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██▌ Artist...: Coroner ░▐██▌
░▐██ Album....: Dissonance Theory ░██▌░
▓▐██ Year.....: 2025 ▓▐██▓
▓▐██ Rel. Date: 2026-02-21 ░▐██▓
▐██ Genre....: Thrash Metal ██▌░
░ ██▌ Label....: Century Media ██▌
▐██ Source...: CD ▐██
░▐██▌ Type.....: Digipak ▐██▌░
▓▄████ Quality..: VBR, 44.1kHz, Joint Stereo ████▌░
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CD 1/2 :
1. Oxymoron 0:59
2. Consequence 6:15
3. Sacrificial Lamb 6:02
4. Crisium Bound 5:29
5. Symmetry 3:58
6. The Law 5:00
7. Transparent Eye 5:16
8. Trinity 5:41
9. Renewal 5:21
10. Prolonging 3:13
CD 2/2 :
1. Spectators of Sin 6:35
2. Spiral Dream 4:40
3. Aerial Combat 6:09
4. The Invincible 7:07
71:45
Swiss thrashers Coroner unleashed their sixth album 32 years after their
previous one, "Grin" (1993). Perhaps that's a record? The good news is
that "Dissonance Theory" is certainly not a time machine that takes us
back a third of a century.
Progressive metal has been confidently attributed to the band before,
but if we follow the letter of the law, Coroner have always performed
technical thrash metal. Right, there were prog elements in their music,
but not to the extent of being considered a prog band. Take, for
example, "Mental Vortex" (1991), their fourth album: only the final
track, "I Want You (She's So Heavy)" û yep, a Beatles cover û contains
obvious prog traces, and that's only because the original had prog in
it.
Progressive thrash metal truly blossomed in its full glory only on
"Dissonance Theory". Coroner acquired most of their new melodic
progressions, which were not characteristic for them, thanks to this
style.
Every metal subgenre is diversified, but this characteristic applies
especially to progressive metal û too many dissimilar bands are attached
to this style. The current Coroner are perhaps in that same vein as the
progressively transfigured Enslaved (but before their path paralleled
Opeth). Coroner eagerly use majestic groove with a prog-tinged edge, as
evidenced, for example, by the beginning of "Sacrificial Lamb", that's
one of the reasons Enslaved are remembered more often on "Dissonance
Theory" of all the current (extreme) proggers.
Classifying Coroner's prog niche is complicated by the fact that
starting with "Consequence" (opener "Oxymoron" is just an intro) Tommy
Vetterli is soloing in a manner more befitting a progressive power metal
guitarist û so much so that Savatage comes to mind on "Symmetry" and
"Transparent Eye". The only exception is the unsettling solo on
"Renewal", which lacks a power metal hint. Anyway, basically each song
features a solo of varying sophistication, what is more, pulsating with
a melody, though it's not particularly catchy.
It's not as if this scenario proved to be a soldierproof template. For
example, a solo of this kind on "Sacrificial Lamb" doesn't really fit
the canvas of the song, while the prog lick almost at its beginning is
to the point. "Trinity" also stands out: at first the composition can
boast a short lick almost in the vein of Cynic, then another progressive
power metal solo enters, but it's somehow poppy, with a rather slick
melody.
In fact, the songs aren't equal despite the album's cohesiveness. Or,
more accurately, not quite equal. "Consequence" initially overwhelms you
with its hodgepodge, fragments from different styles stand in a line
here, they just follow one after another. You can even get embarrassed
about what else to expect from the album. However, "Sacrificial Lamb" is
more stylistically consistent. "Cirsium Bound" also has some unexpected
drops, but either everything is already balanced, or you've already
tuned into the musical texture and perceive everything naturally.
In its turn "Symmetry" is in line with the previous songs, and it's
finally clear here that "shock and awe" were only at the beginning. But
as soon as you calmed down, "The Law" appears û the most unusual song on
the album. It's somehow incongruous and has not only a different manner
of playing but also a different energy. There's not even a solo in this
song. The following "Trinity" proceeds as expected, so you wait with
impatience and curiosity to hear how "Renewal" will be perceived. Well,
it goes off with a bang: the song is completely in the spirit of the
album. However, it was more puzzling than aesthetically pleasing as a
premiere single.
The final track, "Prolonging," is a triumph of the synthesizer in
progressive metal. This instrument isn't an innovation for Coroner; we
heard it on their debut, "R.I.P." (1987), as well as on "Grin," while on
"Dissonance Theory" it's found in the piano finale of "Trinity" and a
few passages with a synth backing scattered throughout the album û but
here the synthesizer was given the opportunity for the first time to
sound emphatically. A sophisticated and very intense synthesizer solo,
it's pure art rock. A wonderful finale.
