For anyone familiar with either 2006 album Redeemer, or its 2008 follow up The Anti Mother, Norma Jean's latest offering will provide few surprises. Stylistically, there is no great shift or reinvention of sound like there was, say , between Bless The Martyr... and O God, The Aftermath but, to be honest, this is no bad thing. Those albums were the sound of a band constantly experimenting and progressing in order to find their true style. Meridional is the sound of a band who have found exactly what they were looking for.

As mentioned before, not much has changed from the sound first pioneered on 'Redeemer' except that everything is bigger, better, and polished brighter than a Chelsea Pensioner's brass buttons. Elements of influence from the likes of Helmet, Deftones, and Botch still persist but on this record Norma Jean have finally mastered their own unique, instantly recognisable, songwriting style. 'Deathbed Atheist' is a perfect example, awash with huge riffs and even bigger choruses, but it's the incredible power and versatility of vocalist Cory Brandan, especially on closer 'The People That Surround You', that really sets them head and shoulders above their peers.

It can be argued that on album number five, Norma Jean have to do something special indeed in order to remain exciting and avoid the stale album rehashing currently purveyed by the likes of Killswitch Engage, but for now, 'Meridional' is everything that the band could, and should have made it.

Rating: 4/5 by Luke Grahame

Tracklisting

1. Leaderless And Self Enlisted
2. The Anthem Of The Angry Brides
3. Deathbed Atheist
4. Bastardizer
5. A Media Friendly Turn For The Worse
6. Septentrional
7. Blood Burner
8. High Noise Low Output
9. Falling From The Sky: Day Seven
10. Everlasting Tapeworm
11. Occidental
12. The People That Surround You On a Regular Basis
13. Innocent Bystanders United
14. Occidental

Further links

Norma Jean on Myspace

Official page of the respected hardcore act