Cory Brandan

Last updated

Cory Brandan
CorybyRachel (cropped).jpg
Brandan performing in 2007
Background information
Birth nameCory Brandan Putman
Born (1976-04-11) April 11, 1976 (age 47)
Genres Metalcore, mathcore
Occupation(s)Musician
Instrument(s)Vocals, guitar, bass
Years active1995–present

Cory Brandan Putman (born April 11, 1976) is an American singer who has been the lead vocalist for the metalcore band Norma Jean since 2004. [1]

Contents

Career

Brandan is a former member of bands Eso-Charis, Living Sacrifice, The Handshake Murders, and Uses Fire, and a current member of the bands Norma Jean, [1] Fear is the Driving Force [2] and The Radio Sky. [3] He was one of the founding members of Mathcore band Eso-Charis, along with his brother, Matthew Putman and Arthur Green who eventually went on to join the band Living Sacrifice. He played guitar for a tour through Norway and Sweden with Living Sacrifice, before being replaced by Rocky Gray (who would go on to play drums in Evanescence and guitar in Soul Embraced).

Brandan then toured with and later joined Norma Jean permanently as their lead vocalist, replacing former vocalist Josh Scogin. Since Brandan has joined Norma Jean, they have released seven records; O God, the Aftermath released in 2005, Redeemer in 2006, The Anti Mother , which was released on August 5, 2008, through Solid State Records, Meridional released July 12, 2010, through Razor & Tie, and Wrongdoers on August 6, 2013. Polar Similar released September 9, 2016, and All Hail on October 25, 2019. The Anti Mother featured guest writing and vocals by notable artists Chino Moreno of the Deftones, Page Hamilton of Helmet, and Cove Reber of Saosin.

In 2015, Brandan formed a project, "Hundred Suns", with former Every Time I Die musician Ryan "Legs" Leger and Dead and Divine's Chris LeMasters. [4]

UNwork

In late 2008 Brandan created graphic and clothing design company UNwork. Since UNwork's conception, Brandan has designed for bands small and large across the country. Putman has said that he uses his experiences as a former struggling band member to shape how he runs the company and that he understands the necessities of keeping designs inexpensive to print, and specializes in these cheap-to-print one and two color designs. [5]

On the UNwork Myspace, [6] Brandan writes: "I have been doing UNwork for years now, it's not really important how long exactly. I have been doing other things for the past 6 years (Norma Jean, The Radio Sky and Fear is the Driving Force) and it has kept me away from this almost completely. I have always been interested in all kinds of art and have recently really wanted to do UNwork again."

Personal life

Brandan has three brothers, one older, two younger: Tristen, Matt, and Adam Putman. [7] He is the father of two children, [8] [9] and is married to artist and photographer Rachel Rodemann. [10] [11]

Bands

BandYears active
Eso-Charis 1995–2002
Living Sacrifice 1998, 2003
Uses Fire2002-2004
Norma Jean 2004–present
Fear is the Driving Force2008–present
The Radio Sky
The Handshake Murders
Hundred Suns2015–present
OrphanTwin2022-present

Discography

With Eso-Charis

With Norma Jean

With Fear Is the Driving Force

With Hundred Suns

With OrphanTwin

Guest vocals

Related Research Articles

Living Sacrifice is an American Christian metal band formed in Little Rock, Arkansas in 1989. The band has released eight studio albums, out of which the first three were recorded under R.E.X. Records with their original vocalist Darren Johnson as a more thrash metal and death metal oriented band. The band evolved into a groove metal and metalcore style beginning with Reborn (1997) under Solid State Records with the original guitarist Bruce Fitzhugh on vocals. In 2003, the group disbanded due to other projects and later their label, Solid State, released their best-of album, In Memoriam (2005). In 2008, Living Sacrifice reformed and released a two-song digital only single called Death Machine. They then began working on The Infinite Order which was released on January 26, 2010. Lance Garvin and Bruce Fitzhugh are the two remaining original members.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Solid State Records</span> American Christian record label

Solid State Records is a Christian metalcore record label, an imprint of Tooth & Nail Records. Unlike Tooth & Nail, Solid State signs hardcore punk and heavy metal bands. Like Tooth & Nail, Solid State is primarily a Christian label. However, they have signed several bands with Christian members that don't label themselves as Christian bands, including Stretch Arm Strong, Gwen Stacy, He Is Legend, the Famine, Training for Utopia, and the Agony Scene.

