CORROSION OF CONFORMITY – Good God / Baad Man (Album Review)

That signature groove just keeps on raging.

For those who had an ear for metal during the 90s, particularly on the western side of the Atlantic, that alternative to the ascendant grunge sound was something a fair bit bleaker and further south. Granted, the stylistic trappings of the NOLA sound that helped kick off the sludge craze shared a spiritual ancestor in the late 80s strides by Melvins to their Pacific Northwest counterparts, but the sonic results were something far more dangerous than even the darkest musings of Alice In Chains.

Even for the more accessible wing, as represented in former punk turned crossover trustees Corrosion Of Conformity and the stoner/sludge variant they helped usher in, one couldn’t help but notice a more faithful and musically apt adherence to the heavy rocking standard set by Black Sabbath. Now more than 30 years since their game-changing 1991 opus Blind codified their status as trailblazers of the NOLA sound (despite being situated in North Carolina), their 11^th studio excursion Good God/Baad Man showcases a quartet undaunted by more than 40 years in the business.

Often noted for maintaining a mostly stable lineup since the entry of guitarist/vocalist Pepper Keenan in 1989, recent years have seen this stalwart outfit weathering some sizable storms since the release of 2018’s No Cross No Crown. The combined loss of co-founder and drummer Reed Mullin in early 2020 due to undisclosed illness and the subsequent exit of bassist Mike Dean from the fold left this fold in the unenviable position of having to carry on with a completely new rhythm section.

Thankfully suitable talent has been scouted in one-time Down guitarist Bobby Landgraf to fill in for Dean on bass, and Nick Shabatura taking on the drum kit in a studio capacity after an extended period of North Carolina veteran Jason Patterson handling the drums live. Each one brings the same signature blend of loose-grooving punch and rawness that their predecessors brought to the past few albums under the Corrosion Of Conformity banner, with Shabatura proving particularly apt at channeling the fill-happy high-jinks normally associated with Bill Ward.

But when all is said and done, what makes this more than an hour’s worth of sludge-drenched metal truly shine is the dueling guitar and vocal work put forth by Pepper Keenan and Woody Weatherman, which is channeled into 14 massive compositions of angst with a southern edge.

One can’t help but be transported back to the all or nothing days of early 90s mayhem with a driving feel the minute the up tempo crusher “Good God Final Dawn” kicks this album off with a mighty roar, complete with a nasally vocal display above the sonic fray that reminisces upon Ozzy Osbourne’s wicked snarl back during its prime mixed with a grittier edge. Riff happy beasts like “Gimme Some Moore” and the feedback steeped monster anthem “Asleep On The Killing Floor” pull no punches in the aggression department, drawing about as clear a line back to the peak moments of 1991’s Blind like it’s going out of style.

Even the more mid-paced crunch of “You Or Me” goes hard into COC’s affinity for Black Sabbath’s pioneering take on heaviness, even go so far as throwing in a fairly blatant nod to “Electric Funeral” during a brief jump in tempo after a punishing interlude of ambient samples and guitar feedback.

Though at no point shy about going into the murky depths of sludge, the more accessible side of their southern and stoner rock side of this band’s arsenal is no less present in how they stomp the sonic marshlands. The decrepit blend of hardcore discontent and 70s blues-driven southern swagger oozes from every second of “The Handler”, which also sees one of the most insane drum showcases out of Shabatura and some impressive noodling out of Landgraf’s bass at a few points.

The towering 9-minute slough “Run For Your Life” dives headfirst into the melancholic yet psychedelic side of the doom coin, flowing like an extended rock jam and featuring plenty of flashy lead guitar interchanges by Keenan and Weatherman. The tone becomes a bit more light-hearted and almost cartoonish during the funky rocking cooker “Baad Man”, which almost sounds like a darker and fuzzier nod to ZZ Top at times, and the happy-go-lucky stylings of “Handcuff Country”.

Yet when it comes to a song that truly captures what this album is all about, it’s the return to dark and dank metallic fury with a soulful vocal display that occasionally channels 70s Robert Plant “Forever Amplified” that closes things off in a fitting coup de grace.

The passage of time might make it inevitable that the sum will not arise from all of the same parts, but it doesn’t necessarily mean that the present outcome will be unworthy of its forbearers. Longtime fans of this band will inevitably note the absence of the man who originally provided the beats by which their songs used to march through the swamps of the Deep South, but any functioning pair of ears won’t help but hear a version of Corrosion Of Conformity that has lost none of its edge.

Good God/Baad Man is one of those albums that makes no apologies about the past, yet doesn’t totally dwell upon it, and has something new to offer a time where the prime movers of the NOLA scene and the sound they birthed are experiencing a sizable resurgence in both the festival circuit and in the studio.

It’s a sound that’s not as bleak as Crowbar, nor as raw as Superjoint Ritual and latter-day Pantera, but for those with a penchant for doom metal with a tall order of punk sensibilities and that classic southern edge, it’s a must-hear.

Release Date: April 3rd, 2026
Record Label: Nuclear Blast Records
Genre: Sludge Metal

Musicians:

• Mike Pepper / Guitars, vocals
• Woody Weatherman / Guitars
• Bobby Landgraf / Bass
• Nick Shabatura / Drums

Good God / Baad Man Tracklist:

1. Good God? / Final Dawn
2. You Or Me
3. Gimme Some Moore
4. The Handler
5. Bedouin’s Hand
6. Run For Your Life
7. Baad Man
8. Lose Yourself
9. Mandra Sonos
10. Asleep On The Killing Floor
11. Handcuff County
12. Swallowing The Anchor
13. Brickman
14. Forever Amplified 

Order the album here.