02. The Anthem of the Angry Brides
03. Deathbed Atheist
04. Bastardizer
05. A Media Friendly Turn for the Worse
06. Septentrional
07. Blood Burner
08. High Noise Low Output
09. 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. Oriental
15. Kill More Presidents
16. Distance to Planets
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Enslavement wasn’t my first choice. My will is greater than that, believe me. I’d scratch away to the center. I’d bite it down to the blood. I want to rip out the foundation, I want the axis to rupture.
I never wanted to tell you since we know you’ve heard it before. Yeah... I never wanted to show you since we know you’ve seen it before I break your heart, I know... I know you’ve felt it before.
Yeah... Too many things try to pull me down. Life seems to be like a dropping cloud. Believe me, I’d scratch away to the center. I’d bite it down to the blood. I want to rip out the foundation, I want the axis to rupture. I’d scratch away to the center. I’d bite it down to the blood.
I never wanted to tell you since we know you’ve heard it before. Yeah... I never wanted to show you since we know you’ve seen it before I break your heart, I know... I know you’ve felt it before... so many times before... before.
I’d scratch away to the center. I’d bite it down to the blood... the blood.
I’d scratch away to the center. I’d bite it down to the blood.
I’d scratch away to the center. I’d bite it down to the blood. I’d bite it down to the blood.
Doug Van Pelt - HM Magazine: Tell me about the song “Leaderless and Self-Enlisted”. What stands out to you about this song? What particular challenges, if any, did they force?
Cory Brandan Putman (vocals, guitars): That’s kind of funny that you bring that one up, too, because it kind of goes along with "High Noise Low Output" a little bit. It’s basically kind of a conversation between a person and... just being afraid to come clean about something or however anyone wants to interpret it, but for me it was talking to God in a way, like sometimes I feel like, ‘I can’t talk to You because You’re God,’ ya know? Sometimes I’m afraid to do that. That’s where the lyric comes from: ‘I never wanted to tell You, because I couldn’t put it into words’ I think that fear is something is definitely a good thing to get past, because it’s definitely not the case. I know that everything I’ve been through – at the end of the day – you lay down in bed and say, ‘I’m with You and I’m not going anywhere’ and you have to know that God is doing the same thing and He will. He’s always done that with me. I can’t talk anybody into believing that with me, but that’s just – for me, that’s how that song kinda means in the lyrics. I think it definitely can be interpreted several different ways. That’s what I kind of like – when you can interpret our songs differently. Looking at anything, you might see something differently than someone else. And that’s kinda cool.
Doug Van Pelt - HM Magazine: I hear ya, too. I totally think a lot... Especially twenty-somethings, because they’re, like, in a stage in their life they almost get paralyzed with fear unless they know exactly what they’re supposed to be doing instead of just taking a chance.
Cory Brandan Putman (vocals, guitars): For years that’s been a driving force, dude. It’s basically what I was going through when I was thinking about those lyrics was I was going through a divorce. When you read the Bible, you know, God, He knows everything. At times, I’m like, ‘Well, God didn’t go through a divorce!’ You know what I mean? But then I when I think about it, He went through...I don’t see God as a watcher – someone who sits back and He’s like an observer. I think God is a participator, just like us. Whenever we feel pain, He feels pain. Whenever something bad happens, He is right on board with us – whether it’s anger or sadness, He is all of those emotions, too. I think that’s a really good way to view God – He’s a participator. He’s just as much going along with the weight of the world as we are.
I have nothing left to prove. No demonstrations, no explanations.
There was never any intention for me to convince you.
It’s just another case of you with your formless sense of importance.
You’re breathing fire and your words are burning in hell.
This rebellion is marching to its disarray. It talks in circles and it’s words are burning in hell.
You are every inch of neutral. So avert your senses from my dedication.
Wash my skin down to my stubborn and proud skeleton hands. Yeah...
It’s just another case of you with your formless sense of importance.
You’re breathing fire and your words are burning in hell.
This rebellion is marching to its disarray. It talks in circles and it’s words are burning in hell.
You’re not getting under my skin! Yeah... You’re not getting under my skin!
You’re not getting under my skin! You’re not getting under my skin!
You’re not getting under my skin! You’re not getting under my skin... under my skin!
