“Nora Marks is a four-piece melodic rock band from Chicago that first sprung into action in early 2016. Brothers Matt and Michael Garrity, along with longtime friend Matt Galante, echo the DIY ethos of punk music with the catchy hooks of something more modern. After their debut LP “Opt Out” in 2021 comes the follow-up EP, “The Buzzing Of Flies” – five tracks with a noticeably darker edge than their predecessors. This record comes more carefully constructed, drawing from the musical insights gleaned from consistent gig life over the past eight months. Vocalist Michael Garrity notes: “We learned about the importance of writing in conjunction with each other rather than on top of each other.”
Colin B. Osborn of That’s Good Enough For Me called “Opt Out” “an unflinching exploration of self-doubt and anxiety.” While “The Buzzing Of Flies” certainly continues down that route, the band expands on thematics to include a deeper look at moments of dread and fear – and facing all of it head-on.”