CORROSION OF CONFORMITY + BLACK TEMPLE – NOSTURI, HELSINKI – 24/03/2015

por Victoria Durán · 20/04/2015

Pepper Keenan is back and this time to stay!

The long awaited concert of the legendary American stoner/sludge metal band CORROSION OF CONFORMITY finally arrived. This was awaited for two reasons: first being the return of the vocalist and guitarist Pepper Keenan (also in DOWN) after having been away for nine years, and second reason being that with this new reunion tour the band will be playing mostly the songs of to their most famous albums «Blind», «Deliverance», «Wiseblood» and «America’s Volume Dealer». The young Swedish band BLACK TEMPLE was the opening act. I have tried to capture in the following part what happened in that magical night:

BLACK TEMPLE

Exactly at 20:00 and with an almost deserted hall took the stage the Swedish hard noise rock group BLACK TEMPLE This power trio of young guys with long blonde hair, fully tattooed bodies and surfers appearance kept us entertained with their effective combination of highly distorted riffs, powerful drums, dense bass and harsh vocals. Too bad the audience was not at all participatory but rather quiet and shy throughout the entire set of the Swedes. However, the intense and aggressive set by the aforementioned lasted 25 minutes during which they performed 5 songs: «Acid Rain», «Unliklet Grent», «Low Points», «100 Years» and «Sleepy River «.

CORROSION OF CONFORMITY

While the audience was eagerly waiting for the set of CORROSION OF CONFORMITY to begin the room was filled with songs by ALICE IN CHAINS, STONE TEMPLE PILOTS and BAD BRAINS. With a fully packed Nosturi and the eager audience this iconic band originally from North Carolina took the stage at 21:00. And from the first minute they attacked with the fierce intro «These Shrouded Temples» from the album «Blind» (1991, Relativity), and then quickly jumped to the known «Señor Limpio» that is included in the famous album «Deliverance» (1994, Sony). The guys from the band had an excellent chemistry live and even the years have passed their live performance continue being fresh and updated with the interpretation of the classic themes. Pepper Keenan’s return to the band proved to be a good move as he did not play with them since his departure in 2006. Keenan’s comeback also enabled him to reunite with drummer Reed Mullin who returned to the band back in 2010.

Despite the lousy room lighting, the classic lineup of CORROSION OF CONFORMITY with Keenan (vocals and guitar), Woody Weatherman (lead guitar and backing vocals), Mike Dean (bass) and Mullin (drums) proved us song after song their good shape performing wise and formidable connection between them. The coordinated and distinctive voice by Keenan transported us to another dimension in the different songs like the slow «13 Angels», the stoner «King of the Rotten» or the sludge «Broken Man». Also I want to highlight the excellent work of Mr. Dean on bass, who with his marked tones and bass notes in songs like «Who’s Got the Fire» or «Goodbye Windows» was able to keep alive the spirit of the blues at all times. Also it is worthwhile to mention how Weatherman was punishing the six strings on each occasion with powerful riffs and excellent guitar solos for example in the heavy «Vote With a Bullet», without forgetting Mullin who was more than perfect behind the kit destroying the drums in songs like «Stonebreaker» or «Paranoid Opioid».

The setlist was composed of 17 powerful songs, and amongst the most praised songs of the evening by the audience were «Wiseblood», «Seven Days» and «Albatross». At the end of the gig the band greatly appreciated the support provided by the audience in this new reunion tour and said goodbye performing his biggest hit to date that is the theme «Clean My Wouds» from the fourth album of the band the aforementioned «Deliverance». The band indeed provided an interesting interpretation of it live with a long dub/reggae improvisation or jam the middle of the piece.

After an hour and a half of action and powerful music the sensation vanished super fast. A performance to remember not only by the nostalgia of seeing this legendary band reunited once again with its stellar lineup, but also by the way the quartet played their songs: with dedication, determination and decision -as if it had been the last concert of CORROSION OF CONFORMITY as band-. The audience stayed chanting the initial of the group: «COC, COC, COC» while the black curtains were closed and the lights of the concert hall were lit on. Pepper Keenan and CORROSION OF CONFORMITY are back and this time to stay!

Setlist:

1- These Shrouded Temples

2- Señor Limpio

3- King of the Rotten

4- Heaven’s Not Overflowing

5- Long Whip/Big America

6- Wiseblood

7- Seven Days

8- Paranoid Opioid

9- 13 Angels

10- Albatross -Sabbath end-

11- My Grain