Watch it all change and watch it go away. Watch it all never be the same again. Watch it all be nothing like we thought before. Watch it all. Watch it. Watch it all be lies, damned lies, statistics. Lie to me. Lie to me. Lie to me.
Take it all in and take it all from me. Take it all and bury it deep inside of you.
Take it all and run away. Take it all forever. Take it all. Take it all. Take it all. Take it all. Take it all.
Bury your hands in the sand. You’ll never use them on me again.
Bury your hands in the sand. You’ll never use them on me again.
Lie... Take it all. Take it. Take it all. Take it. Lie... Take it all. Take it. Take it all. Take it.
Bury your hands in the sand. You’ll never use them on me again.
Bury your hands in the sand. You’ll never use them on me again.
I’m exhausted from shaking hands with your meat hook fingers.
This is my nightmare. This is my nightmare. This is my nightmare. This is my nightmare.
This is my nightmare. This is my nightmare. This is my nightmare. This is my nightmare.
This is my nightmare. This is my nightmare. This is my nightmare. This is my nightmare. Lie to me... This is my nightmare. Lie... This is my nightmare. ...to me. This is my nightmare. This is my nightmare.
Bury your hands in the sand. You’ll never use them on me again.
Bury your hands in the sand. You’ll never use them on me again.
And I’m exhausted from shaking hands with your meat hook fingers.
Lies, damned lies, statistics. Lie to me. Lie to me. Lie to me.
Lie... Bury your hands in the sand. Lie... You’ll never use them on me again. Lie...
Doug Van Pelt - HM Magazine: What would you like to say about the song “Deathbed Atheist?” What are you wanting to communicate with that one?
Cory Brandan Putman (vocals, guitars): It’s pretty brutal. The record as we were recording the record, it had basically accumulated a nickname, because we didn’t have a title for it yet. And the nickname was ‘Just a Nightmare.’ We would record a part and we would go in and Jeremy would have this look on his face like, ‘ugh! That hurt to hear! What a nightmare!’ There’s some sounds that we put on the record, some samples that just kind of have that feel – that kind of hurt. With "Deathbed Atheist," it’s just really talking about, kind of like... There’s actually more theories for this. Scottie had written a lot of lyrics for that song and he wrote so many that he was sick of all. But one of the lyrics that didn’t make the song kind of talk about that and has a real repetitive feel to it. That song just really just focuses on... something that is really true to us. Being in a band this long you get to a point where you want to put things in the lyrics that you don’t even want to bring up in a conversation, so I kind of feel like that with that song. I think with that song I would like for people to check it out and interpret it for themselves and see what they get out of it.
Doug Van Pelt - HM Magazine: What are your thoughts on the philosophy of atheism?
Cory Brandan Putman (vocals, guitars): (takes a long breath) I don’t know. I kind of don’t care, honestly, anymore. I kind of feel like, at this point, I’m not going anywhere with what I believe. And the thing is I never became a Christian because I thought it was going to be cool. I knew it wasn’t. Basically, I just don’t really care what anyone thinks of that. And atheism is basically just an attack on that. It’s basically focusing on the same thing that I’m focusing on, but in a negative way. If you are a true atheist, you wouldn’t have a name for it, necessarily. You wouldn’t care to talk about it so much. A lot of atheists, ‘I don’t believe in God.’ Okay, well, ‘I don’t believe in you.’ I don’t go around talking about it all the time. If you really, truly don’t believe, it’s not... It’s basically rebellion. That’s what it is. And if that’s what you choose to do, then it is none of my business. What am I going to say? I kind of think of it as, ‘You know what? If you leave me alone, I’ll leave you alone. I don’t really care if that’s what you think.’
Someday you’ll pass with relief from the tossing sea of despair onto the solid ground of truth. Nothing you can say will prove me a bastard. I’m left with everything, still stray to question “why?”... "why?"... "why?", "why?", "why?"...
Our hands were on the same spear that drove into His side,
and we’re the ones that wound up paralyzed, paralyzed and loved.
Endlessly we drift inside your distractions and no one is safe. Nothing is safe from you... from you. Nothing you can say will prove me a bastard. I’m left with everything, still stray to question “why?”... "why?"... "why?"...
