The band's history goes back over two decades, spanning several albums that include their post proto punk metal found in releases such as
Animosity and
Technocracy to their more commercial and critical endeavors in the nineties such as
Blind and
Deliverance, staying at the forefront of metal in it's dark days of grunge and alternative rock dominance.
But with side projects (Down) and the unfortunate lack of support from their former record company (Columbia), the band almost nearly slipped through the cracks for a couple of years before releasing their 2000 release,
America's Volume Dealer, which was received with well reception, being that is was a new phase in the their lengthy career, neither a complete continuation of what was their melodic, near-commercial stance or a return to their punkish thrash roots, it was just C.O.C. being themselves through their changes.
Following the same grinding near stoner-doomy path of
AVD,
In the Arms of God is dark and grinding, with the Sabbath meets classic
Metallica vibe, laden with THC drenched overtones and thick Marshall and Orange amplification dominance with their songs either keeping the aggressive attitude of their earlier work or just drenched in the Melvins/Bronx Casket Co. attitude for the more sedated approach.
Strengths on the record are the sub-acoustic "
Rise River Rise," the mutant-blues metal of "
Backslider," and the southern metal tinged "
It is the Way" which marks the spot more of the distinctive tracks, while "
Dirty Hands." and the title track are nothing less than the typical edgier material from these guys where vocalist/guitarist Pepper Keenan's gravely vocal approach has set the tone for the band since his status as frontman that began with
Deliverance.
In the Arms of God is no major departure or any experimentation for C.O.C, it's just the New Orleans quartet playing metal in the real fashion.
Written by
Hashman Thursday, April 14, 2005
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