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CORROSION OF CONFORMITY
Corrosion Of Conformity

Candlelight (2012)
Rating: 7/10

Raleigh, North Carolina’s Corrosion Of Conformity seem to have been around forever, and yet since beginning life over 30 years ago, have only managed to release eight records. Mind you, a clutch of these could be regarded as metal classics – the monolithic Blind (1991), which got the band the recognition they deserved, and the Black Sabbath-esque monsters that were Deliverance (1994) and Wiseblood (1996).

Considering the amount of line-up changes they’ve had over the years, these guys have somehow evolved into a well-oiled metal machine, and when they do get around to getting their act together, have stood as one of the genre’s most formidable and talented bands.

It seems a long time ago that they began life as a crossover trio, and who would’ve thought that in 2012 that the original cult line-up would join forces again. Woody Weatherman (guitars / vocals), Mike Dean (bas / vocals) and Reed Mullin (drums / vocals) may have been making a statement by simply calling this album Corrosion Of Conformity, and there are going to be those who find it a little strange to not hear the drool of Pepper Keenan, but word has it that Keenan has not left the band, and it would also be fair to say that the previous two C.O.C. outings were not their best.

So, how does the 2012 version of C.O.C. shape up? Well, not too bad, although it seems as if the band are still keen to keep their stoner edge, while mixing it up with more fast-paced melody – and that’s the problem. While album opener ‘Psychic Vampire’ boasts a killer, doom-laden riff, I’m almost irritated by the slightly thrashy injections, because when the band keep the music brooding and heavy, there’s no-one better at resurrecting and reinventing those Sabbath riffs.

‘River Of Stone’ is an uptempo chugger, Dean’s vocals however give the record more of a Bad Brains crossover style appeal; as expected I guess considering how these guys started out. This is C.O.C. coming full circle at times, and maybe that was the only direction for the band to take for fear of becoming stale, considering there had only been two albums since 1996.

‘Leeches’ sees Mullin adopt vocal duties. This is another faster, rawer song, but on track four, ‘El Lamento De Las Cabras’, the band move into movie soundtrack mode; a sterling Western-inspired instrumental which conjures up images of sweeping plains and dusty streets.

The album’s middle section boasts two contradicting styles; the stripped down and punkier ‘Your Tomorrow’ and the epic ‘The Doom’, which hearkens back to those Keenan days, with Dean’s vocals a languid drool over those stoned riffs until the band rush headlong into, albeit briefly, another speedier groove.

Some would argue, however, that C.O.C. 2012 is far weaker in its sound. Tracks like ‘The Moneychangers’ are relatively tepid in comparison to the red-hot classics such as ‘Clean My Wounds’ (from Deliverance), while the Weatherman-fuelled ‘Rat City’ follows a similar speedy path, lacking effect. Admittedly, when the band churn out a killer track like ‘Time Of Trials’ I feel a sense of hope for the future, but considering the changes over the years, I could never predict what the next incarnation of C.O.C. will sound like.

For those who want a nod to the beginnings, then there’s much on this record to savour, but those expecting another riff-soaked rocker may be disappointed at times by the shifting gears. However, when C.O.C. do hit the sweet spot, there’s no denying the everlasting charm of these guys and their dense sound, even if they seem unable to solidify their line-up.

Neil Arnold

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