Released in 1985, this second full-length
Corrosion of Conformity offering features
Mike Dean (bass and vocals,)
Reed Mullin (drums), and
Woody Weatherman on guitar. Just as the N.C. group's lineup constantly shifted, so did their music. While still plenty hyper,
Animosity has a bit more
metal mixed in with the
hardcore punk of the band's debut,
Eye for an Eye.
Weatherman's guitars and
Mullin's drums get a more sophisticated studio treatment, creating a thicker sound that reflects a mid-80s
thrash influence.
C.O.C. weren't following any trends, they just incorporated all the things they liked about
thrash,
punk and '70s
metal originators
Black Sabbath into their constantly evolving brand of down-home
hardcore. The politically charged lyrics that marked the group's early-career progressive outspokenness are very evident on tracks like
"Mad World" and
"Intervention." With its thematic and sonic improvements to their successfully established
punk,
Animosity secured
Corrosion of Conformity's artistic and commercial credibility. ~ Vincent Jeffries