R.I.P. is the debut album by Technical Thrash trio Coroner, one of the most sadly overlooked bands in a crowded genre. It was released in 1987, just one year after their first and only demo (
Death Cult), which featured not only the three band members but also Tom Warrior from Celtic Frost on vocals. R.I.P. marks a progression on the style displayed on their demo, emphazising on aggressive riffs, unconventional patterns and great musicianship.
This album and Coroner as a band, however, depart from the classical Thrash approach to create a more technical and twisted branch of the genre. Tommy Vetterli is an amazing guitarist and he proves that on the album, especially on the instrumental
Nosferatu, with his breakneck riffs and solos. His technical and one of a kind stlye of playing defines, along with Ron Broder’s prodigious bass skills, the sound of this record. Speaking of the bass, it’s one of the high points of the album, it’s clearly audible and the lines are quite original. Add to this duo the work of Markus Edelmann on drums, and the killing formula is completed.
Production wise,
R.I.P. is not easy to digest. While it certainly shows an improvement compared to
Death Cult, the rawness that characterizes the album and the somewhat muddy sound could put off some listeners. However, the typical Thrash listener will not find this any hassle. Plus, the mix is very balanced and allows the focus to be settled on the impressive musicianship. Ron Broder’s vocals mixes with this elements flowlessly, with his raspy and interesting growls.
Something that always distinguished Coroner was their consistency, on their discography and within the albums. This is not the exception, as most of the songs have something to offer. Despite this,
R.I.P. seems at certain points to be an unfocused album, even if the songs themselves are all great. Coroner would improve later on this, getting only better and better with the run of time, but it’s worth considering that not everything was perfect from the start.
In brief, this the first big step of Coroner into the Thrash Metal scene, and it’s certainly a successful one. It marks the roots of an always progressing band. Not as groundbreaking as some of the band’s later albums, but undoubtedly a great effort for being the debut which would boost Coroner further into technical territories, called to be the ultimate Technical Thrash band.
