Corrosion of Conformity
| Company type | Band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1982 |
| Headquarters | Raleigh , United States |
| Products | Studio albums, EPs, compilations, live albums |
Corrosion of Conformity (C.O.C.) is a heavy metal group hailing from Raleigh, North Carolina, established in 1982. Throughout its history, the band has experienced numerous lineup alterations, with lead guitarist Woody Weatherman remaining the only continuous member. The renowned "classic" formation consists of Weatherman, original bassist Mike Dean, founding drummer Reed Mullin, and vocalist/rhythm guitarist Pepper Keenan, who became part of the band in 1989. After pausing activities in 2006, C.O.C. resumed in 2010 without Keenan but reunited with him four years later. Later personnel changes involved John Green stepping in for Mullin following his passing in 2020, and Dean leaving once more in 2024.
Initially rooted in hardcore punk, C.O.C. evolved towards a slower, blues-influenced heavy metal sound. Their body of work encompasses ten studio albums, four EPs, a compilation, and a live album. Early projects—such as Eye for an Eye (1984), Animosity (1985), and Blind (1991)—paved the way for a contract with Columbia Records in 1993. The band's commercial breakthrough arrived with the 1994 release Deliverance, which reached number 155 on the Billboard 200 chart and included notable tracks like "Albatross" and "Clean My Wounds". Their subsequent album, Wiseblood (1996), achieved a peak position of number 104, marking their highest U.S. chart standing at that time. The most recent album, No Cross No Crown (2018), entered the top 100 on the Billboard 200 for the first time, climbing to number 67.
Formative period, Eye for an Eye and Animosity (1982–1988)
Corrosion of Conformity originated in Raleigh, North Carolina when bassist and vocalist Mike Dean, guitarist Woody Weatherman, drummer Reed Mullin, and singer Benji Shelton came together in 1982. Drawing inspiration from heavy metal legends like Black Sabbath and Iron Maiden, alongside hardcore groups such as Black Flag and Minor Threat, they emerged within a thriving punk and metal community.
Their early contributions included the No Core cassette compilation released in 1982 and the Why Are We Here? 7" single issued by No Core Records in 1983. Following Shelton's exit that year, Robert Stewart briefly took over vocal duties before Eric Eycke assumed the role. The band's debut full-length album, a hardcore punk collection titled Eye for an Eye (1984) featuring Eycke on vocals, was later reissued by Caroline Records in 1989.
After Eycke left the group, C.O.C. operated as a trio with Dean and Mullin sharing vocal responsibilities on their 1985 release Animosity, which was issued through Metal Blade Records' Death Records division. Despite receiving critical acclaim as a seminal crossover thrash record, Metal Blade provided minimal promotional support, prompting Dean to leave temporarily in 1987.
Simon Bob Sinister joined the band following Ugly Americans' breakup to replace Dean. The 1987 EP Technocracy displayed C.O.C.’s aggressive crossover thrash approach combined with clearer vocal delivery and fulfilled their contractual obligations to Metal Blade. Soon after, Bob returned to Ugly Americans, leading Corrosion of Conformity to disband for two years. Mullin later reflected that Metal Blade’s decision to market Technocracy as a full-length album resulted in diminished band control and loss of direction.
Blind, Deliverance, and Wiseblood (1989–1998)
In 1989, Weatherman and Reed reunited Corrosion of Conformity with the aim of finding a vocalist whose metal style resembled that of "James Hetfield or Ozzy Osbourne." They brought on board Karl Agell as the singer, Phil Swisher on bass, and Pepper Keenan as a second guitarist. Around this period, Caroline Records issued the Six Songs with Mike Singing EP, which featured Mike Dean, who was also involved with Snake Nation.
The 1991 release of Blind represented the band’s initial entry into mainstream recognition. The music video for "Vote with a Bullet," showcasing Keenan’s vocals, received airtime on MTV, and the album appeared on the Billboard Heatseekers chart in early 1992. By 2011, it had sold in excess of 250,000 units within the United States.
