If you’ve lived in a cave for the last three decades, or you haven’t been alive for three decades, Corrosion Of Conformity is an American heavy metal band that was formed in 1982. Fans commonly refer to them simply as C.O.C. In the beginning, they were a hardcore punk band, growing into a more bluesy metal sound as time went on. Diehard fans will be thrilled to know that they have a new album coming out on January 12 from Nuclear Blast and are kicking off an American tour. Tour dates are available on their website and Facebook page.
While not the original lineup (there have been some changes here and there over the past few decades), the current rendition of C.O.C. is made up of Pepper Keenan on vocals and guitar, Woodroe Weatherman on guitar, Mike Dean on bass and vocals, and Reed Mullin on drums and vocals.
The new album, No Cross No Crown, consists of 15 tracks, starting with the distorted metal outcry intro that is ‘Novus Deus’. The intro leads into some powerful guitar licks that become ‘The Luddite’. This is some classic, vintage sounding blues metal. C.O.C. keeps their sound pretty accurate to the old days. The vocals have a raw and guttural edge to them while still staying clear and focused. This isn’t your average metal of today with growling vocals that you can’t understand.
Keenen’s vocals are epic and make these songs really stand out. It’s an impressive collection of new songs. The lyrics pretty much fit in with what you’d expect from a metal band. Old school fans of C.O.C will dig this album, but it also offers something pleasing to new metal fans.
The video for the track ‘Wolf Named Crow’ has some epic animation and art. It’s a little trippy but extremely artistic. And the song itself rocks.
It’s hard to even pick a standout song or favorite song on this album, as the entire thing is pretty awesome. The band sounds tight, the guitar riffs are ear-pleasing, the vocals couldn’t be any better than they already are, and it’s hard not to start nodding your head to any of the tunes.
This is a five-star album from a band that has been on the tongues of metal fans for years. If you don’t buy it in January your metal fan status will be revoked.
