I was really excited to hear this new album from those crazy rockers from the South, Corrosion of Conformity, just for the fact that it is a new COC album, but then when I heard they were going to use a much dirtier sound than the cleaner sounding America's Volume Dealer I went ape shit.  From the moment this album starts rocking it just does not stop, awesome riffing, awesome drums, and shit everything is awesome about this album.
Originally a trio titled No Labels the band was forged in 1982 by vocalist / bassist Mike Dean, guitarist Woody Weatherman and drummer Reed Mullin. The band augmented their line up with lead vocalist Eric Eyke for first album Eye For An Eye in 1984.  With Animosity in 1985 the band veered more towards straight metal territory. However, the same year saw the departure of Dean and the band pulled in former Ugly Americans singer Bob Sinister for the Technocracy mini-album as the band, benefiting from the global upsurge of interest in Thrash Metal, were now propelled to front runner status. The band added second guitarist Pepper Keenan upfront of the 1991 album but recording of Blind was delayed as Keenan recovered from a broken hip sustained whilst stagediving! The 1994 album Deliverence, with Keenan now lead vocalist, saw the return of Dean to the bass role from his interim act Spore.  They then released America's Volume Dealer in 2000 going to a cleaner sound and toured with Pantera in Australia.
Now after a short gap they have come barreling through with In The Arms Of God and are about to start a headlining tour with Crowbar in tow. This album bar none blew me away.  I would have say this album tops anything else that COC has done up until now.  Yeah, I am going there saying it is better than Wiseblood or Deliverance.  In The Arms Of God has all kinds of variety from intense rockin' tracks like In The Arms Of God and Stonebreaker to an almost very mellow Rise River Rise.  I just cannot say enough about this album,  Pepper's vocals sound outstanding, never better in my opinion.  I particularly like the track Paranoid Opioid which has a very cool sounding vocal effect which I think really spices things up. To conclude this review only one thing really needs to be said, Go buy this album as fast you can.  This album is just too outstanding, everything about it just kicks ass, so there is no option actually if you like COC you must go buy this album it is mandatory.
- Album Highlights: Paranoid Opioid, Stonebreaker, So Much Left Behind and In The Arms Of God.