Artist: Corrosion of Conformity
Label: Sanctuary Records
Release Date: 4/5/05
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Title: In the Arms of God Artist: Corrosion of Conformity Label: Sanctuary Records Release Date: 4/5/05 |
Judgment Committee Reviews | Rating |
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5 | ||
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Abyss's Review:
Here is a band that changes style like I change underwear (alright, that's not really accurate...I don't really change my underwear all that often). It is hard to believe that this band evolved all the way from their hardcore beginnings to their present sound, but here we are. CoC's last album, America's Volume Dealer, was released and quickly forgotten, and with good reason. That album just oozed mediocrity, doomed to the cd rack because of a lack of swing and an air of contentment. I was less disappointed in the hard rock direction of the band as I was in the fact that they made such a shift with no real statement to make.
"One word review: Massive." I'm happy to report that In The Arms Of God succeeds in all of the areas in which its predecessor failed. While the style remains similar, the band seems to have resurrected their creative spark, writing an album that incorporates fresh riffs, pounding rhythms and southern swagger. A good chunk of the material on this disc stands out right away, with each song having a defining character, so no matter how stoned you are when you first listen to it, you'll be able to pick out your favorites right away. The riffs can be soft and fuzzy or thick and dominant, but they always maintain a strong sense of hook. Fans of Sabbath, Monster Magnet and High On Fire will all find something to take out of this record, as will those who like all things Southern.
"Paranoid Opioid" and "It Is That Way" are infectious, and you'll find yourself humming them before you realized what you're doing. The epic "Never Turns to More" seems to breeze by quickly despite its eight-minute playing time, and the album as a whole gives a great amount of bang for your buck. Even if you didn't like the last CoC album, you still may want to give this one a try because even though it's the same style, it is a far superior product. One word review: Massive.
Death's Review:
C.O.C. are back with a new studio album that kicks serious ass, harkening back to the era of Blind and Deliverance and forgetting that the mediocre America's Volume Dealers ever even happened. In the Arms of God oozes with post-Sabbath, Down II-style old school, seriously heavy classic songwriting with fantastic moody dynamics, good singing and bludgeoning riffs at every turn. The album gets it all right as far as I am concerned, bringing me everything I am looking for in a C.O.C. record and lodging itself into a long-term, extended listen slot in my personal listening rotation. Tracks like "Stone Breakers" and "Paranoid Opioid" come out of the box strong and land with the laid-back confidence of an old-school stoner/biker sitting on the corner barstool doing shots at his neighborhood bar where he has been coming for the last twenty years. This is probably C.O.C.'s best album since Blind if you, like me, like the heavier side of stoner rock mixed with Sabbath-quality songwriting, classic rock sensibilities, and Down-style vibe. This is the work of veteran, integrity-filled musicians who could give two shits about the latest trends in makeup metalcore and have never shopped at Hot Topic in their lives, and it shows. Quality material from a quality band. Welcome back C.O.C. I missed you supporting Motorhead (not that into seeing Motorhead again for the umpteenth time), but I'd be psyched if you came back around as headliners later in the year. For now, this is shaping up as an early contender for my Top Ten Albums of 2005 list.
"Quality material from a quality band."
Hel's Review:
I'm a dyed-in-the-wool pessimist in many ways. But one of the only ways in which I am an optimist is in the music made by my favorite bands. I admit, I have been guilty of listening to albums with rose-colored headphones when they are the product of my favs. Perhaps it's not truly a five skull record, but a four and a half, when listened to objectively. There may have been a bit of that going on with America's Volume Dealer, as I was pretty desperate for some CoC at that time. Regardless, my point is that In the Arms of God is not a "favorite" five skull album. It is a five skull album, under any standard.
"Every Corrosion of Conformity fan needs In the Arms of God.." It is unbelievable to me that it has been five years since the release of their last record. Some small aesthetic changes are in evidence; ones that make me very happy indeed. Once again, the album cover screams their name to the world: Corrosion of Conformity. Even better, their classic image, the spiky nuclear skull, has returned and while it does not grace the album cover, it is in evidence elsewhere. It does my heart good to see it back.
Musically, the album is a varied soundscape. Often, I find myself strongly reminded of Wiseblood. One song actually puts me in mind of Amorphis, and occasionally I feel a hint of Zepplin in the mix. But more often, I'm not reminded of anything at all, I'm just enjoying the Corrosion sound, handed to me in a way I have not heard before. And the lyrics, the lyrics are awesome. This is the kind of album that makes twelve songs seem like too few. Every time, it feels like it is over too soon. I’ve lost track of the number of times I’ve listened to it today alone.
Every Corrosion of Conformity fan needs In the Arms of God. It’s just that simple.
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