Rust in Peace is Overrated, Listen to Coroner

Every Single Coroner Album is Better Than R.I.P.

Except for Grin. That's the only one. Now, I've expressed my opinion as to why I consider Rust in Peace by Megadeth overrated. For the record: I don't think it's a bad album. It's actually quite good. I just don't think it lives up to the enormous hype surrounding it. It is frequently listed near the top of greatest thrash albums list. I don't think it's that good.

Coroner is that good

You know who is that good? Coroner. Every one of their albums, except for Grin, is better than Rust In Peace. I honestly believe Coroner deserves to be mentioned alongside many other thrash titans. There's a handful of bands in the late 80s that took thrash into more technical realms. My favorites among these are Watchtower, Voivod, and of course, Coroner. The only sin Coroner committed was arriving during the second wave 80s thrash metal.

R.I.P.

The neoclassical thrashing began on R.I.P. It is apparent that this album is an exciting burst of youthful energy from a band that's eager to prove itself. After a gentle piano melody, the face-melting riffs begin right away. The distorted notes just pour down like lava onto a hapless victim's face. This type of delicious musical torment continues throughout the album. The fusion between neo-classical melodies and pure fucking thrash metal with a dash of rock music is easily detectable. Tommy T. Baron will always have a special place in my heart as a guitar player. His riffs are truly unique and solos are astonishingly technical and beautiful. Easily my favorite thrash guitarist. Coroner would evolve from here and each subsequent album would sound different than any one that came before it.

Punishment for Decadence

I actually consider Punishment for Decandence a small step down from R.I.P. It's difficult to explain why I feel that way. Punishment for Decandence possesses similar riff craft and songwriting style, but a bit more mature and refined. However, in being more mature, it also feels cautious and more careful. And in being more cautious, it loses some of that vigor and excitement that occurs when caution gets thrown to the wind. It's the least expirimental of all the Coroner albums and is perhaps the best entry way into the Coroner catalogue. All that being said, this is still masterclass of technical thrash metal. I also believe that Punishment for Decandence is the Coroner album that is most directly comparable to Rust in Peace. The neo-classically infused guitar riffs and solos that Marty Friedman brought to Megadeth almost seem to be inspired by what Tommy T. Baron accomplished here. Punishment for Decadence is Rust in Peace but two years ahead of time and better. This isn't even Coroner's best album.

No More Color

Speaking of Coroner's best album, many fans regard No More Color as Coroner's best release. I'm constantly torn between this and the follow up record. They are both so good. They're both highly experimental. We can see the band slowly leaving the neo-classical riffing and utilizing awkward rythms and more dissonant textures. This album is truly the perfect intersection between neo-classical shredding, jazz fusion textures, thrash metal fury, and just good old fashion rock music. Everything is perform with a spectaculary sense of groove that makes it impossible not to bang your head to.

Mental Vortex

Mental Vortex is also regarded by many fans as the best Coroner record. This is where the band left all of its neo-classical influences behind and experimented with their sound relentlessly. Both the riffing and songwriting are the most ambitious from the band. The riffs are extended by several measures and is almost exclusively dissonant. The songs are integrated with more unwieldy sections with all manner of twists and turns. The rythms are frequently awkward oddly timed. This might add up to a very strange and unsettling record, but it really isn't. All these elements are brought under control by remaining true to its hard rocking thrash roots. Mental Vortex still retains the signature psychedelic groove that was present throughout Coroner's career. It still holds true to the main thrash metal objectives: catchy and memorable, technically and musically challenging, and pure fucking thrash metal adrenaline to make your head bang. Coroner never lost sight of those objectives. That's why their music is legendary.

Grin

Except for Grin. Coroner lost sight of those three objectives on Grin. The only objective achieved by this album is that it's technically and musically challenging. But we are dealing with a group of musicians in possession of staggering talent. Of course it's going to be technically and musically challenging. The riffs lack the impact and energy of before. They kind of sort of thrashes but not really, and therefore not pure fucking thrash metal. The riffs are groovey, but don't hypnotize and bore into your head like those on previous albums. So they're not catchy and memorable. Now, I've bashed the album quite a bit, but it's really not bad. It's almost like the band took their thrash metal experiments as far as it can go and decided to try something different. The result is some kind of post-thrash groove metal that bears resemblance to nu-metal and Pantera. Grin manages to be several levels above either of those two because the psychedelic rock that was present through all previous albums is more prominent than ever. Also, Tommy T. Baron is a better guitarist than Dimebag. There, I said it.

Finally

The only thing anyone can complain about Coroner is that they always had rather lackluster production values. They always seemd thin and a bit hazy. However, the one hugely positive aspect of the production is that all the instruments are audible and distinct. We know Tommy T. Baron is a phenominal and hugely underrated guitarist, but the bass playing from Ron Royce is completely bananas. He generally follows the guitar lines; but the guitar lines are so twisted and crazy that mimicking them on a bass is marvelous feat on it's own. Being able to hear the bass lines is quite the treat.

The only other thing someone might have a problem with is the vocals. They are performed by the bassist, Ron Royce. It's not half bad. He sounds like a modified version of Tom G. Warrior of Celtic Frost. They are still rather monotonous and lack variety. Other than that, Coroner is a perfect band that everyone should give a listen to.