CORROSION OF CONFORMITY
DELIVERANCE
Album Review
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“It’s an actual word, dude, I’d appreciate it if you’d recognize it as such…”
After the thrash/doom/stoner metal mastery of 1991’s Blind, CORROSION OF CONFORMITY completely changed gears and returned with a radically different sonic agenda, exchanging their doom laden, thrash fury for a meaty slab of “Southern Fried Sabbath” goodness slathered in ZZ Top flavored gravy to create the perfect dish of retro sonic bliss known as DELIVERANCE.
“It’s so different…”
DELIVERANCE delivers the sonic equivalent of “Skynyrd Fried Sabbath” stoner sludge with hints of ZZ infused swagger and swing that evokes visions of wood paneling, shag carpeting, greenery, and autumn as this album screams fall even more so than leaves turning colors and dried flower peddlers offering bargains on their freshly bagged buds.
This album is so unabashedly steeped in Sabbath worship that you can smell the interdimensional aroma of sinsemilla if you sniff hard enough, as this particular bowl of metal goodness is loaded to the rim with perfectly placed harmonies, crushingly heavy riffs, and overt references of ethereal acoustic bliss that would fit perfectly on Black Sabbath’s Vol. 4.
Released 9/27/1994
Label Columbia
Producer John Custer
Singles from Deliverance
Albatross August 1994
Broken Man 1994
Clean My Wounds January 1995
Seven Days 1995
We’ve never had a burp lead off an episode, which is why it’s “perfect timing” to be “a little burpy and a little rambly”. Prepare for the continued prosperity of “prodcasting” as we do our best to “make it bigger” and avoid offending those who “worship fried rice, rugs, and kung fu”.
Remember that “fit” is a very different look than “skinny” (especially if you’re drinking “vodker”) and find out why trolling on the internet is way different than trolling on the water.
Discover the significance of “The Preamble” and understand why the importance of it cannot be stressed or emphasized enough and desperately needs to be revisited during modern times. Get ready to “legalize drugs, eliminate the IRS, and implement The Fair Tax” to solve all the world’s problems and JOIN US as we dig into COC’s fourth album with some “Halloween Candy ASMR” and assorted silliness and dive into DELIVERANCE.
HEAVEN’S NOT OVERFLOWING
This just sounds like a stoner metal casserole that includes equal parts Skynyrd & Sabbath with a full ounce of stoner metal thrown in and topped with kief covered stuffing, served in a dining room decorated with wood paneling and shag carpeting.
It’s strangely timeless, in that it resonates with the sounds of the 70’s, yet it’s still a modern-day version of vintage stoner doom metal that is 30 years old this year (as opposed to 50 years old). A bit of a departure from Blind that was released just 3 years earlier. It's also got a nice ZZ Top swagger in the groove.
“Let it go, let it go, let it go before we lose it all,
In time, what’s deserved always gets served…”
ALBATROSS
The first cover completed by Doomsicle, and also a tune chock of rifftacular heaviness, swing, and swagger. The music video, though made in the mid 90’s, even takes you back to the 70’s. The mix is so damn heavy that it defies physics.
Every time Tony Iommi listens to this record, he grins. And with that grin, a new stoner doom metal band is born into creation.
“I should have seen the signs,
Now the memory’s far behind,
It was no big loss,
Fly on, Albatross…yeah”
CLEAN MY WOUNDS
Definitely a departure from Blind but the more you listen, it really just sounds like a more refined version of Blind with the thrash ground down into a pure Skynyrd Fried Sabbath essence.
“’Help me Jesus, help me clean my wounds’,
He said he cannot heal that kind,
Bleeding soul becomes a bitter mind,
He said it happens every time…”
WITHOUT WINGS
This totally sounds like it belongs on Black Sabbath Vol. 4, maybe like right before or right after Laguna Sunrise. No, right after The Straightener and right before Tomorrow’s Dream. Perfect.
BROKEN MAN
Ultra heavy goodness. Deliverance might be one of the heaviest produced metal albums of the 90’s. The only other album that comes close to this might be Down’s debut album, NOLA, but in 1994, THIS was definitely the doomiest, heaviest, stoniest metal album.
“Cause you’re a broken man,
In a broken land,
And don’t they wish they were blessed like you…”
SENOR LIMPIO
For all the bilingual Spanish scholars, yes, you interpreted that correctly:
Senor Limpio = Mr. Clean
The production and sounds on this album scream retro, and while there wasn’t a super huge doom/stoner/sludge scene in 1994, this album is definitely part of the O.G. class of Sabbath Worship that would go on to become a pillar of the stoner/doom/sludge scene.
