Great Metal Albums of 1986: Corrosion of Conformity- Animosity

It’s amazing how bands can change over the years. I didn’t get the chance to see North Carolina based Corrosion of Conformity until Bloodstock, 2016. If I was never to have listened to their second album, “Animosity,” until after I had seen them live, I would not have thought that this was the same band. Reason being, was that this album was pure thrash metal.

Corrosion of Conformity establishing their dominance- Bloodstock, 2016

“Animosity” assaults your ear drums in a pleasant way from the very start. Opening song, “Loss for Words,” would get a mosh pit started anywhere in the world. The second track, “Mad World,” which is one of my favourite tracks on the album, would keep that mosh pit going and there would be casualties galore from it. On a sad note, if the powers the be get their way, mosh pits could become a thing of the past.

What I like about track three, “Consumed,” is that the band show that they could play. I love how the song starts with the guitar/bass trade off, but that doesn’t take away any of the ferocity which features in the music. There’s a cool guitar solo on it as well.  “Holier” is a mosh pit worthy song which at the same time, pokes fun at fundamentalist religion. Anything that does that gets three thumbs up from me.

When I listen to “Positive Outlook,” I get a hint of Suicidal Tendencies influence in the song with the way it changes tempo back and forth and the vocals of Mike Dean do sound a little like Mr Muir, whom he shares his first name with. I don’t know if “Prayer” is meant to be another piss take of religion because the song goes at 750 mph. This song might be good to put on a personal stereo of any sprinter because I think it would make them win gold at the Olympics if they were to hear listen to it while running.

Woody Weatherman gets to show his guitar talents off on “Intervention.” His lead intro on the song is rather interesting and just when you expect him to rip other speeding guitar solo, he slows it down. If you blink too much, you will miss the tracks, “Kiss of Death” and “Hungry Child” as both songs are a minute and a half or less. However, that’s long enough for both songs to kick your ass. “Animosity” ends with the title track, which is also the longest song on the album, coming in at four minutes and sixteen seconds. Except for the scream at the beginning, the song is pretty much and instrumental with some good individual musicianship and some changes which keep you on your toes while listening. Overall, the album is only twenty-six minutes long but you it is twenty-six minutes of hard ass kicking thrash metal.

Track Listing:

1. Loss for Words
2. Mad World
3. Consumed
4. Holier
5. Positive Outlook
6. Prayer
7. Intervention
8. Kiss of Death
9. Hungry Child
10. Animosity

Mike Dean- bass, vocals

Woody Weatherman- guitars

Reed Mullin- drums, backing vocals

With bands like Corrosion of Conformity around in 1986, one didn’t have to look hard to find thrash metal. It was the growing phenomenon of the year and albums like “Animosity,” made it so.

Next post: Vow Wow- III

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