Coroner is back in action!
Thirty-two years after their last album, the band led by Ron Royce (bass/vocals), Tommy T. Baron (guitar, 69 Chambers, ex-Kreator, ex-Tar Pond) and Diego Rapacchietti (drums, 69 Chambers, ex-Paganini) has signed with Century Media Records to announce Dissonance Theory, their sixth album.
The band takes the time to open the doors to its universe with Oxymoron, a rather dark and disturbing introduction that leads to the complex Consequence, where the guitar riffs quickly become heady while the rhythm section prepares to charge. The groovy basis is immediately catchy, and the arrival of the vocals only reinforces its striking power, sometimes oriented towards dissonant tones thanks to the leads, but we also note a calmer break before the return to violence, but also to complexity before Sacrificial Lamb envelops us in its misty veil. Once again, the track takes a moment to reveal its true identity, which is heavier and more oppressive, but also quite jerky, albeit majestic, when samples enhance the sound before adopting melodious heavy touches on the leads and then leading us to Crisium Bound, which plays the mystery card before striking in turn with a massive sound. The sharp harmonics are obviously part of the plan, but it’s worth noting that the band is slightly more reserved on this track, as evidenced by the intoxicating break followed by a truly soaring passage before the final, which leads into the aggressive Symmetry. The riffs are quickly projected at full speed, but we find the same desire for melodious dissonance in the choruses as well as the more raw passages, then The Law softens the mood with its light introduction, followed by an effective groove that blends perfectly with the band’s more elaborate elements. The acceleration will undoubtedly make us bang our heads before chanting the chorus again, followed by Transparent Eye, which returns to slightly more Old School and abrasive touches, but also to a few slightly more experimental and intriguing passages that make it unpredictable and sometimes even accessible. We continue with Trinity, which keeps a dynamic balance between energy and technicality while incorporating truly intense moments between grandiose samples and piercing solos, but the melancholic final leads to Renewal, where the band doesn’t give us a moment to catch our breath, stringing together furious patterns without forgetting the majestic elements. The track is probably one of the most unifying on the album, but it is forced to give way to Prolonging, which easily hypnotizes us, gently leading us to the haunting keyboard and then to the final moments of the album.
The legendary Coroner has more than one trick up its sleeve, and it proves it by making Dissonance Theory one of the most anticipated albums of the year. Between groovy violence and highly crafted passages, the band has clearly not lost its touch.
80/100