“Dirty king, dirty king now you’re strapped in for the ride,
It’s so hard to be a fighter when your hands are always tied…”
MANO DE MONO
Again, with the translation Olympics…let’s go with “Hand of One” for $500, Alex.
It has a very large sound, perhaps as if to convey the power held within the “Hand of One”. Very nice interlude (the static and the orchestration in the background make for a nice atmosphere).
SEVEN DAYS
Definitely some big Sabbath vibes, especially with those super retro, 70’s sounding harmonies.
C.O.C. and/or DOWN (and/or bolth) should do an album consisting of nothing but Sabbath, Skynyrd, and ZZ Top covers. It would be absolutely glorious!!!
The main riff has that old school Sabbath swing to it and the harmonies give it the atmosphere that screams the 70’s all day long.
“Over time mistakes were few but I believe they’re mine,
Faded mind, youth was old and the years were so unkind,
I’m the one, I face the change I know that stands before me,
Believe in me, ‘cause I damn sure don’t believe in you…”
#2121313
Almost sounds like the beginning of a hymn with a drum solo/fill inserted for extra emphasis. And the sound of a huge coke snort at the very end…like a very large dog doing a very huge snort of coke at the very end.
(Or maybe an inward sneeze…)
MY GRAIN
The 2nd half of the album definitely has a different tone and feel than the first half. This one seems a bit more up tempo and the production is a bit less intense than in the first few tracks. Maybe “less intense” isn’t the correct description, but it seems a bit more punchy with less sag.
The bass work on this likely brings tears to Geezer Butler’s eyes. If you had to only pick one song that fit the “Skynyrd Fried Sabbath” description, this one would definitely fit.
“I beg, you steal, do you show me your signs of a sin,
Blistered and torn by the pure & reborn,
But they’re just like us and remember man,
They cave in…”
DELIVERANCE
Vocals NOT by Pepper Keenan. Definitely a different vibe than the first half of the album (NOTE: this song features Woody Weatherman on vocals). Think of this as the “Vote With A Bullet” song for this album (in that it’s the only song with a different singer).
The change around the 3-minute mark transforms the song into a completely different song. The abrupt end was definitely unexpected.
“Is there no one to deliver you from your ignorance?
Maybe you’ll look and see there’ll be no deliverance,
Turn to vulture parasites who prey on lost souls,
Suck the blood of hapless fools who give them control…”
SHAKE LIKE YOU
It’s really cool, but again, it sounds weirdly unique relative to the 1st half of the album. It’s like the 2nd half of the album is more experimental relative to the 1st.
“Separate by class and keep the middle low…”
The vocal style seems reminiscent of something off of Sleep’s 1st album, Volume One…or maybe from Sleep’s Holy Mountain.
Okay, around the 3-minute mark, the pitch and speed seem to increase, which seems weird. Maybe it’s the sonic equivalent of an optical illusion, but the sound definitely seems a little different than before.
(Actually, you can hear the pitch of the music increase near the end…I knew I wasn’t hallucinating!)
“Separate by class but keep the middle low,
Instill the order with a border just for show,
Give them weapons and let them have their piece of mind,
Then tip them off so they can kill what’s not their kind…”
SHELTER
Definitely not “metal” like the rest of the record, but an absolutely beautiful song nonetheless.
Kinda surprised this didn’t get played all over country radio…or even on mainstream rock stations. It’s sublimely perfect: just acoustic guitar, vocals, and a lonely sounding lap steel.
Read those lyrics, btw. Powerful
“Once in a while you’d be better,
Listening to the fools for a change…”
PEARLS BEFORE SWINE
“Do not give what is holy to dogs, or throw your pearls before swine, lest they trample them underfoot, and turn and tear you to pieces.” - Matthew 7:6
This seems a little reminiscent of the end of Blind…the next to the last song (Echoes In The Well). Extremely heavy bottom courtesy of the drums and bass mix…actually, even the snare drum as a more pronounced heaviness to it.
This might be the most doomy song on the entire album, and probably also the heaviest.
Things change a bit after the 4-minute mark…less doomy and less drony yet somehow, more stony. Ironically, some of the guitar harmonies not only sound like vintage Sabbath, but they are a little reminiscent of 80’s Metallica as well.
