The Metal Masterpiece That Exchanged Speed for Southern Spice and Became a ’90s Classic

A landmark release that defined stoner metal.

Despite what many say due to the death of glam, the ’90s were actually a great time for metal as the genre expanded and fully embraced its weirder sides. Nu metal was, of course, the dominant trend of this period, but we also saw the rise of death metal, metalcore, sludge, stoner, and many more alternative-leaning subgenres.One of the cornerstones of this era is Corrosion of Conformity, a band that started off in the ’80s as a hardcore punk/crossover thrash project.However, as the new decade rolled in, they slowed things down, added a lot of Southern flavor to their songwriting, and developed their sound into pastures closer to sludge and stoner metal.Their landmark release, 1994’s “Deliverance,” saw them fully embrace this style, becoming a commercial success and an influential record for metal bands. To celebrate the 30th anniversary of this masterpiece, we look back into what made this album so special and how it helped redefine the ’90s heavy scene.

From Thrash to Sludge

Formed in 1982, Corrosion of Conformity were originally a project that was inspired by heavy metal classics as much as hardcore legends, resulting in a heavy, fast, crossover thrash sound.

Their 1984 debut, “Eye for an Eye,” with Eric Eycke as a vocalist, was a neat, albeit pretty standard, hardcore punk affair. Their raw songwriting chops were refined in their sophomore album, 1985’s “Animosity.” With Eycke out of the lineup, bassist Mike Dean took over as singer, together with drummer Reed Mullin.

Although a seminal release in the crossover thrash movement, “Animosity” was mostly an underground success, prompting a frustrated Dean to leave the band and, after the experimental “Technocracy” EP in 1987, COC unexpectedly broke up.

Returning in 1989 with Karl Agell on vocals and Pepper Keenan as a second guitarist, the group released “Blind” in 1991, which saw them starting to transform their sound.

Still rooted in thrash and hardcore, the record experimented with slower riffs and sludgier influences, becoming a minor hit thanks to “Vote With a Bullet,” which featured Keenan on lead vocals.

Thanks to “Blind”‘s experimental tone and more accessible sound, COC signed to Columbia Records after another lineup change that saw Agell leave the fold, Keenan taking over lead vocals, and Dean returning to the band.

A Southern-Fried Masterpiece

By the mid-’90s, groove metal was well on the rise, thanks to bands like Pantera and Machine Head, with a sound that perfectly fit COC’s new style.

The band released “Deliverance” in September 1994, further turning away from their hardcore roots and fully embracing their new side as stoner metal flagships.

With a sound deeply inspired by Southern rock and sludge metal, “Deliverance” benefitted from John Custer’s crushing production, which made each riff extra heavy and each snare hit go extra hard.

The group didn’t fully let go of their speed, as seen in the feisty opener “Heaven’s Not Overflowing” and the thrashy “Senor Limpio”, but they privileged groove-based bangers like “Shake Like You” and experimented in moments like the hip-shaking title track or the gentle balladry of “Shelter”.

With Keenan fully taking over as lead vocalist, COC gained a lot more personality, bringing a Southern twang to the band’s sound and stronger vocal melodies, clearly inspired by James Hetfield and Phil Anselmo.

The rest of the band is also far from disappointing, with Woody Weatherman exchanging catchy riffs with Keenan while Dean and Mullin keep the rhythmic section as tight as a groovy band demands.

“Deliverance” also spawned two of the most iconic songs in ’90s metal, with the memorable doomy lead single “Albatross” and the gritty “Clean My Wounds” showcasing COC’s refined songwriting chops.

A Golden Triumph

Propelled by the success of its singles on MTV, “Deliverance” became COC’s first album to enter the Billboard 200 chart, peaking at No. 155.

The record enjoyed continuous commercial success and went on to be certified Gold with over 500,000 copies sold in the US alone, with “Albatross” and “Clean My Wounds” becoming certified mainstream hits in the rock charts.

The band’s sonic change to a Southern-fried stoner style was wildly celebrated, and Keenan’s switch to frontman was hailed as a triumph for the group, with the singer’s charisma and vocal talent making him one of the most beloved vocalists in ’90s metal.

“Deliverance” was also a critical darling, with reviewers praising the band’s more accessible sound and improved songwriting, noting their switch to a sludgier style fit them better in the decade’s heavy music landscape.

The inclusion of instrumental interludes in “Without Wings,” “Mano de Mono,” and “#2121313” allowed us to see different sides of the band, and made the album an incredibly versatile and dynamic experience that could be driven by speed, groove, or melody, while still sounding well-rounded and cohesive.

The Legacy of ‘Deliverance’

COC followed their mainstream breakthrough with “Wiseblood” in 1996 to continuous critical success, albeit diminished record sales. Featuring a collaboration with Hetfield in “Man or Ash”, the record became one of the band’s most beloved efforts, on par with “Deliverance”.

The group turned their Southern influences to the max in 2000’s “America’s Volume Dealer” to a lukewarm reception and experienced some turbulent years after that.

Mullin left the fold and COC released the universally acclaimed “In the Arms of God”, before Keenan also left the line-up after a hiatus caused by his commitments with metal supergroup Down.

The band saw the drummer return in 2010 in time for their self-titled album in 2012, which was followed by “IX” in 2014, both released to favorable yet unenthusiastic reviews.

Keenan then returned in 2018 and the classic line-up released “No Cross No Crown”, which was hailed as a return to form, before being upset once more by the passing of Mullin in 2020 and Dean’s departure earlier this year.

COC have albums with different degrees of acclaim and mainstream attention, but they don’t have a single stinker in their catalog, becoming one of the most consistent metal bands of the last decades.

Since adopting their Southern-influenced style, the band became an incredibly influential act, both to the stoner and sludge metal movements, as well as to vocalists who have emulated Keenan’s style since the ’90s, including Hetfield in Metallica’s “Load” and “Reload” era.

And all of this started with “Deliverance,” COC’s mainstream breakthrough that saw them slow down and appreciate a good groove, delivering a wildly versatile, catchy, and still crushingly heavy record that should be as celebrated now as it was 30 years ago.