Corrosion Of Conformity Taps Nick Shabatura as New Touring Drummer

Corrosion Of Conformity have named Nick Shabatura as their new touring drummer, slotting him in ahead of a lengthy run of dates tied to the band's upcoming double album "Good God / Baad Man," due April 3 via Nuclear Blast.

Shabatura fills the seat that has been vacant since the death of Reed Mullin, the longtime COC drummer who anchored the classic lineup alongside Pepper Keenan, Woody Weatherman, and Mike Dean through records including 2018's "No Cross No Crown." Stanton Moore stepped in to record the new double album, a role he'd played with the band before on the 2005 release "In The Arms Of God," but the plan was never for Moore to hit the road. On March 13, Moore posted his endorsement of Shabatura on Instagram, and his sign-off was unambiguous: "I approve this message! I went by rehearsals in Riffississippi the other day to meet and hang with Nick. He is an amazing drummer and a super cool guy. He showed up having completely done his homework and already sounds great playing with the band. The plan was always for me to make this record with the guys and then to find somebody to do the touring. Well, we found the guy and he is Nick Shabatura! Thanks Charlie Benante for the recommendation."

That last line points to how Shabatura got in the door. The band had been quietly searching for a touring drummer while preparing for the road and reached out to Anthrax drummer Charlie Benante, who pointed them toward Shabatura. Prior to the COC gig, Shabatura had played with Desecrate The Hour and the Chicago-based Nirvana tribute band Smells Like Nirvana.

The album Shabatura will be touring behind was recorded across three studios: Blak Shak Studios in Riffissippi, Dockside Studios in Maurice, Louisiana, and Barry Gibb's home studio in Miami, Florida. The session lineup featured Keenan on guitar and vocals, Weatherman on guitar, Moore on drums, and Bobby "Rock" Landgraf on bass. Landgraf, who did time with Keenan in New Orleans heavyweights Down, fills in for longtime bassist Mike Dean on the recording. Cover art comes from New Orleans artist Scott Guion, and the album drops in digipak CD, digital, and vinyl formats, including a Gatefold 2xLP with Belly Strip in black vinyl.

Keenan has been direct about what's driving the new material. "With a lot of these songs, we're trying to make Reed Mullin proud," he said. "He was a badass, and a one-of-a-kind drummer. And the stakes were high."

The touring schedule building around the April 3 release includes dates with Whores, Clutch, JD Pinkus, and Crobot, with festival appearances booked into the summer: Brutal Assault Festival in Jaromer, Czech Republic on August 7, 2026, and PALP Festival in Brusson, Switzerland on August 9, 2026. The band announced Shabatura's addition via video on their social media channels.