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North Carolina's Corrosion of Conformity released their third studio LP, "Blind" on November 5, 1991 and the results were mixed, relatively. Mixed because it was well-received by the metal community but panned by the hardcore community where C.O.C. had cut their teeth.
Featuring a massively heavy two-guitar riff attack from Woody Weatherman and newcomer Pepper Keenan, the band began the transition from hardcore fury to the Southern Sabbathy sounds later found on their classic albums including "Deliverance" and "Wiseblood".
Although Corrosion didn't completely abandon their hardcore roots, as elements can be found throughout "Blind", the record is dominated by crushing guitar riffs, not always played at breakneck speed.
"Blind" did, however, adhere to another C.O.C. theme: Lineup changes. The album features the aforementioned Weatherman and Keenan on riff duty, Karl Agell on vocals, Reed Mullin on drums, and Phil Swisher on bass - with mainstay bassist and band founder Mike Dean sitting this one out.
The album's tone is set with a smoky, thundering instrumental entitled "These Shrouded Temples...", (which is reprised at the end of the album with "...Remain") and it adequately allows the listener to adjust their audio for the riffage to follow.
In what has become another Corrosion of Conformity tradition, "Blind" features the instrumental interlude "Shallow Ground" which gives way (screeching tape and all) to the standout track on this album "Vote with a Bullet", which is not only a staple in C.O.C.'s live sets to this day, it features Pepper Keenan's first lead vocals appearance and foreshadowed the sound to follow on later albums.
"Vote" is what can be described as a groove metal riff, and damn...it groves. If you enjoy the sounds of riffs akin to Helmet's "Unsung" or Pantera's "Rise" (which is the chicken and which is the egg?), then "Vote with a Bullet" will capture and hold your attention.
Throughout "Blind", Weatherman and Keenan pummel. This is good. This is a riff based band and this is a riff based album.
Agell performs admirably, as does Swisher, and Mullin, with his furious fills and creative patterns provides structure as always, and will forever be known as one of the greatest heavy music drummers who ever lived (RIP).
Including the aforementioned "Vote with a Bullet", "Blind" is a consistent record with a multitude of sounds and heavy textures with other highlights being "White Noise", "Echoes In The Well", "Buried" and "Dance of the Dead".
Tracks:
Columbia Records re-release
