Dissonance Theory
Coroner
A thirty-two-year gap between studio albums gives people plenty of time to decide what a band should sound like. Coroner don't seem especially concerned with meeting every version of that expectation. Dissonance Theory brings back the technical playing and difficult rhythms, with a heavier tone and enough clear songwriting to make the return worthwhile.
Consequence is a good example of how the album works. The groove gives you something solid to follow, while the guitar parts keep changing the picture around it. The complexity has a physical quality. You can enjoy the rhythm without needing to work out exactly what everybody is doing.
That balance runs through much of the record. The vocals are rougher and the guitars lower than some listeners may remember, but the arrangements still have the precision associated with Coroner. The playing is demanding without feeling as though the band have forgotten about the listener.
Crisium Bound takes the progressive side further. Its shifts have enough purpose to keep the song moving, and the different sections feel related. Technical metal can become a series of impressive events placed next to each other. Coroner are good at making the transitions part of the attraction.
Prolonging adds a different colour through the keyboards, bringing a less expected texture into the heavy framework. Those small changes matter. The album has room for atmosphere and melody alongside the more punishing material, and the instruments don't all have to fill the same space.
This is still a return built on an established identity. Anyone expecting a complete reinvention after the long absence may find it more of a continuation. The heavier contemporary sound also changes the character of the music, even when the underlying approach is familiar.
But the songs make a strong case for that choice. Dissonance Theory sounds carefully built, with confident performances and details worth following. Coroner have returned with music that gives their ability a clear purpose. After this much time away, that's a far more useful result than simply reminding everyone how fast they can play.
