Be still, my beating heart! One of my fondest memories was when I discovered that my father was a Corrosion of Conformity fan so imagine our mutual excitement when this beauty was thrown my way.

My favorite track off of IX (Candlelight Records) has to be ‘The Hanged Man’. I actually threw it on repeat for a good while. I would normally hate the little radio intro but it works when kept as short as it is here. The song overall has that old, doomy vibe to it that you feel right in your bones but with a faster pace. Seriously, just go put it on right now., it’s hauntingly beautiful and feels like it should be part of a much longer piece.

Some honorable mentions include the second track, ‘Elphyn’. I found it to be more catchy and interesting than some of the other songs and certainly worthy of terrible karaoke. ‘Who You Need to Blame’ falls into the same vein with its infectious grooves. It’s this kind of songwriting that has continued to draw fans in despite the lineup and stylistic changes over the years.

As for what I didn’t care for, let’s take a look at ‘Interlude’ and ‘The Nectar Reprised’. I know that a lot of bands and artists will include something similar on their releases but I’ve never seen much of a point to it when you can take that time to include another song or something that doesn’t otherwise interrupt the flow of the album. If I had to pick one song that I don’t care for, it would be ‘Denmark Vesey’. I respect the throwback to their punk side of things but it’s just not my bag. That being said, ‘Tarquinius Superbus’ isn’t bad.

There was a lot of hype surrounding this album and, while it’s not absolutely mind melting, it has its strong parts to suck you in. If you’re a fan of southern metal (and you really should be), IX is a great record that deserves a listen. I don’t know about you but I’m looking forward to enjoying this around a bonfire or two this summer.

8/10

Corrosion of Conformity on Facebook

ALEIDA LA LLAVE