Animosity

D.R.I. who? The Accused, huh? The Melvins...eh? When one listens to the grissley against the grain sophomore effort of Corrosion of Conformity known simply as Animosity, you will wonder where this album has been all your life....or you'll hate it. Containing some of the the best crossover riffs since Suicidal Tendencies, D.R.I. and Bad Brains popularized the genre (even though Corrosion of Conformity was doing this long before it gained acceptance in the mainstream), its hard to believe that the sludgy stalwarts that COC are now known as could create such a filth ridden, greasy piece of thrashy punk this side of California. If an uninitiated listener not familiar with COC's lengthy career popped this in, they'd probably consider it some long lost demo from some long forgotten act. In reality, this is the same band that would go on to help construct such great sludge under the same name, as well as in Down. From beginning to end, Animosity represents a literal non-stop bass driven crossover record filled to the brim with old school hardcore punk and some thrashy madness that was just beginning to really become discovered by the traditional punk/hardcore bands at the time. Despite its complete lack of complexity and deep emotional connection (who the hell wants complexity in a crossover album anyway?), the transition from speedy onslaught, to brooding breakdowns on this record is some of the best I have ever experienced and is truly brutally effective in getting the blood flowing. Alluding to the bit I mentioned above about brooding breakdowns, it might be easier just to say that Animosity possibly represents the very beginnings of Corrosion of Conformity's transformation from immature (yet incredibly talented) kids, to the legends they would become in a completely different style of music. I would go as far as to say that the stoner/sludgy feel on this album is a pre-dated version of The Melvins Gluey Porch Treatments (which in itself is an incredible album), and is done quite a bit better. The impact this album has on this reviewer is probably more than it has on the average person, but hearing a record that, quite literally, blows every other crossover album out of the water, says alot a in a genre that contained many great bands (several of which are mentioned above) and really helped give rise to the thrash movement of the mid 80's. What I find humorous, is that the vast majority of the so called hardcore/metalcore bands of today (regardless of the quality of their music), probably have never heard this album. Having researched to no end the ins and outs of the intricacies in the Swedish melodic death scene, combined with the brutality of New York hardcore, many hardcore bands of today could simply do themselves and the oversaturation of their chosen genre some big favors if they just listened to stuff like this! Let the world by schooled in true mosh-a-riffic music; tune in to Animosity and prepare to be blown away!