Wah-hawww, this isn’t good. ’90s alt-rock hitmakers Better Than Ezra, who were the subject of our Alternative Number Ones column last year, are holding a contest for fans to use a new AI platform to “write” a song for them. Better Than Eza frontman Kevin Griffin has been extolling the possibilities of AI music for at least a few years, and now he’s the co-founder of an AI music platform called Soundbreak. Yesterday, Griffin announced his contest in a social-media video, telling fans that the winning entry will be Better Than Ezra’s next single. Here’s what he has to say for himself:
Ecca Vandal has revealed all of the details of their upcoming new album, their first for Loma Vista Recordings.
Titled ‘LOOKING FOR PEOPLE TO UNFOLLOW’, it will be released on May 22.
Ecca had this to say about what the record represents for them, stating, “The systems. The trends. The illusions of connection. I find empowerment in being loud and noisey especially as a woman in this global moment who grew up in a culture that told me I could not be those things.”
The artwork looks like this:
Whilst the full tracklisting looks like this:
1. AIRPLANE MODE 2. EYES SHUT 3. SORRY! CRASH! 4. VERTICAL WORLDS 5. BLEED BUT NEVER DIE 6. CRUISING TO SELF SOOTHE 7. MOLLY 8. OKAY NOT TO BE OKAY 9. LEVITATE PART 1 & 2 10. LOOKING FOR PEOPLE TO UNFOLLOW 11. THEN THERE’S ONE 12. BLEACH 13. DID A LITTLE MORE TO FORGET 14. DO IT ANYWAY 15. DANCE IN DEBT 16. GHOSTS 17. CAME HERE FOR THE LOOT
The announcement has come with a new track dropping, too, in the form of ‘SORRY! CRASH!’, which follows on from the previous release of ‘BLEACH’ and ‘MOLLY’.
A frantic, kinetic blend of melody and mayhem, effortlessly blurring the lines between sounds and scenes, it is a brilliantly bonkers and sensational listen. A fork in the road for everything that Ecca Vandal stands for and wants to disrupt, delivered with intensity and intricacy.
Ecca will be making her Coachella debut later this month in the US, and in the UK will be at Outbreak Fest in Manchester in June and at Outbreak Fest x All Points East in August, alongside Deftones.
Corrosion Of Conformity first flew into my radar via MTV’s flagship Heavy Metal show Headbangers Ball. I remember being blown away by the blistering Vote With A Bullet, and I picked up the album Blind shortly afterwards. That album was on heavy rotation, and when Deliverance dropped in 1994, I was fully along for the dirty, sweaty, Skynyrd-soaked ride. Now, they are back with the double album Good God / Baad Man.
Corrosion Of Conformity formed in 1982 and were initially a hardcore punk band. Their sound evolved into a blues-tinged, Heavy Metal behemoth, and they enjoyed considerable success in the ’90s. Bands such as Metallica gave them their seal of approval, and James Hetfield even guested on their 1996 album Wiseblood.
The band went through line-up changes and had periods of hiatus while main man Pepper Keenan recorded and toured with the supergroup Down. They continued without Pepper until 2015, when the classic line-up of Pepper Keenan, Woody Weatherman, Mike Dean, and Reed Mullin reformed to perform together.
Unfortunately, founding drummer Reed Mullin passed away in 2020. This proved to be a devastating blow, but the band vowed to soldier on in his memory. Pepper and Woody started writing during Covid, and they soon realised that they had enough songs for a double album.
“As we went on,” Pepper explains, “we had such a crazy plethora of songs, it was almost like two different directions, we knew we had to split it into two different albums. Then we came up with this concept.”
The concept was based on the title of the album, as Pepper further explains. “Our producer, Warren Riker, kept calling it Dark Side Of The Doom. In my head, it’s a weird love letter to all things rock ‘n’ roll. We used that for the freedom to go in different directions. Each album is its own tiny universe and has its own identity.
“Good God leans toward the heavier/pissed end of the spectrum. Baad Man is more on the throwdown rock scope. As we went along, it became clear which songs went on which album.”
Drummer Stanton Moore and bassist Bobby ‘Rock’ Landgraf were drafted in for the recording of the album. I have to say that Moore’s performance is inspired. His stamp is all over the album, and Reed Mullin would appreciate the effort that Moore has put in to honour his playing.
The drum sound is huge. Hats off to Moore, he has done a superb job [Chef’s kiss]. However, just to add more of a twist, Nick Shabatura has now replaced Moore as COC’s drummer.
Both albums have a different story to tell with regard to sound and feel. Album one has more of a Deliverance/Wiseblood familiar feel. Album two has more of a funkier, straight-ahead blues-tinged rock ‘n’ roll vibe.
Album one opens with Good God?/Final Dawn. The track begins with a floating, Eastern kind of feel, before we get a blistering attack on the ears. Moore is flying around the kit with thirty-second notes that Dave Lombardo would approve of. Keenan snarls and growls. The riffs are mighty, and it is a fantastic introduction to the album.
