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.