TECHNOCRACY

One of the original crossover bands of the mid-80s Corrosion of Conformity has always been one of those bands that never quite goes away though they do their very best to attempt doing themselves in. Though I am too lazy to actually look it up I don t think there have been two albums in a row with the exact same lineup. Either bassist Mike Dean is singing or he s not in the band or he s just playing bass. Or someone named Simon Bob is handling vocals. Or something. So what is it about this Sabbath-influenced hardcore thrash band? Beats me. Technocracy is a competent aggressive piece of work featuring some earlier COC works on one short disc but it s far from exciting. The tempos are punk but the heaviness is metal. The singing is generally weak throughout lacking the depth or breadth to truly be exciting. I suppose a purist could get into the fact that the heaviness is genuine but for me I demand more than just by-the-numbers heavy music. Metal Blad. 2002.