com