RECAP: Corrosion of Conformity @ Saratoga Performing Arts Center, 9/27/2025

Words and Photography by Lori Anne McKone.

The September 27 triple-threat lineup at SPAC – Corrosion of Conformity, Judas Priest, and Alice Cooper – was a full-throttle celebration of metal’s enduring spirit, with each act delivering a distinct flavor of rebellion and theatricality. Lori Anne McKone captured some of the night in words and pictures.

Corrosion of Conformity

I didn’t know what Southern sludge was supposed to sound like until Corrosion of Conformity stepped on stage – and then I felt it. It’s not just a genre. It’s a mood. A weight. A kind of slow-burning intensity that crawls under your skin and stays there.

Their set opened like a storm rolling in – no flash, no warning, just thick, groove-heavy riffs that felt both ancient and alive. The guitars weren’t trying to dazzle; they were trying to drag you under. And it worked. I found myself swaying more than headbanging, caught in the pulse of it. It was heavy, yes, but not chaotic. It was deliberate. Grounded. Like they were building something out of distortion and sweat.

What struck me most was their ability to make heaviness feel intimate. You didn’t need to know the lyrics to feel the weight of them. You didn’t need to be a longtime fan to get swept up in the pulse. They weren’t there to impress. They were there to play. And that honesty? It landed.

No pyro, no theatrics – just four musicians locked in, playing like the music was a living thing they’d summoned. Pepper Keenan’s vocals had that worn, whiskey-soaked grit that made every lyric feel like a confession or a warning. And the crowd – maybe not everyone knew the songs, but everyone felt them. You could see it in the way people leaned forward, tuned in, and let the sound take over.

For a first timer, their sound hits like molasses poured over a thunderstorm: slow, sticky, and powerful. The riffs were massive, each chord felt earned, each solo like a howl from the belly. It didn’t feel like I was watching a band. It felt like being initiated. Like stepping into a world where the rules are written in feedback and groove. It was the kind of set that made you want to dig into their catalog afterward – not because you missed something, but because you wanted to stay in the world a little longer. I didn’t just hear COC, I got them.

More coverage of the show here …