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intothewellsabyss
Nov 5, 20222 min read

Corrosion of Conformity - Blind (1991)

FROM THE CRYPTS - CELEBRATING PAST ALBUM RELEASES in the HISTORY of HARD ROCK & HEAVY METAL…



On November 5, 1991, Corrosion Of Conformity released they third full-length studio album Blind via Relativity Records.


This was the band's first album in six years since the release of Animosity, and their first release with rhythm guitarist Pepper Keenan as well as their only recording with Karl Agell on vocals, and the only one on which original bassist Mike Dean does not appear; Phil Swisher instead takes his place, his sole appearance on a C.O.C. album. The album saw Corrosion of Conformity change their Crossover Thrash sound of the 1980s to a more straightforward Metal sound.


Background:

Mike Dean departed in 1987 and Simon Bob soon followed, leaving Corrosion Of Conformity in a state of flux for a couple of years. The remaining members re-tuned the lineup and searched for a new vocalist, even posting a classified in Flipside Fanzine for a singer similar in sound to "James Hetfield or Ozzy Osbourne" to go with their new Metal sound.


After much searching, Karl Agell was recruited on vocals, Phil Swisher on bass and Pepper Keenan as a second guitarist. The new line-up released 1991's Blind, gravitating towards a Sludge/Groove Metal sound. Blind was the first C.O.C. album to receive mainstream attention.



The video for Vote with a Bullet (the only song with Keenan on vocals on the album) received airplay on MTV and the album cracked the Billboard Heatseekers chart in early 1992. The album has sold around 250,000 copies in the United States to date.


Blind was re-released through Columbia Records in 1995, featuring three additional songs.


Critical Reception:

Blind received a positive review from AllMusic writer Eduardo Rivadavia, who gave the album four-and-a-half stars out of five, and stated;

"By the time they released 1991's Blind, Crossover pioneers Corrosion of Conformity were pursuing a decidedly Metallic direction, but this in no way compromised their Punk ethic, overtly political lyrical themes, and incredible sonic aggression." Rivadavia described Damned for All Time and Mine Are the Eyes of God as "excellent tracks" that "manage to be both utterly heavy and surprisingly catchy", while he describes Dance of the Dead and Echoes in the Well as "straightforward Metal as C.O.C. gets." He also described Blind as "simply one of the most important heavy rock albums of the decade."

Blind was the album that broke Corrosion of Conformity into the Heavy Metal mainstream, peaking at No. 24 on the Heatseekers chart. One of the singles, Dance of the Dead, saw regular radio play on popular stations such as Los Angeles's KNAC. Vote with a Bullet was also released as a single.



For a more in depth look into the album Blind, please check out my friend Christopher Dick’s interview for Decibel Magazine with C.O.C.’s Peeper Keenan and ex-C.O.C. vocalist Karl Agell.



Note: The reviews shared here are for historical reference. The views and opinions expressed within are not always supported (in full or in part) by Into the Wells. — E.N. Wells



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