In 1993, Agell and Swisher left to establish Leadfoot, prompting Dean's return and Keenan's transition to lead vocalist. The group began recording Deliverance under Relativity Records. Following the leak of session demos to Columbia Records, Columbia sought to acquire their contract; after Relativity declined, Sony/Columbia purchased Relativity, thereby transferring COC’s contract to Columbia.
The album Deliverance incorporated elements of stoner and southern rock that influenced their future work. The song "Big Problems" from 1994 was featured on the soundtrack for Clerks, while "Clean My Wounds" appeared in the anime Tekken: The Motion Picture. Deliverance became their highest-selling record, propelled by the singles "Albatross" and "Clean My Wounds," both achieving Top 20 status on rock radio. It remained on the Billboard 200 chart for nearly four months, peaking at No. 155, and maintained a position at No. 5 on the Heatseekers chart for close to a year.
Released in October 1996, Wiseblood featured the Top 30 radio single "Drowning in a Daydream" and was supported by an international tour alongside Metallica. Despite this, by 2002 it had sold over 140,000 copies but did not match the commercial success of Deliverance. The track "Drowning in a Daydream" earned a nomination for Grammy Award for Best Metal Performance at the 1998 40th Grammy Awards.
America's Volume Dealer and In the Arms of God (1999–2006)
Following their release from Columbia after Wiseblood, Corrosion of Conformity signed with Sanctuary Records and unveiled America's Volume Dealer in September 2000. The album did not achieve commercial success and failed to enter the Billboard 200, although its single "Congratulations Song" reached the Top 30. No accompanying music videos were produced. Mullin departed in 2001, leading to a succession of drummers including Jimmy Bower, Merritt Partridge, Stanton Moore, and Jason Patterson.
April 2005 saw the arrival of In the Arms of God, which marked both critical acclaim and commercial improvement. It debuted at No. 108 on the Billboard 200 and topped the Heatseekers chart despite lacking a radio single hit. The video for "Stonebreaker" was broadcast on MTV2's Headbanger's Ball. The band embarked on extensive touring across North America, opening for acts such as Motörhead and Disturbed, while headlining shows supported by Crowbar, Fu Manchu, Alabama Thunderpussy, and Danko Jones. A scheduled European tour was canceled due to Hurricane Katrina’s effects on Keenan’s hometown. In January 2006, they launched a UK co-headlining tour with Clutch.
Second hiatus (2006–2010)
Between 2006 and June 2010, Corrosion of Conformity entered a period of inactivity while Pepper focused on touring with Down. From March 2009 until June 2010, Karl Agell and Reed Mullin performed under the name "COC-Blind," revisiting material from the Blind album. During this interval, Mullin and Mike Dean also toured as "Righteous Fool," releasing an EP through Southern Lord Records.
Animosity lineup reunion, Corrosion of Conformity and IX (2010–2014)
On May 12, 2010, the lineup responsible for the Animosity album reunited to begin work on a new record, with plans for West Coast shows scheduled for August. Although Pepper had not officially left the band, they remained open to recording as a four-piece including him.
Pepper rejoined the group for performances at Hellfest in June 2011 and in Bilbao, indicating intentions to revisit material reminiscent of Deliverance. Their eighth studio album, Corrosion of Conformity, was released on February 28, 2012, through Candlelight Records.
In September 2012, the band announced an EP titled Megalodon, featuring five tracks produced alongside Mike Schaefer and John Custer. It was released digitally via Scion A/V on November 14.
By January 2013, writing sessions had begun for their ninth studio album, IX, which was ultimately released on July 1, 2014.
Reunion with Pepper Keenan and No Cross No Crown (2014–2019)
Drummer Reed Mullin confirmed in September 2014 that Corrosion of Conformity would reunite with guitarist and vocalist Pepper Keenan in 2015 to record a new album and embark on a tour, with work commencing in January of that year.