<i>O God, the Aftermath</i> 2005 studio album by Norma Jean

O' God, the Aftermath is the second studio album by American metalcore band Norma Jean and was released on March 1, 2005. Like their previous album Bless the Martyr and Kiss the Child, O God, the Aftermath was released on Solid State Records. This is the first album with vocalist Cory Brandan.

William Rocky Gray is a drummer and guitarist who has been part of the Arkansas metal scene since the early 1990s. He was the drummer for the rock band Evanescence from 2003-2007 and the lead guitarist for Solus Deus. He is the lead guitarist for Living Sacrifice and the drummer for Soul Embraced, Mourningside, Machina, and We Are the Fallen. Gray also released a solo album titled Accursed (2015).

Eso-Charis, originally called Elliot, was a Christian alternative rock band with hardcore and metalcore influences that formed in Fort Smith, Arkansas. Founding members, brothers Cory Brandan Putman and Matthew Putman, and Arthur Green, eventually went on to join the band Living Sacrifice. In late 1997, the band recorded their first and only full-length album with Bruce Fitzhugh of Living Sacrifice. The album was first produced independently, but was after leased to Day-Glo Records of Stockholm, Sweden. Later on, production of the album moved to Solid State Records, the same label as Living Sacrifice. Cory has stated that they most likely will not do a reunion. He also stated that after his brother and Green quit the band they added two guitarists, bassists, and drummers, with Cory and Jayson being the vocalists.

<i>Eso-Charis</i> (album) 1998 studio album by Eso-Charis

Eso-Charis is the eponymous album of the band Eso-Charis. The album was originally released independently in 1998, later being released by Day-Glo Records of Sweden, and even later by Solid State Records, the label of Living Sacrifice, which three of the members were also a part of.

<i>Redeemer</i> (Norma Jean album) 2006 studio album by Norma Jean

Redeemer is the third studio album by American metalcore band Norma Jean. It was released on September 12, 2006 in the United States, and on October 3, 2006 in Canada. The album sold more than 21,000 records in its first week. It is the last album to feature drummer Daniel Davison. For this album they filmed videos for "Blueprints for Future Homes", and "Songs Sound Much Sadder". Shannon Crawford, the singer of Cellophane and Monster in the Machine, painted the album artwork.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Norma Jean (band)</span> American metalcore band

Norma Jean is an American metalcore band from Douglasville, Georgia, a suburb of Atlanta. Since their inception in 1997, numerous lineup changes have left the band with no original members. To date, Norma Jean has released nine studio albums and received a Grammy Award nomination in 2006 for Best Recording Package for their second album O' God, the Aftermath. The band's name is derived from the real name of actress Marilyn Monroe.

Bruce Fitzhugh is the second and best known lead vocalist, rhythm guitarist and founding member of Arkansas's Christian metal band Living Sacrifice. The lead vocalist role was left to Bruce shortly after the departure of former lead Darren Johnson and prior to the recording of Living Sacrifice's 1997 album, Reborn. Fitzhugh is featured in Zao's The Lesser Lights of Heaven DVD. Fitzhugh's nephew is Drew Garrison, Vocalist for Descended From Wolves and Becoming Saints.

<i>The Anti Mother</i> 2008 studio album by Norma Jean

The Anti Mother is the fourth studio album by American metalcore band Norma Jean. It is the first release to feature new drummer Chris Raines, making Chris Day and Scottie Henry the only members of the band to have appeared on all albums released by Norma Jean up to that point.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Attack Attack! (American band)</span> American metalcore band

Attack Attack! is an American metalcore band from Westerville, Ohio, originally formed in 2007 as Ambiance, later changing their name. Attack Attack!'s first release, an independent EP titled If Guns Are Outlawed, Can We Use Swords?, was released in 2007, which led to the signing of the band to Rise Records the same year. They released three full-length albums, Someday Came Suddenly, a self-titled album, and This Means War all through Rise Records. The band left Rise Records in 2012 and disbanded the following year after a farewell tour. On October 19, 2020, the band announced a re-formation, with a mix of returning and new members.

<i>Meridional</i> (album) 2010 studio album by Norma Jean

Meridional is the fifth studio album by American metalcore band Norma Jean. The album was released on July 12, 2010, and is also the band's first release through Razor & Tie since leaving Solid State Records in 2009. After recording their two previous studio albums, The Anti Mother and Redeemer, with producer Ross Robinson, Norma Jean selected Jeremy Griffith to produce Meridional in order to expand their sound. It is the last album to feature guitarist Scottie Henry, bassist Jake Schultz and drummer Chris Raines. The first single off the album, "Leaderless and Self Enlisted," was released on May 6, 2010.