The whistling and the digging/splashing sounds in the background near the very end are definitely a bit unsettling & off-putting...and just before the very end of the whistling, you can hear the opening riff of Deep Purple’s “Smoke On The Water”.
“Look for the devils in their eyes,
Laughing, the blood has long been dried,
To hide in your disguise, it goes on & on & on,
Wallow, pearls before swine!”
Show Notes:
(00:01): “Perfect, fucking timing…”/ #introburpASMR / “By this time…when this is aired…”/ #prodcasting or #podcasting / “He may not be able to handle such power…”/ “That’s why THAT dude wears the cape…”/ “Is this shirt slimming?”/ ***Check out the #metalnerderytruckerhat at our merch store at metalnerdery.com/merch ***/ #truckerhat / “I want ‘em to be red…”/ #burgundy / “Yes, please make it bigger…”/ ***WARNING: #listenerdiscretionisadvised *** / #WHOA / #ramblyandburpy / “I got a very different flavor…”/ “You did your job if she looked like this afterwards…”/ #fit / “It’s FIT…”/ ***WELCOME BACK TO THE METAL NERDERY PODCAST!!!*** / “Why didn’t they have an #erection?” / #therugs / “Fried rice, rugs, and kung fu…”/ ***To get to #themeatoftheepisode just go to #TheDocket or skip ahead about 30 minutes…*** / #backinsidethemetalagain / #RussellsReflectionsTypeOEdition / “The beauty about art…”/ “That was like a pre-chronicles Chronicles…”/ “How’s the #soberoctober going?” / #checkpoint / “I am on a weight loss journey…”/ #NoBeerNovember / NOTE: He lied…/ “A little bit of who?”/ “We can have a beverage…” / #ridiots / “It’s an actual word dude, I’d appreciate it if you’d recognize it as such…”/ “Oh for fuck’s sake…does it ever get tiring?”
(12:00): #thisepisodesbeeroftheepisode #blackphilip /
Beer of the Episode
Blakes Hard Cider
Black Phillip
“Fuck your face…”/ “Thou’s and Thee’s…”/ #PatriceONealASMR #BlackPhilip / #TheVerdict / “It’s almost like a sour…”/ “These are #glutenfree …”/ “It’s 100% dick…”/ #bubbles / “4 out of 6…”/ ***PATREON SHOUT OUT!!!*** / #onmicburpASMR / “Burps to all of you!”/ #burpsupermix / #correspondence ***GO CHECK US OUT ON THE SOCIAL MEDIA AT #INSTAGRAM OR #FACEBOOK OR #YOUTUBE AT #METALNERDERYPODCAST OR EMAIL US AT METALNERDERY@GMAIL.COM OR GIVE US A CALL AND LEAVE US A VOICEMAIL AT 980-666-8182!!!*** / #voicemailsegment / #KenFromConnecticut / #namethatriff / “They’re listening…so they know all the places…people you’re talking to are already listening…”/ ***Leave us a REVIEW and some COMMENTS wherever you get our podcast!!!*** / #TheYellowAlbum / #Metallica THAT WAS JUST YOUR LIFE (Death Magnetic – 2008) / “I think I know the riff he’s talking about…”/ “It’s like dating a 4 and then getting a smoking hot 10…” / #brickwalledmix / “Just play your drums…”/ “Is that what he does best though?”
