Corrosion of Conformity and The Sword Kick Off Tour at Town Ballroom

Corrosion of Conformity / The Sword – Buffalo, NY

***Corrosion of Conformity – Town Ballroom, Buffalo, NY***

Corrosion of Conformity took center stage at Buffalo’s Town Ballroom, kicking off their co headline tour with The Sword and putting new material from Good God / Baad Man alongside longtime favorites. The set paired heavy riffs and bluesy guitar work with the politically charged “Vote with a Bullet,” showing how naturally the current lineup fits the band’s sound.

Corrosion of Conformity brought their latest co headline tour with The Sword to Buffalo’s Town Ballroom on Monday, November 2, opening the two week run with a set that wasted little time getting down to business. The sludge metal veterans went straight into “Asleep on the Killing Floor,” from their first album of entirely new material in nearly a decade, Good God / Baad Man. With Pepper Keenan on vocals and guitar, Woody Weatherman on lead guitar, and recent additions Bobby Landgraf on bass and Nick Shabatura on drums, the lineup settled comfortably into the band’s familiar style while giving it a fresh edge.

Six of the fifteen songs came from the spring release, making it clear that Corrosion of Conformity weren’t interested in playing it safe or leaning entirely on the classics. The newer material fit comfortably alongside songs from their extensive catalog, connected by the southern grit and unmistakable rhythmic drive that have long been part of the band’s identity. It was loud, heavy, and without unnecessary extras. Keenan’s gravel worn vocals remain an essential part of the band’s appeal, while his guitar work moves between weighty riffs and blues influenced passages. Weatherman’s lead playing stood out for its mix of loose, soulful phrasing and sharp execution, knowing when to push a riff and when to let a note hang. Landgraf brought plenty of depth to the low end, while Shabatura kept the rhythm section moving through the shifts in pace and heavier stretches. Together, they gave the songs plenty of room to breathe without losing their momentum.

There wasn’t much in the way of lengthy introductions or elaborate stage antics, but the band never felt disconnected from the audience. Keenan kept the interaction going between songs without taking much attention away from the music itself. The mix had plenty of weight, but still allowed the details to come through, particularly during the slower, bluesier sections where every bend and lingering note had room to breathe. The chemistry onstage was apparent, with the lineup sounding comfortable playing both the latest material and the songs that have become staples of the band’s catalog.

Near the end of the set, “Vote with a Bullet” took on some extra significance, arriving the night before Election Day. There was no elaborate buildup needed. The band launched into the track and the crowd responded to an anthem that remains just as pointed as it was when it first appeared over three decades ago. The encore brought two more familiar favorites, “Albatross” and “Clean My Wounds,” which came as little surprise given their place among the band’s most popular songs. With Good God / Baad Man adding another chapter to the band’s catalog, Corrosion of Conformity showed there’s still plenty of room for what comes next.