Just who is in charge now?
Being aware of this band and its status without actually taking the time to sit down with its highly regarded classic material in a style that I’ve always considered interesting might sound weird to some (because it is), but my true starting point with the Swiss legends Coroner has indeed been Dissonance Theory.
“Renewal” was my introduction to this record, being a single released before the full album dropped, and I initially found it to be merely okay-ish, with its slightly repetitive patterns poking through a chilly, albeit quite uniquely satisfying, atmospheric haze. I wasn’t floored, and it didn’t feel like I would be coming back to it, but certain algorithms seemed to have a different idea, so “Renewal” was basically pushed onto me again, and the depths of its dissonant riff architecture started opening up. While I still feel that “Renewal” could actually be the “worst” track off this album, it was interesting enough to make me check out the rest of the songs with growing excitement, as it set a precedent for what was about to follow.
Dissonance Theory does indeed require and deserve your attention to fully unfold the scope of its qualities. There are elements that impress from the get-go, like the super-creative lead guitar work ticking all the right boxes (with a glorious, spacious tone to boot), the gloomy power of the slick rhythm guitar, and some eccentric, tasty drumming intensifying the heavy, oppressive feel of the record. But the real meat of this opus lies within the stellar songwriting ideas these veterans present here, which somehow manage to wrap reasonable familiarity and stout avant-gardism into a cohesive, uniform package.
Said avant-gardisms tend to be connected by a bunch of more plain, blue-collar-type guitar riffs that might not always sound entirely original, almost as if the writers had been off the radar for a few decades, which is TRUE and actually makes the experience all the more charming, since the last Coroner album was released over thirty years ago and the will to showcase what they’re still capable of, is omnipresent, with the confidence in their abilities resonating through every note played on this record.
Each individual song on Dissonance Theory displays some absolutely brilliant moments (be it the live down-tuning action of the Meshuggah-like chug in “Transparent Eye”, the almost upbeat, ascending guitar run in the pre-verses of the otherworldly “Trinity”, or the steady, quirky thrashing rush of “Consequences”) that enforce plenty of repeat-button pushing. All nested within a stellar production job, holding a firm fit for every instrument and the homogeneous but memorable barking vocals to sink into, there’s a slight industrial itchiness scratching the clean, thick layer of clinical heaviness, making the whole experience and dissonant elements even more peculiar. Though what Tommy Vetterli does in his progressive-tinged lead guitar sections might just be the biggest highlight on top of an already impressive oeuvre, with his fingers ejecting thrash, progressive, and power metal vibes all at once, it’s like a colder, more clinical approach to what’s been offered by Friedman & Skolnick throughout the years and by no means less virtuoso.
I’m certain that Dissonance Theory will have an impact on this year’s best album rankings, and many of those who shall put this on a pedestal are certainly gonna be new fans like yours truly. Coming from a novice background in all things Coroner, this record will turn many heads with its flamboyant mix of old-school thrash, industrial tinges, and modern progressive elements that just feel palpably unique; this fresh take on a genre will reward vigilant listeners greatly. I’m not yet qualified to tell you whether the old guard is able to embrace this album as much as I do, but I’m already curious what to expect as I embark on the quest to exhume the ancient classics of these Swiss legends.
https://www.facebook.com/coronerband
91/100
Total Score
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