You Or Me provides us with an atmospheric, punchy number with the band firing on all cylinders. This stuff is going to sound so good in a live setting. The album’s first single, Gimme Some Moore (see what they did there?), is one of my favourites from the album, with punk energy, chugging riffs, and classic COC energy. Fantastic! It even boasts backing vocals from none other than Al Jourgensen of Ministry.
Album one concludes with a nine-minute epic in Run For Your Life, a slow-burning, stoner anthem. This track in particular took me back to those heady days of the ’90s. Ah, when life seemed so much simpler.
Album two kicks off with Baad Man. I will let Pepper explain what the track is about. “It’s a weird ’70s rock stomper thing,” he says. “It’s about a guy who thinks he’s a badass, but he really ain’t.” I was nodding along all the way through. It has great, funky-ass energy.
Lose Yourself begins with something that sounds like it is from an ’80s TV show, before we get another foot-stomping, funkadelic top tune.
Asleep On The Killing Floor is an absolute barnstormer, dripping with a greasy, fuck you attitude. Handcuff County is a ZZ Top inspired blues jam. The band have apparently been listening to a lot of That Little Ol’ Band from Texas through Covid, and it certainly manifests here.
The album concludes with another spectacular tune, Forever Amplified. It features guest vocals from Anjelika ‘Jelly’ Joseph of the New Orleans jazz-funk band Galactic. She brings an almost Janis Joplin aura to the song and she can certainly belt it out.
The stellar production from Warren Riker really helps to propel the albums. Everything sounds monstrous, but it manages to hold on to that ’70s vibe that Corrosion Of Conformity does so well.
Good Man/Baad Man is an impressive return to form. If you loved the band’s output in the ’90s, you will absolutely love this.
Corrosion Of Conformity release Good God / Baad Man on 3 April 2026 via Nuclear Blast. Pre-orders are available from coccabal.bfan.link/ggbmlp. In June, the band will head to Europe and the United Kingdom for another run of live shows. The band also play Download in June. Full details below.
Corrosion Of Conformity will hit the UK this June in support of their explosive new double album Good God / Baad Man, bringing their trademark blend of heavy riffs and
Event Details
Corrosion Of Conformity will hit the UK this June in support of their explosive new double album Good God / Baad Man, bringing their trademark blend of heavy riffs and Southern groove to three intimate venues.
The run kicks off at SWG3 Warehouse in Glasgow on 9 June 2026, before heading to The Dome in London on 10 June, and wrapping up at Rebellion in Manchester on 11 June. Expect a set packed with new material alongside fan favourites, delivered with the raw, sweat-soaked energy that has defined COC’s live shows for decades.
Corrosion Of Conformity will hit the UK this June in support of their explosive new double album Good God / Baad Man, bringing their trademark blend of heavy riffs and
Event Details
Corrosion Of Conformity will hit the UK this June in support of their explosive new double album Good God / Baad Man, bringing their trademark blend of heavy riffs and Southern groove to three intimate venues.
The run kicks off at SWG3 Warehouse in Glasgow on 9 June 2026, before heading to The Dome in London on 10 June, and wrapping up at Rebellion in Manchester on 11 June. Expect a set packed with new material alongside fan favourites, delivered with the raw, sweat-soaked energy that has defined COC’s live shows for decades.
Corrosion Of Conformity will hit the UK this June in support of their explosive new double album Good God / Baad Man, bringing their trademark blend of heavy riffs and
Event Details
Corrosion Of Conformity will hit the UK this June in support of their explosive new double album Good God / Baad Man, bringing their trademark blend of heavy riffs and Southern groove to three intimate venues.
The run kicks off at SWG3 Warehouse in Glasgow on 9 June 2026, before heading to The Dome in London on 10 June, and wrapping up at Rebellion in Manchester on 11 June. Expect a set packed with new material alongside fan favourites, delivered with the raw, sweat-soaked energy that has defined COC’s live shows for decades.
05/6/2026 Mystic Festival – Gdansk, PL 07/2026 South of Heaven Festival – Maastricht, NL 12/6/2026 Download Festival – Derby, UK 14/6/2026 Fabrikclub – Cagliari, IT 16/6/2026 Razzmatazz 2 – Barcelona, ES 17/6/2026 Mon – Madrid, ES 18/6/2026 Azkena Rock Festival Vitoria – Gasteiz, ES 20/6/2026 Graspop Festival – Dessel, BE 21/6/2026 Hellfest – Clisson, FR 01/8/2026 Wacken Festival – Wacken, DE 07/8/2026 Brutal Assault Festival – Jaromer, CZ 09/8/2026 PALP Festival – Brusson, CH
Cass McCombs recently kicked off his tour to bring last year’s Interior Live Oak to the stage. In New York, he was introduced by comedian Adam Friedland, who called him “the greatest singer-songwriter in the world.” Now he’s announcing a split 7″ with Hand Habits, who’s opening for him at some of the upcoming shows.…
