NO MORE COLOR - 1989 / CORONER

Nueva publicación en METAL HAMMER ESPAÑA, en este caso una crítica del tercer trabajo de los suizos CORONER, NO MORE COLOR.

Como siempre, enlace aquí mismo y traducción al inglés a continuación.

NO MORE COLOR - 1989 / CORONER - METAL HAMMER ESPAÑA

Gracias por leer!

ENGLISH

New post on METAL HAMMER ESPAÑA, this time a review of Switzerland's CORONER third album, NO MORE COLOR.

As usual, link to the website right here and english translation below.

NO MORE COLOR - 1989 / CORONER - METAL HAMMER ESPAÑA

LABEL: NOISE RECORDS

RELEASE DATE: 18th of September, 1989

MEMBERS:

TOMMY T. BARON (THOMAS VETTERLI) - Guitar

MARQUIS MARKY (MARKUS EDELMANN) - Drums

RON BRODER (RON ROYCE) - Voice, Bass

TRACKS:

DIE BY MY HAND

NO NEED TO BE HUMAN

READ MY SCARS

D.O.A.

MISTRESS OF DECEPTION

TUNNEL OF PAIN

WHY IT HURTS

LAST ENTERTAINMENT

VIDEOS:

NO MORE COLOR

D.O.A.

LAST ENTERTAINMENT

Old school Coroner. From left to right, 
Vetterli, Royce and Edelmann

Coroner are a pretty peculiar ensemble. Because of their unusual musical perception and because of a more than weird career path.

Concerning the former, Coroner stand out for their brand of avant-garde thrash metal on three outstanding records (their first three, but mostly the second and the third): R.I.P. (1987), PUNISHMENT FOR DECADENCE (1988) and No More Color, which is the one I'm about to review, released in 1989. That style evolved towards simpler and more affordable for a broader audience pastures on MENTAL VORTEX (1991) and, above all, on GRIN (1993), although none of those previous tags applies to summarize this band or any of its albums. To top it all off, Coroner had the ace up their sleeve which having someone like THOMAS VETTERLI on their ranks meant, being a musician way ahead most of his peers on the six strings when it comes to talk about technical proficiency. Truly a flurry of notes. Both details could help simplifying the whole thing if we talk about Coroner as some kind of european answer to Canada's VOIVOD, and to a certain extent, the comparison works, but more due to the original musical offer of both than to the scarce similarities between them or their axemen (the late PIGGY, in Voivod's case). But anyway, both bands shared the NOISE roster and also producer (the legendary HARRIS JOHNS), back in the day, and both their drummers, MARQUIS MARKY and AWAY, respectively, were (are) the ones who took over the artwork, etc, so that's some food for thought.

As for the latter, Coroner turned out to be even weirder. There is their early connection with the also swiss CELTIC FROST, their first incarnation only with Marky, together with another four musicians, and also its early disbandment (after the demo DEPTH OF HELL, 1983), only for Coroner to become (already with Vetterli and the bassist and singer RON ROYCE) soon after the unchanging entity they were for many years. But even stranger is the fact that the aforementioned Grin is, as of today, their last studio record. Needless to say, this wouldn't be anything out of the ordinary had they called it a day forever, but the funny thing is that they disbanded back in 1996 (after those five studio albums and a steady lineup) to get together again many years after, in 2010, and it's been almost another fifteen years ever since, working as a band, touring and all, but without a very long awaited sixth studio work in the cards. During the first four years of that new era Coroner were still the same three musicians, until 2014, when another musician from Switzerland, called DIEGO RAPACCHIETTI, replaced Marquis on drums. This left Coroner with no original members, although Royce and Vetterli have been in the band since the mid eighties.

Current Coroner: Rapacchietti on the right

The guys from Zurich had already shown their chops with the debut album, but mostly with the flawless Punishment For Decadence, an achievement difficult to surpass which they at least managed to match with No More Color and its blend of aggression, technical skill and tons of tempo changes. This record was produced by PETE HINTON and, as fun fact, it needs to be said it also had the contribution of the legendary SCOTT BURNS, who was in charge of the mixing.

