Three years on from the superb 'Blind' and guitarist Pepper Keenan has taken on the vocal duties, and boy, what a record this turned out to be. C.O.C. were always a cult band, but around this time they could have been something so much more, and were even nominated for a Grammy, which, in the U.S. is the BIG time. However, whilst C.O.C. never succumbed to the mighty dollar, the potential was always there for them to be the most amazing Sabbath/Metallica offspring, and on 'Deliverance' the band delivered like no other at the time, putting the weight and groove back into metal yet still with two feet firmly on the dusty ground. This record was a true elephantine experience, combining monster riffs with some superb boogie-electro rock, not heard since the days of Mordred's streetwise shuffle. Keenan is far more an elastic frontman than Agell ever was, and 'Vote With A Bullet' from 'Blind' was just a hint at what was to come.
C.O.C. remain one of the only truly soulful bands, maintaining a rare genuine groove that seeps from their sound whether they are burning the rubber on something as rowdy as 'My Grain', or something so blissful as retro heavenly 'Albatross', and check out that Thin Lizzy vibe on 'Clean My Wounds' with its funky jive.
'Deliverance' is an immense record that put C.O.C. in a class of their own, although the debut efforts of Machine Head and Fear Factory were setting a pace also, but if you, at that time, or even now, are looking for something to fill that gap between early Metallica and Trouble then look no further than this monster.
8.5/10
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