(25:35): “I have some #shittah from Adam…”/ #Crisix (Full HD – 2022) / THE MANY LICIT PATHS / “Is that banjo?” / #banjtar / WE’LL PLAY YOUR SHITTAH!!! / “Me likey…”/ “Some of us stayed out and rocked our balls off until the wee hours…”/ #JoeRogan #LexFridman #podcastgiants / “You hit pause…and then you come back…”/ “I’ve got a question for you…”/ “Sometimes I kinda like watching them better…”/ ***We’ve got BOLTH!!!*** / “Do you have any NEW reflections?” / NOTE: It was 2 episodes ago. / #uhhhkay / “I think it’s intents and purposes…”/ #intensivepurposes / #HalloweenCandyASMR / “They’ve got #ReesesPeanutButterCup #easycheese …”/ “If it’s the apocalypse, why are you gonna get healthy?” / ***Check out our #Patreon Halloween episode!!!*** / #clicktrack
(37:37): “Thirty seven minutes in…”/ #TheDocket METAL NERDERY PODCAST PRESENTS: CORROSION OF CONFORMITY – DELIVERANCE / #COC #CorrosionOfConformity #Deliverance #SouthernFriedSabbath / “COC has always been different…” / “Blind was the first…”/ NOTE: It was 1991, not 1990 / “The previous stuff was a lot more hardcore…it was kinda like what #SuicidalTendencies did…”/ “It did not compute…”/ “That’s a good episode idea…”/ #futureepisodeidea / “You’re really writing that down…”/ “I can’t read your writing dude, when’s the last time you got laid?”/ #killeropener HEAVEN’S NOT OVERFLOWING / “First album with Pepper doing all lead vocals…”/ #Preamble / “You know what else has a preamble?” / #learntoswim / “So pubes, basically…they’re the preamble to the vag…”/ #stinkfinger
(46:26): ALBATROSS (“Break out the weed, man…”) / “Every time I hear this, it’s wood paneling, shag carpets, weed, and fall…”/ “They should do some #LynyrdSkynyrd covers…”/ ***Check out our version of Albatross on metalnerdery.com/doomsicle *** / #goblincockASMR / “We’re all kinda aliens in an earth meat suit…”/ “Would you haunt me with… #onehitwonders?” / #charliehorse / “Don’t you have to ultra flex to get rid of it?”/ #bless / “It’s got that cool stony, doomy vibe…”/ CLEAN MY WOUNDS (“That’s how the story goes…in the land of a thousand No’s…”) / #allthecokelines / WITHOUT WINGS (NOTE: Matt was wrong…what he’s talking about comes later…) / “Very Sabbath…that’s total Vol. 4 style right there…”/ BROKEN MAN (“And don’t they wish they were blessed like you…”)
(58:27): “Lock the door…he’s fine…”/ SENOR LIMPIO / “It kinda has a different mix…”/ “That’s #ZZTop dude…big time.”/ “You mentioned the ZZ…”/ “New York? Or Finland?” / #TwixASMR / #BillyGibbonsASMR #Busking / MANO DE MONO / “Seven Mary Three?”/ #HandOfOne? / “I’ll do it and send y’all pictures…”/ SEVEN DAYS / “That’s deep…”/ “I need to go on a roadtrip…”/ “Here’s your special whatever…”/ #2121313 / “That exists…it’s a thing…this is it…I feel it in my balls…”/ “Here it comes…”
(1:08:23): “That was a record scratch!” / MY GRAIN / “That’s #southernrock all day…”/ “That’s some busy bass…”/ “I’ve got a revelation…without this version of COC, you could not have #TheSword…”/ #OnTheHunt #LynyrdSkynyrd / DELIVERANCE / “You can practically smell the weed if you sniff hard enough…”/ “ZZ Sabbath…”/ “The movie…is that a horror movie?”/ “It’s scary because…we know people like that…”/ “By the way, ladies…”/ #stopjuststop #pleasestop #itssodifferent / SHAKE LIKE YOU (“Separate by class and keep the middle low…”) / #eclectic #whatsitcalled / SHELTER / NOTE: Every #countrymusicradiostation should play this song / “So once in a while, you’d be better, listening to fools for a change…” / #glamping #Doritos / “If you’ve got Doritos that’s glamping…”/ #RussellsReflectionsCampingEdition / “When the shit goes down, this is my spot…”/ “Anything you work for…you appreciate more…”/ #trolling / “Making fun of the fish?”/ “A four hour tour?”/ “That’s beyond fresh, that’s fraesh!” / #lacesout
(1:23:40): PEARLS BEFORE SWINE / “I respect bass players dude…and you too…”/ “Look for the devils in their eyes…”/ “Kinda reminds me of the end of Blind a little bit…”/ NOTE: What is “Echoes In The Well”, Alex? / “I do a pretty good #RFKJrImpression …”/ “He’s not a leftist…there’s a difference…”/ “Most of those first people are actually the second people…”/ “Isn’t it weird…?” / “There IS a difference…most people are in the middle…but we’re being forced to be tribal…”/ #legalizedrugs #fairtax / “We just solved the whole world’s problems…”/ #OperationOrangeTwits / “My vagina’s a little sore…”/ THANK YOU ALL FOR JOINING US!!! / #TheAngryMatt / “There’ll be cunt jokes for sure…I’ve got a #cuntchunk…”/ #untilthenext #outroreel