The cover, like every other Coroner front cover (barring R.I.P.), showed the band's logo with the members names and was once again handled by Marquis. On it, a black and white picture can be seen (a reference, perhaps, to the album's title), which depicts a man with the face hidden between his hands, as in desperation. This has a lot to do with depression, one of the usual subjects to be found in the band's lyrics, but the irresistible opening of the first track, DIE BY MY HAND, invite the listeners to everything but depressing themselves. Royce's bass and the drums increase their volume while Vetterli wages his own war with a sonic waterfall that leads to a riff which is mandatory when is time to understand why we are so fond of this kind of music. A true statement of intent. Said riff comes back again after the first refrain, and also as the prelude to almost forty seconds of guitar solo in which Vetterli abuses his guitar neck like there was no tomorrow.

NO NEED TO BE HUMAN is wider ranging and longer than the previous song, always within the brevity of the record (no song gets to run as long as five minutes). It is surprising, anyway, how so many things happen in so little time. The mid paced main riff is quite adventurous and removed from the standards of the genre (this and the dystopian lyrics make me think that, after all, those comparisons between this band and Voivod might be more evident than what I had deemed possible at first), in my opinion, but the best thing about this song are all those little deviations that cluster from that riff, among which we can find speed changes, clean guitars and more guitar acrobatics.

Those were the days...

The beginning of READ MY SCARS reminds me of something that could be heard on the famed AND JUSTICE FOR ALL, by METALLICA, from the previous year. Something similar to the opening riffs of tracks like THE SHORTEST STRAW or HARVESTER OF SORROW, and it has a more mundane main riff, although equally great. Coroner wait no time in distancing themselves from any convention or comparison, and leave a completely filled to the brim instrumental midsection which was already bound for glory.

D.O.A. is quite insane, speedy and frantic, although Marquis' relentless hitting, together with the weird riff during the sung parts might make you think that the band is almost careening out of control, but without never losing the tightness which is expected from musicians like these. What I like the most are those short and furious galloping moments which take place between the already mentioned parts.

Side B begins ruthlessly with MISTRESS OF DECEPTION and a more regular and in your face thrash dosage, more or less in the vein of what is to be found in the opening song or in Read My Scars. As expected, Vetterli will soon find the way to turn all heads in his direction and one can easily fathom someone like JEFF WATERS, close to make his debut with the soon very famous ANNIHILATOR, paying close attention to the work of this exceptional guitarrist.

Just in case the proficiency that the three musicians have showed so far is wasn't enough, Royce insists on becoming Vetterli at the beginning of TUNNEL OF PAIN, with a lightning fast bass riff replicated by Vetterli himself and Marquis' double bass drum work. The bassist and singer leaves more traces of his chops on the four strings and, at the risk of becoming redundant, I have to highlight another instrumental part in which the wide range of musical landscapes and resources on display make us think that maybe we are listening to another different song.

WHY IT HURTS is more of the same while, at the same time, completely different. A second and entirely different tune seems to take place during a great deal of the song's second half, until the most familiar features of the first come back. But beware, nothing to do with the aptly titled closing number, LAST ENTERTAINMENT, the weirdest song of them all. This track very often features distressing synths which are mimicked by Vetterli, while the voice (not sure whether is still Royce's or it is Marquis who is in charge now) depicts from afar, without singing, some kind of violent performance. In this sense, the song's last sentences (Charge yourself during scenes of dying. You will buy again, cause boredom creates hunger) are really in tune with the whole feeling. Apart from that, there are faster sections, some more clean guitars of even some nod to BLACK SABBATH. As odd as brilliant.

Vetterli, the unsung guitar god

This album was recorded in West Berlin (SKY TRAK STUDIO), as was usually the norm with Noise's productions during the eighties, although the Wall was very close to fall. This event was celebrated by Coroner themselves taking the stage of the Werner Seelenbinder Halle (East Berlin), along with their roster mates SABBAT, TANKARD and KREATOR, on the fourth of March, 1990, defining all four bands the bill of that legendary festival called THRASHING EAST. Europe and World's history closed a very important chapter and Coroner began the nineties thinking about going on with their sonic experiments. Mental Vortex would come next.

Cheers!