NORA - ProfilesArchive

About Me

It could be argued that the greatest thing Nora have achieved with their new record, "Save Yourself," is the simple fact that they even managed to craft the damn thing at all.
But that would be missing the point.
Because through all of the misfortune, anguish, heartache, false starts and agonizing stops that plagued New Jersey's ever defiant chaotic heavy music mainstays as they embarked on the journey between 2003's critically-lauded "Dreamers and Deadmen" and this one, despite innumerable distractions, Nora has attainted their greatest artistic achievement. This is their "Master of Puppets," their "Reign in Blood," their "London Calling." Nora is reborn.
Celebrating their tenth year, Nora is the only one of Alternative Press magazine's "bands you need to know" to name themselves after a character in the classic Christian Slater vehicle "Pump Up the Volume." Lifelong hardcore scene veterans (the band's members have played in countless projects, with bass player Mike Olendar still pulling double-duty as vocalist for Burnt By The Sun) committed to the most-forward thinking end of the heavy music spectrum, Nora infuses their material with dark humor and creative energy ("Dreamers" was entirely inspired by a surprisingly profound quote from "Willy Wonka"). It's amazing what they have been able to accomplish since the late 90s without ever truly being a full-time band.
"We never did this because we had designs of becoming a band we can make a living from," offers vocalist Carl Severson, whose day-job as Ferret Music label president puts him side-by-side with art-director guitarist Matt "Portland" Hay. "I work with bands every day who do make a living off of it and I make a living off of those bands, which is awesome. But for us, with Nora, it's never stopped being what it was when we started bands in high school -- we just want to play shows, be a part of the hardcore scene, travel the world. We're still doing it just because we want to. We're lucky that people have been receptive to us for ten years doing this thing."
What's helped to foster that fanbase of course is the band's careening chaotic noise which veers from sickeningly heavy and dark to fast, energized and thrashing. Add to that the fact that Nora was infusing their hardcore ruckus with Southern friend Crowbar and 'Tera parts long before name-checking Skynyrd became fashionable, and you've got quite a resume for a part-time band.
And yet despite the casual and lo-tech approach toward the band, things could not have been any more complicated. Tragedy hit them hard when drummer (and beloved east coast hardcore icon) Chris Ross lost his daughter in a terrible accident, which affected every single person in Nora profoundly and the reverberations of which rippled throughout their friends. "A lot happened to everybody around that. A lot of this record came from that," Carl says with numbed resignation. "And a lot of it came out of what people can do to push on after something like that."
Scrapping nearly a full album's worth of material after they regrouped, Ross channeled his grief into a couple of songs on the album, including the gut-wrenching album closer "Lighthouse." Guitarist Steve Chladnicek, who joined the band shortly after the release of "Dreamers..," has become an integral part of the songwriting as well, making for an even more fully realized outfit.
The sound of Nora reclaiming themselves, to some extent saving themselves, through their art is evident throughout, and summed up brilliantly by the album's title and title track.
"'Save Yourself' is all about finding the desire to keep going," Carl says, pointing out that in addition to the tragedy, lineup changes, creative writers block, busy schedules, marriages and other life events nearly derailed the band for good. "Nora was definitely up and down for a while. You have to just look in the mirror and just decide to be better. You just have push on."
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My Interests

Music:

Member Since: 1/22/2004
Band Website: norarockmachine.com
Band Members: Carl Severson / Vocals
Chris Ross / Drums
Portland / Guitar
Mike Olender / Bass
Steve Chladnicek / Guitar
Influences: Fun, Adventure, Travel, Friends, Family, Mosh Parts, Intellectual Conversation and Boobs.
Sounds Like:

Record Label: TRUSTKILL
Type of Label: Indie

My Blog

All NORA CDs Only $5! Huge Sale!

Summer is here and we're having a blowout sale on our webstore! From May 15 to June 15 all CDs and DVDs on our webstore will be only $5. What? $5? Furrealz? Yes, for real. We want you to have the best...
Posted by NORA on Thu, 15 May 2008 11:01:00 PST

All NORA CDs on sale for $5!

I think we've caught a little bit of the Holiday crazyness because we just SALEPRICED all of our CDs and DVDs to only $5! Are we nuts? Probably. Maybe we'll just blame Bob in acounting, or Susie in ...
Posted by NORA on Wed, 05 Dec 2007 02:38:00 PST

Been a while...

...mostly because in all of the hectic daily pace of a bunch of old-dude lives ,I actually forget that myspace exists. In this day and age, apparently that's like forgetting to breathe. Ah well...Anyw...
Posted by NORA on Sun, 14 Oct 2007 05:21:00 PST

What’s new? Nora news...

...where all is work work work work work , except for our once a week practices to keep in shape until everyone gets back from work/vacation/ rehab for crystal meth addiction (no, wait, that's not rig...
Posted by NORA on Fri, 24 Aug 2007 10:26:00 PST

Nora news and notes, 7/23/07

Ok, first and foremost, as always, thanks for signing on if you just did...as always, we appreciate your interest and concern in our semi-pathetic (but still fun) happenings as a band and as dudes! :0...
Posted by NORA on Tue, 24 Jul 2007 09:08:00 PST

Old Friends Doing New Things...

Some good friends of ours and past members of NORA have started a new band called (Damn) This Desert Air. They just recorded a demo with ANOTHER past member of NORA and great friend Matt Haick. Be sur...
Posted by NORA on Wed, 20 Jun 2007 07:58:00 PST

NORA "Save Yourself" In Stores NOW!

Nora"Save Yourself" CDPurchaseRead ReviewsDownloadThe eagerly anticipated Nora album "Save Yourself" is in stores and online TODAY! According to Outburn Magazine, the new album is "The most unrestrain...
Posted by NORA on Tue, 19 Jun 2007 02:32:00 PST

SAVE YOURSELF TODAY

Sounds like a sweet ad for Jesus right? Wrong - even better than Jesus - Our new album is out today. Our 3rd full length album and 6th release, SAVE YOURSELF has quickly become our favorite. 2 out 3...
Posted by NORA on Tue, 19 Jun 2007 05:59:00 PST

New Song "FAMOUS LAST WORDS" up NOW!!!

The record is almost here, so - here's another sweet jam - this one features guest vocals from Mike (bass player and Burnt By The Sun Vocalist). It's a personal favorite of ours. Enjoy!
Posted by NORA on Wed, 13 Jun 2007 09:54:00 PST

NORA 'SAVE YOURSELF' - GET IT CHEAP AT HOT TOPIC

NORA 'SAVE YOURSELF' - GET IT CHEAP AT HOT TOPICThe good people at HOT TOPIC have seen fit to put our shit into a listening booth and sale price that jammy. It'll be in all their stores that sell musi...
Posted by NORA on Wed, 13 Jun 2007 09:08:00 PST