Alright I know it’s been a really long while since I’ve done any sort of music review/Put any band on the chopping block but you know life and work gets in the way. That being said, I’ve already reviewed Down and Crowbar so it only makes sense that this review is on Corrosion of Conformity. Now I had never really heard much of these guys until this review so here goes…..
Eye for an Eye- my whole thing about punk especially old school punk is that it’s not really about the music but more about the attitude which is why I don’t listen to as much punk as I do metal. This album is no different than a lot of those other punk albums. I will say the sound quality on this is pretty good but I was probably listening to a remastered version. Either way, this is a decent album and I give it 8/10
Standouts: Minds Are Controlled, Rednekkk, What?
Animosity- not gonna lie, the singer on here sounds a little like the singer from Circle Jerks which isn’t a bad thing but I just found it interesting. Anyway, this album surprisingly sounds pretty good considering it was recorded in the 80’s. It’s got a thrash metal sound going on but other than that, it doesn’t sound any different than the punk bands at the time. I give it 8/10
Standouts: Mad World, Consumed, Positive Outlook
Blind- well this is a shift in sound. It looks like these guys have changed their sound from a punk meets thrash sound to a more straightforward metal sound. This is also the first album to have Pepper Keenan on guitar. At first I was caught off guard by their change but I actually really like this album and I definitely get a 90’s vibe from this album. It’s one that I can see myself going back to and listening to again. I give this 9/10
Standouts: Damned For All Time, Dance of the Dead, Vote With A Bullet
Deliverance- so this is the first album with Pepper Keenan on vocals and guitar and to me he sounds a lot like James Hetfield. After listening to this album, you can hear things that would influence Down. I think this album is definitely a step above the last one and I think Pepper on vocals fits very well. I give this 10/10.
Standouts: My Grain, Heaven’s Not Overflowing, Senor Limpio
Wiseblood- I wouldn’t say that this is more of the same but it seems to have more of a hard rock to it as opposed to a metal feel to it like the last album. While I think this is another solid album, I actually think this one isn’t as good as Deliverance. I found myself kind of losing interest in some parts. One thing to note is that James Hetfield does guest vocals on the song Man Or Ash. Overall a good album but I personally prefer the last one a little more. I give this 9.5/10
Standouts: Man Or Ash, Long Whip/Big America, Drowning in a Daydream
America’s Volume Dealer- ok so if you ever wondered what COC would sound like if they decided to go radio friendly, then this is the album for you. I will say that the production on this one is fantastic and the guitar riffs are pretty good too. But it starts off strong but then goes into meh territory pretty quickly. I don’t know I just couldn’t get into this one like I could the others and honestly I couldn’t wait for this album to end. Not their best work which is why I give it 1/10.
Standouts: Over Me
In The Arms Of God- ok now we’re talking!! I’m so glad that these guys did not continue the trend of the last album. This is right up there with Deliverance and Wiseblood and further proof that albums that came out in 2005 are awesome (something about that year). The heavy riffs are back and there is a bit of anger in Pepper’s voice too on some songs. Overall, a great record and one that people need to check out. I give it 10/10
Standouts: Paranoid Opioid, World On Fire, Stone Breaker
Corrosion of Conformity- so this is the first album to not have Pepper Keenan on guitar or vocals and honestly I think that Woody Weatherman does a pretty good job. He’s doesn’t sound like Pepper but kind of like their first singer Mike Dean (who is also their bass player). This album does bring back some of their punk sound which is nice to hear. I will say that this album starts off really strong but then gets kind of uneven (in terms of speed) towards the middle then back. Like if you take things from the first two albums and marry them with Blind and Wiseblood, you would get this album. I give this one 9.5/10
Standouts: Psychic Vampire, River of Stone, What We Become
IX- I guess what I would describe this album is that it’s uneven. It kinda feels more like a collection of songs rather than a full album. I mean you’ve got songs that are more on the punk side but then you’ve got songs that are in the vein of Wiseblood. I don’t know I guess I was hoping for more consistency on this one. It’s not a bad album but I give it 5/10.
Standouts: Brand New Sleep, Trucker
No Cross No Crown- Pepper Keenan is back in vocals and guitar on this album and it picks up right where they left off from In The Arms Of God. Personally, I would’ve preferred more faster songs but this album is fine. Would I say it’s a return to form? No not really it’s just different. I give this album 8/10
Standouts: Cast The First Stone, Old Disaster, A Quest To Believe (A Call To The Void)
All in all, I’d say that this is a band worth checking out. For some reason I thought they’d stay more like a punk band because I’ve seen old concerts of thrash bands wearing COC shirts. However, I really enjoyed doing this deep dive and would recommend these albums to anyone who likes bands like Down or Crowbar. Anyway, check these guys out if you haven’t done so. I think you’ll like what you hear.
Album Rankings:
- Deliverance
- In The Arms of God
- Wiseblood
- Blind
- Animosity
- Corrosion of Conformity
- Eye For An Eye
- No Cross No Crown
- IX
- America’s Volume Dealer
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