Corrosion of Conformity + Corrosion of Conformity
How many “sludge” bands in the last 7 years (or the last 27!) owe COC at least some measure of gratitude? From where I stand, damn near ALL of ‘em! …all of the good ones, anyways! In any case, the important thing is this: COC are back!!
Most long-time fans are no doubt aware that COC recorded their last album with guitarist/vocalist Pepper Keenan is also a member of DOWN. Although he wasn’t a part of making this record, in our interview a few weeks back, founding member Woody Weatherman explained that “Pepper is our buddy” and that there was – and still is – an open invitation for him to return. While it’s good to know that there’s no hard feelings, the boys decided that the time was right to pull things back together and carry on as a three-piece.
Now one thing about playing as a trio is that the music has plenty of room to breathe. On the flipside, there’s nowhere to hide if things don’t sit right. The 7″ release of Your Tomorrow (Parts 1 & 2) via Southern Lord gave us just a little taste of what the boys had cookin’. While I was 100% stoked to see the boys back at it and liked what I heard, it was hard to come away from it still wanting more.
So let’s quit beatin’ around the bush. I said “they’re back” …but are they BACK?!?!? The answer is a mighty “HELL YEAH!” and once the needle drops, they don’t waste much time making it known. With Keenan out, Woody steps up strong and delivers on the legacy of monster riffs that has been the band’s trademark through the years. Tearing through the first three songs, the album is front-loaded with mean business, “River of Stone” being my personal favourite of the three.
On the instrumental “El Lamento de las Cabras”, Woodroe pays homage to the passing of one of the critters that lived on his farm. Musically, it represents a twist in the plot and for those who can deal with a cinematic comparison, it’s kind of like The Dude’s rug in The Big Lebowski – it “ties the room together” in the context of the album as a whole.
“Your Tomorrow” was a fine tune when it was released on it’s own, but in the context of the full album it hits even harder and has become one of my all-time favourites in COC’s repertoire.
Based on the title alone, I had to fight the urge to skip forward and listen to “The Doom”. It’s one of those tracks that shows the influence that Sabbath has had on the band. At the same time, it’s filtered through the unique style and sound that COC have cultivated all on their own.
Their sound, their success and their return to glory would not have been complete without Reed Mullin. Word is that he was recovering from injury before the album was recorded, but you’d never know it to hear the guy play. Mullin has always been capable of beatin’ those shits like a threshing mill on one song then slowing it down and nailing the groove to the side of the barn on the next. However, the real strength of Reed’s playing has always been adding just the right amount of flair and flavor and he does all of those things on “The Doom”.
Picking up the pace in early going, “The Moneychangers” rocks out and even has a sort of understated boogie-woogie feel to it in places. It’s also one of the cuts that highlights just how much musical ground that COC can cover, winding down with a Zepplinesque passage that shows the tremendous amount of work that was put into writing these songs.
“Come Not Here” continues to take this emphasis on songwriting and carries it further. It’s got more of a straight “rock and roll” kind of vibe to it and shows how kind the years can be to bands that have devoted their time and their lives to their craft. Although it comes relatively late in the album, it’s also where Mike Dean’s vocals hit home in a big way. Although there are songs that rock harder on this album, this may be the one song that shows these three guys at their very best together.
The album wraps up with “Time of Trials” which is definitely a strong finish. As much as we all love the monster guitar riffs that are COC’s stock and trade, you can’t help but respect the contributions as the rhythm section on this tune as well. There’s a great groove and interplay between the crisp chord voicings that Woody uses and the groove that Reed and Mike throw down.
I’m not sure how much pressure these guys felt as the album was coming together, but the result has definitely made diamonds. The best news when it comes to this album is that it sounds good on the first listen and just keeps getting better. Clear the throne of pretenders – COC have risen from the deep to reclaim their place at the top of the food chain and extend their legacy even further.
HALLELUJAH, brothers and sisters… CORROSION OF CONFORMITY is out February 28th via Candlelight Recordings.
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