Chords for CORROSION OF CONFORMITY No Cross No Crown Album Review | Overkill Reviews

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[A#] Hey everybody, I am Sarah.
Welcome back to Overkill Reviews.
Happy New Year.
This is the first review of 2018.
Before I forget, make sure you kick off your new year right by clicking subscribe.
Today we're discussing a highly anticipated record.
Why?
Because it is the Sludgepunk Quartet Corrosion of Conformity and their classic lineup has not made a record together since the year 2000.
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[C#] _ _ [F] It's on the fire [C] _ _
[Gm] and just the first stone.
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_ That's right.
It's the classic Raleigh based Southern rock sludge thrash punk hardcore band Corrosion of Conformity.
Today we're reviewing their 10th studio album called No Cross No Crown out on Nuclear Blast Records.
Corrosion of Conformity started out as a punk band.
Now some history on the band was important because their sound has morphed substantially since their [E] inception.
_ _ There was the thrashy crossover style that was found on 1985's Animosity and then they moved into a groovy thrash punk hybrid on 1991's Blind.
And then they fully became a punk stoner blues band with 1996's Wiseblood.
Since then they've been oscillating between sludgy southern rock, heavier moments and basically they've got a whole bunch of styles and influences that are coming into the mix.
And I think a lot of that is because the band's lineup has morphed and shifted quite a bit over the years.
There is a handful of members who have mostly remained but their other members have been affiliated with satellite projects like Superjoint Ritual, I Hate God and Down.
Fast forward to current day and interest in this new record is really strong and it's because the classic lineup is back on board.
That lineup is featuring Mike Dean on bass, Reed Mullen on drums, Woody Weatherman on guitars and Pepper Keenan on guitars and vocals.
Pepper hasn't played on a COC album since In the Arms of God so it's a big deal that the four are back together and kicking ass.
_ _ [C] There's some hype around this record and it was definitely heightened by the fact that the first track, Cast the First Stone, was kick ass.
This is the track that you heard literally a minute ago and it's a great kick off for what's in store for the remainder of the album.
First off, Pepper Keenan sounds _ revitalized.
He's got some really great husky growls.
And not only that but the dual guitar approach is really reminding me of the southern fried boogie rock of bands like, you know, ZZ Top, The Allman Brothers, Lynyrd Skynyrd, that kind of stuff.
But wait, don't jump to conclusions.
It's as if that southern style was pushed through a punk meat grinder.
The whole track is a great groovy interlacing style and right now I can really tell that the last several years of touring has really paid off for these guys.
They are in sync.
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As you heard from the song, this has got a heavy sludge vibe.
It's really reminiscent of bands like Orange Goblin.
And they're writing these repetitive, _ heavy, rollicking riffs into the horizon and it sounds pretty badass.
So yeah, speaking of the variety, Pepper Keenan did an interview with Loudwire where he explained that this record is reminiscent of Deliverance, Wise Blood, and Arms of God.
And he's right.
There's a whole lot of stuff happening here.
Now for the necessary part.
Let's talk about what doesn't work on this record.
_ _ My main beef with this record is that it's just a bit too long.
There's multiple segues in here.
There's a full track that is, I guess, an interlude.
And it just gets a bit tiresome.
Between songs 10 and 15, things started bleeding together a bit and getting a bit dull.
Plus, there was a song in there that really quite surprised me.
It's the title track and it's hella reminiscent of the Earth record, The Bees Made Honey in the Lion's Skull.
Which is a comparison I never thought I would make when I was talking about corrosion and conformity.
Here it is.
_ [F] All the [Gm] love, _ _
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_ _ all the messengers, _ _
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[D] the towers call, the moon asell, _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ guns at night and across the ground.
_ _ _ While I dig this integration as a standalone piece, this album is almost an hour long and on the digital edition it's starting to drag.
That said, it's been pressed to a double vinyl and I think on that format it would really shine.
So, what does this all mean?
Let's discuss that [E] in the verdict. _ _
Yes, while it does drag a little bit in the end, it is an incredibly strong offering that's really going to please the old school fans.
Truth be told, I think it's really cool to hear a classic line-up back in the saddle.
And they don't sound dated.
They sound fresh, they sound reinvigorated, and they sound like they're having fun playing together.
So, this album is obviously not going to gain back those fans who swear that corrosion and conformity is just a punk or a crossover punk thrash sludge band.
But it's not designed to.
It's designed to be a modern rock and roll record with dual guitar dynamics that kind of evokes southern rock and bands like Thin Lizzy or ZZ Top.
And that's fine.
That works for corrosion conformity and it's what they do best.
So, in summation, this is southern rock blues sludge that is for people who think that bands like I Hate God or Nuth Grush or Buzz Oven are too disorienting and dense.
And are more down with the sounds of Crowbar, Down, _ Clutch, Alabama Thunder Pussy, and Acts of That Ilk.
So, yeah.
It's a crowd pleaser.
And for all those reasons, I'm giving it four skulls out of five here on Overkill Reviews.
So, [A#] this is the part of the review where I'd normally rep underground bands.
But because it is the beginning of 2018, I'm no longer allowed to talk about 2017 releases.
But if I were, I would say that you should listen to the new Hooded Priest.
Anyhow, not to worry.
There's lots more metal coming out in 2018 and there'll be tons more recommendations for you guys in the future.
Happy New Year!
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