Corrosion of Conformity

North Carolina band Corrosion of Conformity's career originally paralleled that of Black Flag, starting out hardcore and beginning on their second album to gravitate toward heavy metal. However, COC's lyrics were more politically than personally slanted. Though formed in 1982 the band began hitting its stride in its early '90s, just as many of their contemporaries were starting to break up. Core members Woody Weatherman (guitar), Mike Dean (bass) and Reed Mullin (drums) were in place for most of the band's existence; also like Black Flag they shuffled singers in the early days before hitting on the best match, Pepper Keenan, who joined in 1989. The band was spawned from a hardcore scene in Raleigh, inspired after Black Flag, the Bad Brains and Dead Kennedys all played in town.  Choosing a name that Mullin dreamed up in chemistry class, they began playing local parties; their early tracks on Eye for an Eye featured the Rollins-like vocals of Eric Eycke. Around this time the band chose its skull logo, a reflection of nuclear dread. The metal sound first appeared on 1991's Blind, with an interim lineup of the band (with Dean temporarily out, and short-lived singer Karl Angel). The breakthrough came on the next album, 1994's Deliverance, their first for a major label, first with Keenan singing and the one that fully embraced the Black Sabbath influence.  With the grunge movement and Metallica's platinum success well underway, COC fit the spirit of the times and the album was a hit, with the singles "Albatross" and "Clean My Wounds" getting radio play. The metal direction continued on 1996's Wiseblood, which included an uncredited guest vocal by James Hetfield of Metallica and was followed by a world tour with that band. Keenan was later one of many bassists who unsuccessfully tried out to replace Jason Newsted as Metallica's bassist. Further albums brought shifts of style and personnel. 2005's In the Arms of God brought a return to speedier punk tempos; more surprisingly it featured New Orleans funk drummer Stanton Moore (of Galactic) standing in for Mullins. Then Mullins returned but Keenan left on their self-titled 2012 album, their first as a power trio in nearly 30 years. The trio continued on 2014's IX, which brought in the Southern-rock feel of Metallica in its Load era. After another short hiatus, 2018's No Cross No Crown marked a return to the classic lineup (with Keenan) and vintage metal sound.