R.I.P.

"R.I.P." is the debut full-length studio album by Swiss thrash metal act Coroner. The album was released through Noise Records in June 1987. The original vinyl version of the album featured 12 tracks while later CD versions feature the bonus track "Spiral Dream" (which features lyrics penned by Tom G. Warrior from Celtic Frost).

The music on "R.I.P." is relatively technical thrash metal. If you consider the time it was released and compare it to other thrash metal releases from 1987, it´s in fact a very technically well played thrash metal album. In many ways it´s a typical eighties European thrash metal release with aggressive raw vocals, a high energy level, cathy thrashy riffing and song titles like "Suicide Command" and "Fried Alive". However a closer examination of the music reveals a level of sophistication that not many of their contemporaries could muster. While the whole three-piece act are very well playing it´s guitarist Tommy T. Baron who stands out the most with his blistering guitar solos and occasional neo-classical leanings (check out the instrumental "Nosferatu"). There is a light fusion influence in the way the rhythm section play that´s pretty original for the time too.

"R.I.P." was produced by Harris Johns and Coroner and features a powerful and well sounding production that brings out the best in the tracks. If it hadn´t been for the more conventional sounding elements on the album "R.I.P." would have been a killer technical thrash metal release. I do feel the band should have avoided some of the most awkward tempo changes and thrash metal cliches if I should have rated the album with a full 4 star (80%) rating, so a 3.5 star (70%) rating is warranted. "R.I.P." was a very promising start to an artistically great career though.

(Originally posted on Metal Music Archives)

A high quality technical thrash metal release which doesn't quite venture into the experimental territory Coroner would get into later in their career but does the job of establishing them as a credible force. A mild Hellhammer/Celtic Frost influence can be detected, particularly in Ron Royce's vocals - no surprise considering the band's origins as roadies for Tom G. Warrior's band of outlaws - but they do a decent enough job of carving out their own identity as the album progresses that this mild homage can be forgiven. Through the basic but acceptable production on the album Tommy T. Baron's lead guitar comes off the best, so fans of his playing definitely shouldn't pass this one up.

4.5 - Excellent debut Coroner is easily one of the most underappreciated thrash bands of the 80's. With R.I.P. Coroner began their career with an excellent album. The band members using their virtuosic capabilities made one of the first technical thrash metal albums and certainly one of the few thrash albums also combining neo-classical shred metal. R.I.P. is a defining debut and also a criminally underrated thrash classic that should be mentioned with the greats of thrash.

R.I.P. sounds like no other thrash album I have heard besides Coroner's follow up Punishment For Decadence. On R.I.P. Coroner play high speed neo- classical tinged thrash riffs with virtuosic leads and solos. The tempo is almost entirely fast paced throughout except on the interludes. An intro a few interludes and an outro give R.I.P. some variety and a nice melodic atmosphere. R.I.P. uses a guitar picking style I have only heard on a few other thrash albums mainly Destructions Eternal Devastation and Coroners next album Punishment For Decadence. The sole instrumental Nosferatu is a clinic in neo-classical shredding and definitely would not sound out of place on an Yngwie J.Malmsteen album albeit the much higher rhythm speeds.

The band's performance is excellent throughout R.I.P. Ron Royce's vocals is the low point for R.I.P. and all of Coroner's future releases he sounds like an early incarnation of death metal growls with a more shouting thrash metal style. Fortunately his bass playing is excellent and his playing style has a similar sound to Steve Harris of Iron Maiden instead of following the guitars he sounds like another lead guitar except lower. Tommy T. Baron's guitar playing is easily the highlight of the album he is extremely underrated and has a very unique style that's all his own. The drummer Marquis Marky is quite good changing rhythm frequently with the guitars and provides many fills and fast double kick bass for the time.

The downsides to this album are few but they are definitely noticeable. The production is the typical raw European thrash style with a murky sound and a very quiet volume. While the interludes are entertaining and useful for atmosphere purposes they could have been combined into the actual songs themselves instead adding more tracks to the album. Finally the second half is definitely weaker it sounds like Coroner ran out of ideas and decided to just repeat the formula from the first half albeit less solid.

Overall R.I.P. is a classic technical thrash assault that is almost always overlooked. Best songs are Reborn Through Hate, When Angels Die, Nosferatu, Suicide Command, and Coma. I highly recommend R.I.P. to any person who wants an excellent piece of technical thrash from Europe.