Our hands were on the same spear that drove into His side,
and we’re the ones that wound up paralyzed, paralyzed and loved.
You’re like a never-ending soap opera, and we’re ready to find out who kills J.R.
We found a better way! We found a better way! We found a better way! We found a better way!
We found a better way! We found a better way! Yaah...
We found a better way! We found a better way!
They provide their nectar and then I am released. I am a grain of sand underneath the floor and so far out of reach, but I am safe from harm. Against this shelter they are always hammering, against these ears they are always deafening.
I too know an angry language. Our pain is always accurate and striving to evade its only design. It wants to strike you down to fall into its arms again. Blood is thicker than water, but which one did you drink? Oh...
What I know was divided and broken down by the ignorance of others. Spoken from their lips, but with the lungs of another. Sounds great but tastes like blood. These rumor sessions are assembled by us all... by us all. They are the earth and we are the breath of life.
Your pain is always accurate and striving to evade its only design. I want to strike you down to fall into my arms again. Blood is thicker than water, but which one did you drink... did you drink?
Put down that retribution. I don’t need your absolution. Yeah...
Put down that retribution. I don’t need your absolution.
Put down that retribution. I don’t need your absolution.... No... No... No...
(Interlude) - lyrics to follow soon!
It’s been years of waiting here for you (you) and I’m not waiting anymore here for you (you), here they burn for murder. So now I want to see the world burn in flames (flames), and I’ll light the match, till you respect me... till you respect me.... until you respect me. Burn... for...
It’s been years of waiting here for you (you) and I’m not waiting anymore here for you (you), ’cause here they burn for murder. So now I want to see the world burn in flames (flames), and I’ll light the match, till you respect me... till you respect me.... till you respect me... till you respect me. ’Cause I will not speak until you respect me. ’Cause I will not speak until you respect me... till you respect me. Yeah... Yeah....
Fiction is me and I’m my own apathy. I have done nothing with my pistols. They say it just takes a second to die, but I was set up to be knocked down. Well, it’s all over now.
Somewhere a violin plays as I watch this ship capsize. But I am a long mean streak of independence, and between you and I, there’s no difference... no difference... no difference... there’s no difference.
8. High Noise Low Output
Yeah...
And I sat through a thousand suns, much sooner than you arrived,
and I know what you’re thinking: “Just pull the ripcord and let’s descend.”
You put your parachutes on parade and you left the pilots on the ground,
but if you’re calling me in, then you better believe I’m gonna call you out.
If you’re calling me in, I’m gonna call you out.
Who knows the cost and what may escape you and I,
’cause it’s a long way down from here.
I have a feeling that we won’t be landing soon.
Parachutes on parade and you left the pilots on the ground,
but if you’re calling me in, then you better believe I’m gonna call you out.
We’re standing at these doors, whether cowards or conquerors.
They make no promises, they just provide an opening.
And your speech is a thunderous noise, and my ears are catching a dreadful static.
You put your parachutes on parade and you left the pilots on the ground, but if you’re
calling me in, then you better believe I’m gonna call you out... out... out... out... out... out.. out.
Yeah... If you’re calling me in, I’m gonna call you out.
Doug Van Pelt - HM Magazine: Tell me about the song “High Noise Low Output”. What stands out to you about this song? What particular challenges, if any, did they force?
Cory Brandan Putman (vocals, guitars): That song is a lot about thinking you’re supposed to do something and basically over-analyzing that to ‘is this what I’m supposed to do with my life?’ You know, way over-thinking something to a degree of basically worrying about your future when really … even asking questions like, ‘Is this what God wants you to do?’ I think even questions like that can really brutally kinda confuse you even more when really, when I think it comes down to it, is if you’re passionate enough about something then you should just do it. It’s okay to, like, just try something. It may not be what you’re ‘supposed to do with your life,’ but I’ve always found that through being in a band for years and years and years and being a parent, too, raising two kids. In any situation there’s a chance to over-analyze a situation. It’s almost like the High Noise Low Output is basically talking about what you’re hearing basically is so loud and you think it’s so right when you think that way, but in reality, it’s very low output and it’s not anything that’s going to get you anywhere.
