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Coroner Mental Vortex
Label: Noise International
Catalog#: N 0177-2
Format: CD, Album
Country: Germany
Released: 1991
Genre: Thrash, Heavy Metal
Track list:
1 Divine Step (Conspectu Mortis) 6:22
2 Son Of Lilith 6:53
3 Semtex Revolution 5:30
4 Sirens 5:35
5 Metamorphosis 5:32
6 Pale Sister 4:55
7 About Life 5:18
8 I Want You (Shes So Heavy) 7:14 Written-By Lennon-McCartney (The Beatles cover)
Length 47:22
Bass Ron Royce
Drums Marquis Marky
Guitar Tommy T. Baron
Vocals Ron Royce
Recorded at Sky Trak Studio, Berlin (April and June 1991)
Mixed at Morrisound, Tampa (Florida)
Barcode: 4 006030 017724
Matrix Number: CDT-BERLIN MOD N 0177-2 01
Released August 12, 1991
Recorded April-June 1991 at Sky Trak Studio, Berlin
Genre Thrash metal, progressive metal
video review:
5.0 out of 5 stars Certainly the most overlooked band,
One of the best albums of that fabulous Swiss band. Certainly the best band in the ‘techno-thrash’ genre. This is heavy ‘progressive stuff’ with incredibly heavy riffs and melodic solos.
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Mental Vortex is the fourth album of the Swiss thrash metal trio Coroner. It is probably their most progressive and mature achievement and marks an improvement in the production compared to their first three albums. It features a cover of the song “I Want You (Shes So Heavy)” (originally by The Beatles).
-The sample at the end of “Semtex Revolution” is JFK, from the movie Moonstruck.
-Semtex is a type of plastic explosive.
-One of the samples is from the film Hellbound: Hellraiser II.
-The intro on “Divine Step” (the “Emergency Room intro”) is from the movie Reanimator.
-Lilith is a female demon of the Mesopotamian mythology.
-The cover image is a modified photograph of Anthony Perkins as Norman Bates in the 1960 Alfred Hitchcock film Psycho.
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Coroner’s unorthodox approach to thrash metal had been turning heads and opening minds with their every release, and with album number four, 1991s Mental Vortex, the band arguably reached their creative peak. Widely regarded as their greatest achievement, Mental Vortex was the culmination of three increasingly unique and experimental albums which saw the Swiss trio (much like their early mentors, Celtic Frost) quickly moving away from the everyday trappings of thrash metal into unpredictable avant-thrash territory. In the process, unbridled speed and aggression were replaced by highly technical and unconventional songwriting, so that by this time, only singer Ron Rosss deathly grunts remotely linked the band to their primitive origins. Indeed, mind-bending excursions like “Divine Step (Conspectu Mortis),” “Sirens,” and “Metamorphosis” defy the boundaries of heavy metal, flirting with jazz and progressive rock in equal measures while rarely approaching offensive levels of self-indulgence, thanks to their tight-knit, focused arrangements. As usual, six-string alchemist Tommy T. Baron leads the way, enriching his already-remarkable repertoire by combining his angular riffs and fluid, inventive lead work in seemingly impossible ways. And their controversial reading of the Beatles’ “I Want You (Shes So Heavy),” which brings the proceedings to a close, remains perhaps the ultimate testament to Coroners fearless drive, helping to certify Mental Vortex as an extreme metal landmark.
About this album:
The band, newly founded in 1985 in the orbit of Celtic Frost , had earned the reputation of being a slightly different Thrash band with their first three records. The technical, sometimes somewhat unconventional approach, the playful ability and the ability to think outside the box of stylistic boundaries earned Coroner the reputation of being something like the ” rush of Thrash Metal”. The increasingly complex sound was subject to constant change. This was really noticeable on “Mental Vortex”, which for many fans is seen as the highlight of the band’s discography.
For the first time, the dynamic thrashing sound was pushed in a more progressive direction, in which you could definitely find elements from the directions of classical, avant-garde, prog, jazz and industrial. Since traditional Thrash Metal was about to be on the decline, Coroner did exactly the right thing and gave themselves a little more artistic touch. Music, lyrics and artwork went hand in hand and the overall result is still pretty interesting today.
With the opening act “Divine Step (Censpectu Mortis)” the trio made an impact. 7 minutes long, sample intro, machine riffing and rolling dums in the modern staccato sound á la prong , before it gets thrashy and the familiar, nasty vocals begin. Actually a straight track, until an interesting, clear instrumental part follows, which lets the listener slide into other spheres. A trick, because you perform more often on “Mental Vortex”. Most of the time the band sounds unbelievably casual despite the edgy and hard sound, which is mainly due to the guitar playing of Tommy Vetterli, who performs numerous special pieces here. Just take the hacking and surprisingly catchy “Son Of Lilith” or “Semtex Revolution” with his to the Krupps remembering refrain.
The latter is not just one of the album highlights. No, here Coroner also show that Groove Metal or Neo Thrash that later became popular doesn’t necessarily have to sound exaggeratedly hard and like thick pants. The same is done with “Sirens”, only sounding a little darker and colder. “Metamorphis” is a bit more progressive, but still quite catchy. The band finally shoots the bird with the Beatles cover “I Want You (She’s So Heavy)”. Actually, you stick to the original, even keeping the bluesy note. Nevertheless, one makes the number more and more one’s own, bar by bar. Very cool.
“Mental Vortex” has aged well and is still popular today. Anyone interested in the technical or progressive department of Thrash Metal should definitely know this thing!
full album, all 8 songs:
The best thing to do to start the day was to get this album out. He was guiding me to work with a smile as if I had had a corn flake for breakfast with dopamine.
This Swiss trio is a master in “riffeo” and dynamics with transitions between thrashing gallop and “speed with charms” well guide you … although here, compared to previous albums, “they dropped two”. The rhythmic base blows my mind. Each change and parade of inopportune cadences – but very precise – end up making all the sense in the world and keep your brain on high … Alzheimer free.
Regarding the guitar aspect, apart from taking the singing voice to pure riff, the guitarist buzzes his good solos and accommodates even neoclassical brushstrokes here and there with a clear power.
On this album they cover the Beatles (I Want You -She’s so Heavy) that, although it sounds strange – rather because of the vocal – it actually triples. I really like how they integrate the guitar in the doomy wave that in itself permeates the original song and the solo is very good. Also, listening to the band in another context is super interesting (they had already done Purple Haze) and it works for me.
Personally, No More Color is the one for the sweetie, but this device for me is timeless. It is a jewel of the genre and the penultimate of the band. A looooong group today emulating what Coroner did 30 years ago … and how good!
Coroner- Mental Vortex (1991) intelligent, technical, proggy and very dynamic trash is … what moves me today!
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