"Grin", by the way, makes its presence felt frequently during
"Dissonance Theory". Although it only made a brief appearance at the end
of "Consequence", but even that was somewhat reassuring, to tell the
truth. Later echo of the predecessor appears more or less clearly on
every song, even in the modernized attitude as on "Cirsium Bound".
In fact, what connects "Dissonance Theory" to its past (i. e. to "Mental
Vortex" and "Grin" first of all) is palm muting. Although this technique
doesn't make up a significant portion of the material now, and downtuned
guitars can even create an illusion of groove metal, good old technical
thrash metal emerges most often precisely during palm-muted riffs, pay
attention to "Consequence" and "Renewal". But palm muting is a means of
modernization on "Dissonance Theory" as well, and you can even hear a
Meshuggah vibe in its sounding: on "Transparent Eye" (a slowed-down
passage where the speed seems to be turned down with the regulator) and
"Renewal". You can also hear on "Transparent Eye" such a modern
technique as palm-muted riff with dissonant, squelching effect. In
general, there are a decent number of dissonances scattered throughout
the album, they are just presented unobtrusively.
Coroner are often referred to as an underrated band, but the truth is
that their music though its originality has always been somewhat languid
and draggy. Coroner might create a sense of vivacity sometimes, but
these were fleeting, illusory passages. For example, "Grin" can be quite
catchy if its mood takes you, of course, but it is downright tiresome in
its monotony: in every song you're just waiting for Coroner to make an
interesting move, so the acceleration in the last quarter of the title
track, "Grin (Nails Hurt)", with its dry and precise drums is a
veritable injection of stimulant drugs for the listener. Like it or not,
this characteristic trait is one of the legacies/influences of Celtic
Frost, which is evident on every Coroner album from the debut to "Grin".
"Dissonance Theory" is anything but tiresome, it's Coroner's most vital
work yet, this album literally bursts with energy. Although Ron Broder's
vocals still sound like Tom G. Warrior (well, almost), the Celtic Frost
influence is nowhere to be found here with the exception of a couple of
slow and suspenseful passages (like the one on "Symmetry" after the
solo). Just because Celtic Frost and vitality are ill-assorted.
Metallica proved to be a powerful factor in the album's vitality: the
melodism, uncharacteristic of early Coroner, is also brought to
"Dissonance Theory" by Metallica. Their vibes can be felt already on
"Consequence": thrash metal palm muting punchiness in the second riff is
injected with insertions in the spirit of "Hardwired... to
Self-Destruct" (2016) for sure. "Symmetry" bears a more obvious tinge of
Metallica: the beginning is reminiscent of "Moth into Flame" from
"Hardwired... to Self-Destruct" (then Rammstein is heard at the peak of
the chorus, just one transition, but almost "Amerika"). Basically, there
is some Metallica-esque "Grin" in this song.
Further, the acceleration on the second half of "The Law" is Metallica
again. A short groove emerges after the opening riff of "Transparent
Eye" û it's something between Enslaved and Metallica. The beginning of
"Trinity" features a late-Metallica palm-muted riff as well. But the
absolute champion is, of course, "Renewal" û there is a true Metallica
potpourri at the beginning: the opening riff recalls "Blackened" from
"...and Justice for All" (1988), while its ending is again from "Moth
into Flame", and then you can immediately hear echoes of "The Day That
Never Comes" from "Death Magnetic" (2008). It was a true provocation to
release this song as the first single.
Metallica, however, is also not an "innovation" at all for Coroner.
"Mental Vortex", that classic technical thrash metal album almost
entirely built on palm muting, was literally interlarded with "...and
Justice for All" tinges û the third song, "Semtex Revolution", could be
called the most Metallica-esque. While on the following "Sirens", the
album's strangest song, "Kill 'Em All" (1983) is sometimes heard behind
the rough low-end groove and the strained vocals û well-camouflaged
Metallica vitality is present here for sure.
To be fair, it's not a one-way street case: during "Paralyzed,
Mesmerized", the eighth track on "Grin", we hear a lick that would later
begin to sound on "St. Anger" (2003) in the bassline of opener
"Frantic." Well, almost.
Summary. Coroner both remained true to themselves and transcended
themselves. Try it together with them.
Ripper's note: the 2nd CD contains "Death Cult" demo 1986, properly
remastered by Dan Suter exclusively for this mediabook in 2025.
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