9. Falling from the Sky: Day Seven
You have never taken any inspiration in a direction that won’t end up with the death of you.
Do you really think all the saints are just lying... just lying... just lying in their graves?
Where are we supposed to go? I want you to remember this.
Just because I understand, doesn’t mean I really care.
Have you become smarter than your own father? Are you ready to lead with no lesson?
Your death will bring you all the answers that you’ve been looking for. How does it feel to kill?
Where are we supposed to go? I want you to remember this.
Just because I understand, doesn’t really mean I care.
The fruit has been tasted and their blood is on your hands.
You won’t know the truth soon enough my friend.
Did you think that ended it? Do you really think it’s over?
You will have all of the answers soon enough my friend. You’re standing near the edge.
Falling from the sky, day one. You never learned to fly.
Falling into the ocean, day seven. You never learned to swim.
Sinking to the bottom of the ocean, day twenty. How could you see the bottom?
Sinking to the bottom of the ocean, day one hundred... day one hundred... day one hundred.
Why can‘t you see the bottom? Why can‘t you see the bottom? Why can‘t you see?
Why can‘t you see the bottom? Why can‘t you see the bottom?
Why can‘t you see? Why can‘t you see?
Why can‘t you see? Why can‘t you see? Why can‘t you see?
Why can‘t you see? Why can‘t you see?
10. Everlasting Tapeworm
feat. guest vocals by Shelby Cinca, formerly of Frodus
The countless times we fall to ruin. These myriad days are so relentless.
It isn’t everyone’s frailty to stop functioning and stop breathing.
Sway with the waves, with the waves change,
and we’ll find our way back to the shore when it’s over.
The never content sensation of a tapeworm drug looking for its angry fix.
Will mutual fear bring us peace? Is ruining your day ruining your life?
Sway with the waves, with the waves change,
and we’ll find our way back to the shore when it’s over.
Sway with the waves, with the waves change,
and we’ll find our way back to the shore when it’s over.
What happened to my noisy planet? When did the sun go nova?
In dim light I can tell by the hollow look in your eyes.
Using technology to live on this slow night.
I’m starting to realize I’ll die long before...
...the sun will do all its interesting end of world things.
I better evolve or become extinct. I better evolve or become extinct.
Crunch the numbers till we become sick.
Sway with the waves, with the waves change,
and we’ll find our way back to the shore when it’s over.
Sway with the waves, with the waves change,
and we’ll find our way back to the shore when it’s over.
Doug Van Pelt - HM Magazine: Once again you’ve titled some songs with great wit. “Everlasting Tapeworm” is an incredible title that begs further thought.
Cory Brandan Putman (vocals, guitars): Yeah, that’s a really bold lyric. I wrote that years before I was with Norma Jean. There’s a lyric in the song that is ‘never ending tapeworm drug,’ basically. The idea behind it is about being addicted to something or trying to keep your mind off something as it eats away at you kind of thing. It’s everlasting and almost never-ending. That’s kind of where that comes from. It’s super old. I wrote that when I was playing with this band called Uses Fire – post Eso-Charis, pre-Living Sacrifice, pre-Norma Jean. On that song Shelby from Frodus sings on that song.
11. Occidental
(Interlude) - lyrics to follow soon!
12. The People That Surround You on a Regular Basis
This is pain draped in excellence, and there’s no way to bury it.
I awake resolute and numb, climbing 15 stories just to fall asleep at the edge,
and I’m praying for a sleepless night. And how does this darkness always find me?
This is the time for you to leave in peace or stay and die.
We’re crashing down and burning out with every word you say.
We’re burning through the atmosphere and we hope...
we hope you never find us... we hope you never find us anywhere.
We’re crashing down and burning out with every word you say.
We’re burning through the atmosphere and we hope...
we hope you never find us... we hope you never find us.
I have nothing left but to let you lay there and die for it.
So just give up and write it down.
If you’re paying for it, yeah, you might as well wager it.
We’re crashing down and burning out with every word you say.
We’re burning through the atmosphere and we hope...
we hope you never find us... we hope you never find us anywhere.
We’re crashing down and burning out with every word you say.
We’re burning through the atmosphere and we hope...
we hope you never find us... we hope you never... No....