<i>Wrongdoers</i> (album) 2013 studio album by Norma Jean

Wrongdoers is the sixth studio album by American metalcore band Norma Jean. The album was released on August 6, 2013, and is the band's second release through Razor & Tie. It is the first album to feature guitarist Jeff Hickey, bassist John Finnegan and drummer Clayton Holyoak. Wrongdoers garnered critical acclamation by music critics at such publications as Alternative Press, Decibel, Exclaim! and Revolver Magazine, and sold 8,340 copies in its first week.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Matthew Putman (musician)</span> American drummer

Matthew Putman is an American drummer, percussionist, and multi-instrumentalist based in Arkansas. He is best known for being a member of the bands Norma Jean, Unwed Sailor, Living Sacrifice, and Lovedrug, as well as his work as a producer and engineer.

Arthur Green is the fourth and current bassist for the extreme metal band, Living Sacrifice. He, along with brothers Cory Brandan Putman and Matthew Putman, founded the mathcore band Eso-Charis.

The Handshake Murders were a metalcore band from Fort Smith, Arkansas. The band includes many members from Eso-Charis and Norma Jean. When Eso-Charis, disbanded, Holmes made The Handshake Murders full-time. The band has released one full-length album, and two EPs. The band has been compared to Coalesce, Meshuggah, and A Life Once Lost and have gone on tour with bands such as The Chariot, Norma Jean, and Darkest Hour. After 10 years of being active, the band broke-up.

<i>Polar Similar</i> 2016 studio album by Norma Jean

Polar Similar is the seventh studio album by American metalcore band Norma Jean. The album was released on September 9, 2016 through Solid State Records, the band's first release on the label since 2008's The Anti Mother. This is Norma Jean's only release with guitarist Phillip Farris and the last with bassist John Finnegan and drummer Clayton Holyoak.

<i>All Hail</i> (Norma Jean album) 2019 studio album by Norma Jean

All Hail is the eighth studio album by American metalcore band Norma Jean. The album was released on October 25, 2019 through Solid State Records, the band's sixth overall release on the label. It is the last album to feature guitarist Jeff Hickey, as well as the first to feature guitarist Grayson Stewart and drummer Matt Marquez.

Bryan Gray is an American musician that has predominately performed with bands in the punk rock and hardcore punk genre, including and most notably, the Blamed, Blenderhead, Left Out, The Satire, and Rocks in Pink Cement. He also has performed in the hardcore band Six Feet Deep. Gray was best known for being the brainchild of The Blamed, which is known for their tenure on Tooth & Nail Records. He also has performed with industrial metal bands such as Mortal and Klank.

<i>Deathrattle Sing for Me</i> 2022 studio album by Norma Jean

Deathrattle Sing for Me is the ninth studio album by American metalcore band Norma Jean. The album was released on August 12, 2022, through Solid State Records. It was self-produced by the band, Matthew Putman and Jeremy SH Griffith.

References

  1. 1 2 "Official Norma Jean Website".
  2. 1 2 US. "Fear Is The Driving Force | Free Music, Tour Dates, Photos, Videos". Myspace.com. Retrieved May 6, 2013.
  3. US. "The Radio Sky (Album available for free!) | Free Music, Tour Dates, Photos, Videos". Myspace.com. Retrieved May 6, 2013.
  4. "Hundred Suns – Featuring Members of Norma Jean, Dead & Divine, and ex-Every Time I Die – Announce New Project". Revolver. October 22, 2015. Retrieved December 5, 2015.
  5. "Norma Jean Vocalist Will Have Fun Designing for Your Band". Noisecreep. March 22, 2010. Retrieved May 6, 2013.
  6. "Cory Brandan (Cory Brandan – Unwork) on Myspace". Myspace.com. September 21, 2008. Retrieved May 6, 2013.
  7. "Cory Brandan of Norma Jean". Interviewed by Trav Turner. As The Story Grows. August 23, 2015. Retrieved March 24, 2016.
  8. "Norma Jean Mayhem Rules". Archived from the original on July 24, 2011. Retrieved November 22, 2010.
  9. "Norma Jean's Cory Brandan Is a Single Dad". Noisecreep. July 13, 2010. Retrieved May 6, 2013.
  10. "Norma Jean's Cory Brandan Is 'a Lot Happier'". Noisecreep. February 11, 2010. Retrieved May 6, 2013.
  11. interviews (December 17, 2009). "Interview with Norma Jean vocalist and guitarist Cory Brandan Putman « Interviews «". Puregrainaudio.com. Retrieved May 6, 2013.