On January 14, 2015, the band announced a six-date UK tour set for March, marking their first tour featuring the Deliverance lineup in fourteen years and their first with Keenan in nine. The reunited group—comprising Keenan, Woody Weatherman, Mike Dean, and Mullin—played their initial show on March 7, 2015, in Manchester. Their debut US tour with this configuration, supporting Clutch, was revealed in July 2015.
On June 6, 2016, it was announced that drummer Reed Mullin had departed following struggles with alcohol addiction that resulted in a seizure prior to a concert during the Lamb of God and Clutch tour; however, Mullin returned to drumming duties on June 8.
Corrosion of Conformity unveiled their tenth studio album, No Cross No Crown, on November 10, 2017, with a release date set for January 12, 2018. The lead single "Cast the First Stone" premiered simultaneously.
Death of Reed Mullin, Mike Dean's second departure and new album (2020–present)
Reed Mullin passed away on January 27, 2020. His position was filled by John Green from Manchester, England, who had previously served as the band's roadie and substitute drummer during 2019.
Longtime bassist Mike Dean announced his second exit from the band on September 20, 2024, citing difficulties coping with Mullin’s passing and geographical separation from other members.
On August 16, 2025, Corrosion of Conformity declared they had completed work on a double album, scheduled for release in early 2026. Some guitar parts were recorded at Barry Gibb’s private studio in Miami, with Stanton Moore contributing drums.
Collaborations and side projects
The group has worked alongside several distinguished musicians: James Hetfield from Metallica lent his vocals to "Man or Ash" on the album Wiseblood; Warren Haynes, renowned for his work with The Allman Brothers Band and Gov't Mule, contributed slide guitar to "Stare Too Long" featured on America's Volume Dealer; and Stanton Moore, known from Galactic, provided drumming on the record In the Arms of God.
Individual members have pursued various side endeavors: Keenan performs guitar duties with the metal supergroup Down, Dean offered his vocal talents on "Access Babylon" for Dave Grohl's Probot initiative, and Pepper appeared on Metallica's 1998 tribute album Garage Inc., playing on the track "Tuesday's Gone". Additionally, he was featured in the documentary Some Kind of Monster, where he auditioned as a potential replacement for Metallica’s former bassist Jason Newsted.
Members
Current lineup
- Woody Weatherman – lead guitar, backing vocals (1982–present)
- Pepper Keenan – rhythm guitar, lead vocals (1989–2006, 2015–present), backing vocals (1989–1993)
- Stanton Moore – drums (2003–2005, 2024–present)
- Bobby Landgraf – bass guitar (2024–present)
Studio albums
| Year | Album details | Highest chart rankings | Sales figures | Certifications | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US |
US Heat. |
AUS |
FIN |
FRA |
SWE |
UK | ||||
| 1984 | Eye for an Eye
|
— | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1985 | Animosity
|
— | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1991 | Blind
|
— | 24 | — | — | — | — | — |
|
|
| 1994 | Deliverance
|
155 | 5 | — | — | — | — | — |
|
|
| 1996 | Wiseblood
|
104 | 2 | — | 39 | — | — | 43 |
|
|
| 2000 | America's Volume Dealer
|
— | 18 | — | — | — | — | — |
|
|
| 2005 | In the Arms of God
|
108 | 1 | — | — | 196 | 41 | 147 |
|
|
| 2012 | Corrosion of Conformity
*Label: Candlelight *Release date: February 28, 2012 |
157 | 5 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2014 | IX
