Formed: Raleigh, North Carolina, USA
Band Bio / Discography
A highly rated and influential hardcore group from Raleigh, North Carolina, COC's early trash speedily evolved into thrash and then, eventually, blustery rock metal. Possibly surprisingly, their left-wing political stance remained intact (their drummer Reed Mullin helped form a collective organisation for the protection of civil liberties), but on the early stuff, forget tunes all ye who enter here! Important and seminal as they were on the crossover genre, which they largely spearheaded, label Reed set up, No Core, was equally pivotal, releasing records by Honor Role and Subculture, as well as the scene compilations, No Core (1982) and Why Are We Here? (1983).
Recorded with second vocalist Eric Eycke, Eye For An Eye is one of the most highly acclaimed hardcore albums of the '80s but the relentless pile-driving sonic attack, standard song structures and crude production probably precludes its appeal to anybody outside of hardcore/thrash circles. All the songs sound the same.
COC minus Eycke (who had left in 1984), next surfaced with Animosity, which has them roping in more overtly metallic elements and making much more effective use of studio equipment. The sound is powerful but I still prefer the demented full-on punk assault of the debut LP, and I always found the two minutes of directionless riffage that starts the album difficult to sit through. Six Songs with Mike Singing: 1985 was recorded the same year but not released until 1988, and is in a typical hardcore vein.
Later releases fall out of the scope of this site, but following the release of 1987's Technocracy EP, the core trio of Mike Dean, Woody Weatherman and Reed Mullin were joined my singer/guitarist Pepper Keenan, and this lineup remained stable until 2001. They are still going. Keenan also plays guitar with the metal supergroup Down. Reed and Weatherman also played in No Labels.
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Lineup 1 (1982-1983):
Vocals: Benji Shelton
Bass/Vocals: Mike Dean
Guitar: Woody Weatherman
Drums: Reed Mullin
Lineup 2 (1983-1984)
Vocals: Eric Eycke
Bass/Vocals: Mike Dean
Guitar: Woody Weatherman
Drums: Reed Mullin
Lineup 3 (1984-1986):
Bass/Vocals: Mike Dean
Guitar: Woody Weatherman
Drums: Reed Mullin
Lineup 4 (1986-1987):
Vocals: Simon Bob Sinister
Bass/Vocals: Mike Dean
Guitar: Woody Weatherman
Drums: Reed Mullin
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DISCOGRAPHY
Subsequent studio albums: Blind (1991), Deliverance (1994), Wiseblood (1996), America's Volume Dealer (2000), In The Arms Of God (2005), Corrosion Of Conformity (2012), IX (2014), No Cross No Crown (2018).
Singles & Albums
Eye For An Eye (LP, 1984)
Animosity (LP, 1985)
Extraneous Releases
N.O.T.A. / Corrosion Of Conformity (Tape, split, 1987)
Six Songs with Mike Singing: 1985 (12", 1988)
Bootlegs
Mad World (7", 1992)
Demo-Tape Songs 1982 (7", 2004)
1985 Again (LP, 2011)
Various Artists
No Core US Tape 1982 (No Core): Skinny's In / Big Problems / Citizen / Rather See You Dead / Sheltered Life / Life's Cycle / Mad World / Redneck / Center Of The World / Accepted Pariah / Friend In D.C. / College Town / Social Disease / This Is Hardcore / Race Riot / No Core
Why Are We Here? US 7" 1983 (No Core): Poison Planet / Indifferent / Too Cool [as C.O.C.]
Birth Defect US Tape 1983 (H.C. Tapes): Eye For An Eye
Empty Skulls US Tape 1984 (Fartblossom Enterprizes): Poison Planet / Eye For An Eye
Cleanse The Bacteria US LP+12" 1985 (Pusmort): Kiss Of Death
Skate Rock Volume 3 - Wild Riders Of Boards US LP 1985 (Thrasher Magazine): What? / Not For Me / Citizen
Empty Skulls Vol.#2 - The Wound Deepens US LP 1986 (Fartblossom Enterprizes): Center Of The World / Eye For An Eye / Negative Outlook
Life Is A Joke Vol. 2 Germany LP 2x1986 (Weird System): Eye For An Eye
Complete Death US LP 1986 (Death): Loss For Words
Not Yet Decided US Tape 1986 (no label): Life's Cycle / This Is Hardcore / No Core / Redneckkk / College Town / Not Safe / Minds Are Controlled
Rat Music For Rat People Vol 3 US LP 1987 (CD Presents): Bound
Flipside Tunes Vinyl Fanzine Number Three US LP 1987 (Flipside): Intervention
Rat Music For Rat People Vol I, II & III US CD 1987 (CD Presents): Bound
The Best Of Flipside Vinyl Fanzines US 2xCD 1992 (Flipside): Intervention
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