Nora

Nora, the melodic hardcore group from Central New Jersey, formed in 1996. Their first recordings soon followed with the Kill You for a Dollar EP and a split release alongside the Dillinger Escape Plan, both issued by Ferret Records, the independent label operated by vocalist Carl Severson. Signing with Trustkill—the label that grew out of a fanzine—took place in 1999, after which the band delivered the Neverendingyoulie EP and then, two years later, their debut full-length Loser's Intuition. At the time the lineup comprised Severson, guitarists Matt "Portland" Hay and Chris Byrnes, and drummer Chris Ross. In summer 2002 bassist Tim Cuccolo, formerly of Ex Number Five, replaced original member Spliedt, and the revamped unit returned the following year with Dreamers & Deadmen. Cuccolo's subsequent exit prompted Byrnes to switch to bass while Steve "Steve Jeff" Chladnicek joined as second guitarist in early 2004. Byrnes left in 2005 to join Every Time I Die, at which point Mike Olender—previously Nora's guitarist and the vocalist of Burnt by the Sun—resumed his former role in the band. Only in early 2007 did Nora finally enter the studio to begin tracking their next album.