*Label: Candlelight *Release date: July 1, 2014 |
— | 5 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2018 | No Cross No Crown
*Label: Nuclear Blast *Release date: January 12, 2018 |
67 | — | 95 | — | — | — | 87 | ||
| colspan=10 style=font-size:8pt;text-align:center;"—" indicates albums that did not enter the charts. | ||||||||||
Live albums
| Year | Album information |
|---|---|
| 2001 | Live Volume
|
Extended plays
| Year | Album information |
|---|---|
| 1987 | Technocracy
|
| 1989 | Six Songs with Mike Singing 1985
|
| 2010 | Your Tomorrow Parts 1 & 2
|
| 2012 | Megalodon
|
Compilation albums
| Year | Album information |
|---|---|
| 2010 | Playlist: The Very Best of Corrosion of Conformity
|
Singles
| Year | Track | Highest chart rankings | Associated album | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US Main. | US Active Rock | |||||||||
| 1991 | "Dance of the Dead" | — | — | Blind | ||||||
| 1992 | "Vote with a Bullet" | — | — | |||||||
| 1994 | "Albatross" | 19 | — | Deliverance | ||||||
| "Broken Man" | — | — | ||||||||
| 1995 | "Clean My Wounds" | 19 | — | |||||||
| "Seven Days" | — | — | ||||||||
| 1996 | "Drowning in a Daydream" | 27 | — | Wiseblood | ||||||
| "King of the Rotten" | — | — | ||||||||
| 2000 | "Congratulations Song" | 24 | 24 | America's Volume Dealer | ||||||
| "Over Me" | — | — | ||||||||
| "Diablo Blvd." | — | — | ||||||||
| 2005 | "Stone Breaker" | — | — | In the Arms of God | ||||||
| "Rise River Rise" | — | 40 | ||||||||
| 2012 | "The Doom" | — | — |
Corrosion of Conformity |
- |
2023 | "(On the Hunt)" | — | — | Non-album single |
| "—" indicates that the single did not chart. | ||||||||||
Music videos
- "Vote with a Bullet" (1992)
- "Dance of the Dead" (1992)
- "Albatross" (1994)
- "Clean My Wounds" (1994)
- "Drowning in a Daydream" (1996)
- "Stone Breaker" (2005)
- "The Moneychangers" (2012)
- "Psychic Vampire" (2012)
- "Feed On" (2012)
- "Cast the First Stone" (2017)
- "Wolf Named Crow" (2017)
- "The Luddite" (2018)
Compilation appearances
- No Core cassette (1982, No Core)
- Why Are We Here? 7" (1983, No Core Records, tracks: "Poison Planet", "Indifferent", "Too Cool")
- Empty Skulls cassette (1984, Fartblossom Enterprises, songs: "Poison Planet", "Eye for an Eye")
- Cleanse the Bacteria LP (1985, Pusmort Records, track: "Kiss of Death")
- Thrasher Skate Rock Vol. 3 LP (1986, Thrasher/High Speed Records, songs: "What", "Not for Me", "Citizen")
- Empty Skulls Vol. 2 LP (1986, Fartblossom Records, tracks: "Center of the World", "Eye for an Eye", "Negative Outlook")
- Complete Death LP (1986, Death Records, song: "Loss for Words")
- Life is a Joke Vol. 2 LP (1986, Weird System Records, track: "Eye for an Eye")
- Flipside Vinyl Fanzine Vol. 3 LP (1987, Gasatanka Records, song: "Intervention")
- Rat Music for Rat People 3 LP (1987, CD Presents Records, track: "Bound")
- Clerks soundtrack LP (1994, Columbia Records, song: "Big Problems")
- Nativity in Black: A Tribute to Black Sabbath LP (1994, Columbia Records, track: "Lord of This World")
- UMPF LP (1995, ??? label, song: "Clean My Wounds")
- It's Our Universe (It's Your Music) LP (1995, Sony Music Special Products, track: "Clean My Wounds")
- Duke Nukem: Music to Score By LP (1999, RED Interactive, song: "Land of the Free Disease")
- Xtreme Rock: Music That Changed Our Lives LP (1999, RED Distribution, track: "Land of the Free Disease")
- Motorcycle Mania 3 CD (2004, Artist Direct BMG, song: "Thirteen Angels")
- High Volume - The Stoner Rock Collection compilation (2004, High Times/Caroline label, demo version of "It Is that Way")