We hope you never find us, cover your shallow grave.
We hope you never find us, cover your shallow grave. We hope you never...
...anywhere. We’re crashing down and burning out with every word you say.
We’re burning through the atmosphere and we...
we hope you never find us... we hope you never find us anywhere.
We’re crashing down and burning out with every word you say.
We’re burning through the atmosphere and we hope... we hope you never find us...
we hope you never find us anywhere... anywhere... anywhere...
and we hope... we hope you never find us... we hope you never find us.
Doug Van Pelt - HM Magazine: What is important about the friends we choose? Of course, I’m referencing “The People that Surround You on A Regular Basis.”
Cory Brandan Putman (vocals, guitars): I think there was a point in my life where I realized, you know, I kind of see my life in several phases and there was a phase where I know I’m learning and I know there’s a phase where I kind of feel like I have a lot of things figured out and, you know, there’s only one more phase and I kind of feel like I’ve stopped the first phase – the learning phase. There’s always something to learn and you’ll never ever approach... There’s always something to learn from someone else. Whether they have something... I’ve been through some really horrible situations and I found myself attracted to those people in a strange way. I feel like, through that second phase I alienated some of those people. I feel like... I want to be around those people and I want them to be around me. I think it really just comes down to your own willpower. There’s a point where you have to stop enacting yourself and live life without... you being around someone who’s going through... it’s having a negative effect on something... they’re making their own choices. If there’s anything that you’ve done that you don’t think you should have, it’s no one’s fault but your own. That’s kind of where that one comes from.
13. Innocent Bystanders United
These tears are carving trenches in my skin.
Put down the microscope, rip off my scales and take a look inside,
’cause I feel like... like Jesus don’t... don’t come around much more these days.
Skeletons are falling out through every fracture.
Look away, look away. There’s nothing to see here.
Lies and mistakes all know me by my name, and...
and now they refuse to leave me alone, haunting me with their mutiny.
But there’s no future in... in being a dinosaur, and...
and there’s no future in the way I have been living.
But there’s a hell of a past, so pull up a chair and I’ll give you a good story,
because I know you’re not attracted to the truth.
Skeletons are falling out through every fracture.
Look away, look away. There’s nothing to see here.
Skeletons are falling out through every fracture.
Look away, look away. There’s nothing to see here.
There’s a hell of a past, so pull up a chair and I’ll give you a good story.
14. Oriental
(Instrumental)
15. Kill More Presidents [BestBuy and Napster Bonus Track]
I don’t believe you can be troubled. Another day, another customer paying for it. I’ll swallow every knife on this table. Another day, another year with you would shake the ground in the sea.
Scarcity of lust, heartlessness prevails. I guess we’ll kill more presidents!
We’ll need their faces for all the cash we’ll get from selling our family.
Where are you now? We’ve waited so long and our hearts will never be the same... our hearts never will be the same. Remember, it’s a buyer’s market when you sell your soul, sell your soul.
Scarcity of lust, heartlessness prevails. I guess we’ll kill more presidents!
We’ll need their faces for all the cash we’ll get from selling our family.
Where are you now? We’ve waited so long and our hearts
will never be the same... our hearts never will be the same.
Our hearts will never... hearts will never... hearts will never... hearts will never....
Scarcity of lust, heartlessness prevails. I guess we’ll kill more presidents!
We’ll need their faces for all the cash we’ll get from selling our family.
Where are you now? (Where are you now?) We’ve waited so long and our hearts will never be the same... our hearts never will be the same. Where are you now? We’ve waited so long and our hearts will never be the same... our hearts never will be the same... the same... the same.
16. Distance to Planets [iTunes Bonus Track]
You’re burning like a sun and it’s safe to say that I can’t look away. These lights are calling out my name and I want nothing more than to attach attach attach, then try and get away. Can’t we get in over our heads? Can’t I just try and breathe? Can’t we drive in the wrong direction? Can’t we erase this map and always stay away? Dig around and rid this place of distractions and we will wash our hands clean until it’s over. I’ll clear away the miles and drain the sea, then jump on the next dragon to the center of nowhere and consume you.
Album Presentation: Norma Jean - "Meridional" - (Razor & Tie - July 13, 2010)
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