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Stars indicate the most critically-acclaimed albums.

Coral Fang
by The Distillers


7.9

based on 18 reviews
Read critic reviews
How did we calculate this?

based on 44 votes
Read user comments
Rate this album

The punk outfit led by Brody Armstrong (oops--make that Brody Dalle, now) makes its major-label debut with 'Coral Fang,' the band's third release overall.

LABEL:	Warner Brothers
RELEASE DATE:	14 October 2003
DISCS:	1 disc
GENRE(S):	Alternative, Rock, Punk

All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...

Drowned In Sound

The record sounds like a seamless amalgamation of the three Hole eras (punk, grunge and rock), with Dalle’s ska roots almost entirely supplanted in favour of a grungier muse.

Playlouder

This is heavy pop at its very best.

Dot Music

[Dalle] may be the New Courtney Love, at times even the Punk PJ Harvey, but she also has a depth of emotion that was last displayed by Kurt Cobain.

Stylus Magazine

All you have to do is plug Coral Fang in and turn it on to experience [Dalle's] greatness.

Spin

Fang's edge is a bit more mosh-by-numbers than Hole's. [Dec 2003, p.129]

Pitchfork

Coral Fang impresses not just by some nebulous "punk" standards, but by the standards of just about anyone who wants to be rocked gently out of sleep by the dulcet tones of thrashing guitars, pogo-friendly love songs, and possibly the most compellingly forceful female punk vocals since Exene Cervenka wailed her way out of the nihilistic abyss that cartographers call "L.A."

Rolling Stone

A series of punk songs that balance throat-shredding, brain-rattling intensity with an undercurrent of sadness and vulnerability.

New Musical Express

In making a record with such universal themes of love and hate, and sounding so pissed off in the process, Brody has inadvertently made herself the most important new rock star in the world.

E! Online

So what if the clean-ish production elicits screams of "Sellout!" from longtime fans? This is good stuff. Somewhere, Courtney Love is wishing she made this album.

Entertainment Weekly

Beyond Dalle's rusty-razor delivery, though, little about ''Coral Fang'' is remotely dangerous or shocking.

PopMatters

The Distillers subtract a little of Joan Jett's poppy tunefulness and add (even) more aggressive vocals. If that sounds good to you, you'll at least like this album.

Blender

The record's initial thrill comes from the confidence with which the Distillers and producer Gil Norton revive rock as a demolishing force. [Nov 2003, p.116]

Uncut

At once punchy and overwrought, and blessed with some extremely good, if slightly monotonous, tunes. [Nov 2003, p.120]

All Music Guide

Coral Fang has its fair share of flaws, but it's impassioned enough to have plenty of bite despite them.

Q Magazine

This is exciting but competent American punk by numbers. [Nov 2003, p.114]

The Onion (A.V. Club)

Coral Fang's lack of memorable hooks makes it hard to admire for long.

Village Voice

Those who looked at the Distillers as the hope of 2003 might be disappointed that Dalle's stuck in 1994.

Mojo

Coral Fang finds The Distillers aping the bloodless Hollywood impotence of Hole's Celebrity Skin, their 'punk rock' inoffensive and utterly forgettable. [Dec 2003, p.113]

The average user rating for this album is 7.9 (out of 10) based on 44 User Votes
Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.

Fabio L gave it a9:
Brody has such a unique voice, and the distillers are great musicians. I love this album! That being said, I am more of a fan to her earlier work... there was so much to be said in Sing Sing Death House. Coral Fang is great nonetheless :)

Michelle K gave it a10:
Amazing album beter than the Sing Sing Death House by far. Best Tracks: Hall Of Mirrors, For Tonight You're Only Here To Know, Coral Fang.

marEY wtf do u care' gave it a10:
l love Brody!

Jamie M gave it a10:
Phenomenal album. Pure perfection. Not a song on the album to even contemplate skipping. Lack of memorable hooks? I personally beleive the exact opposite, and thats what attracts me to this album, even more so than their previous efforts.

marky spark gave it a10:
distillers are the best

Richard D gave it a9:
America's worst female is back! I love the album.. great vocals, fast Rancid-like riffs and cool drums.. this is the kind of album every punk-rock fan needs to have!

Jim B gave it a10:
Nothing short of brilliant. A Masterpiece.

Coral Fang by The Distillers

Coral Fang
by The Distillers