Corrosion of Conformity has a convoluted history, to say the least. Commencement as a hardcore trio in the early '80s, the band somewhen became a five-piece metal ring, before promoting guitarist Pepper Keenan to atomic number 82 vocaliser for the landmarkDeliverance anthology in 1994. In recent years, the original three-piece had reconvened without Keenan, starting off potent but eventually running out of steam with 2014's lackluster Ix. By popular need, No Cantankerous No Crown features Keenan's return to the fold and is the first anthology in 18 years to include both him and original drummer Reed Mullin. Can these guys recapture whatsoever it is that made Deliverance and its follow-up Wiseblood so compelling?

Afterward the first of many instrumental interludes (note to all bands ever: please stop doing this), the album properly kicks off with "The Luddite." With a menacing riff and a shouted vocal approach, this rails could accept easily been on the band'due south last Keenan-fronted album, 2005's criminally overlookedIn The Arms of God. The same statement could apply to the aggressive "Cast The Offset Rock," which features some tasty harmonized soloing past guitarist Woodroe Weatherman. This is nice and all, simply I can't help but experience that something'due south missing. It'south not until rails 5, "Wolf Named Crow," that No Cross produces anything that can truly stand aslope their all-time work.

While Keenan's render is clearly the selling indicate here, his phonation has seen better days. The human being sounds fairly haggard on a good portion of the record, and his macerated range results in a few melodies that don't quite stick the landing. He seems to compensate for this past hollering more singing, which is a waste of his distinctive voice. Similarly, Mullin's drum chops are non what they once were, and there're several instances where he has audibly overextended himself. It'south rare that I wish for a producer or tape characterization to exert some quality control, merely No Cross would probably have benefited from such an intervention.

"Little Man" is this album'south attempt at "Albatross" pt. II, with a liberal dose of ZZ Top swagger and a soulful Keenan song (not to mention a riff borrowed from "Albatross" itself). "Forgive Me" is an uptempo boogie, all fun and games until it takes a darker plow towards the eye of the song. On the more melodic side, "Nothing Left To Say" is a bluesy slow jam in the "13 Angels"/"Redemption Urban center" mold, an environment where Keenan's weathered voice really works to the song's advantage. This is besides one of several tracks where Mike Dean'due south tasteful bass work manages to elevate an unabridged song.

The dorsum half of No Cantankerous gets considerably stranger than side A. The tricky and nostalgic "Sometime Disaster" works well, as does the Trouble-referencing "East.Fifty.One thousand." The title rails is comprised of piffling more than a foreboding clean guitar riff and some spoken/whispered vocals, and unfortunately, it goes nowhere fast. "A Quest To Believe (A Phone call From The Void)" is equally long as its title implies, all slow-motion doom riffs and some beautiful minor-fundamental guitar harmonies from Weatherman. The anthology ends with a baroque embrace of Queen'due south "Son and Girl," which works surprisingly well, but would've worked even better as a bonus track or b-side.

No Cross No Crown volition surely feel familiar enough to any longtime COC fan, and there'due south some comfort in that. However, the band's songwriting seems to exist on autopilot, coasting on Keenan's mere presence and the band'south distinctive style. At xv tracks long, the record could certainly employ some editing, and the lack of focus is somewhat disconcerting. No Cross No Crown rarely comes close to the heights that Corrosion of Conformity ascended in the mid-90s, though zero here remotely qualifies as "bad." If this review sounds harsh, information technology'south because I had high expectations.

Rating:3.0/5.0
DR: 7 |Format Reviewed: 320 kbps mp3
Label:Nuclear Blast Records
Websites: coc.com| facebook.com/corrosionofconformity
Releases Worldwide: Jan 12th, 2018