Corrosions

[Jim Hofmann <hofmann@AMSAA.ARPA>]

Following is from a bunch of submissions I made to a local
zine and has been posted to net-music so if you've read
it already, sorry, I thought the arpa guys and jer might
find it interesting though. (or maybe not)
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Corrosion of Conformity - Animosity (a record review)

	The word out there is these are The Punks Who
Will Save Heavy Metal.  Bullshit, I say.  Heavy Metal,
in my opine, is beyond saving, but hey, people love to
label bands in as few words as possible, and I guess this one
fits their peurile purposes.  After all, the cover,
both front and back makes deep and spastic nods towards
the occult what with demon and Tarot pictures (which correspond
to the CoC members).

       CoC is a three member group with a Government Issue- 
style punk bassist (who musta taken lessons from Rory Gallager - 
the muthah is F-A-S-T), a guitarist with Sabbath and other
late-60's/early 70's metal tendencies and a Bonham-crossed
Peart ala impro behind a mountain of drums.  Vocals are pretty 
much traded between drummer and bassist with occasional
harmonizing.

	Side 1 was recorded in L.A. earlier this year and
hoo-boy, it shows.  The propensity here is towards the Noize
sound currently proliferating the punk scene nattily covered up
by the metalish guitar.  The bassist (as in concert) takes
no prisoners (sporting a multitude of influences).  It's 
quite dancable in concert and it would definitely offend
your parents and isn't that what rock is really all about?

	2nd side is the true gem.  Recorded in hometown, Raleigh,
NC, there is a redoing of the two songs that appeared on the
ltd edition Pushead (who does the cover art) compilation - Cleanse
the Bacteria.  If it wasn't for the obvious tempo problems,
"Prayer" would shred steel girders what with that catchy 
shriek and killer 6-string.  "Kiss (of Death)" is likewise a
good tune for quadroplegiacs (I mean this positively, too) to dance 
to.  The final (and title) cut is the only instrumental on the vinyl 
and the only cut that would truly feel at home in a good Heavy Metal 
comp.  It's a homage to what HM was and ever could be and ever will be 
if these boys cross over to that fine line.  Something tells me, 
though, that there is much more gray matter going on here than they 
would like to admit and it shows in the lyrical content, which 
while it ain't Bush or whatever lyricist that anyone calls God it's way 
better than most hardcore and worlds above the schlock Electra would
have us believe is HM.  I mean, just hold up some Twister Sister
lyrics next to this song sheet and see if God don't send down
righteous fire to destroy Dee Snider ( a tribute to schlock-meister,
Steven King, gimme a break!)

	So now you are all excited and wanna go out and rip-off this
vinyl from whatever local/mall record shop you chose to denigrate
by your presence, huh?  Well, good luck.  If the manager (who will
probably consider you insane for not loading up on Motley Crue's 
latest) chooses to acknowledge your foul, smelly personage, you 
can snarl at him to get above vinyl through Enigma distributing.
It's on Death Records, a division of Metal Blade. 
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Jim Hofmann, hofmann@amsaa.ARPA