Swiss stalwarts Coroner continue to defy time with the release of their first new full length studio album in more than three decades, Dissonance Theory.
What sprouted from the seed of the band's 2011 reunion would begin to fruit in 2015, when the veteran unit enlisted new blood in drummer, Diego Rapacchietti. While reintroducing essential albums from their cannon in the live setting like Punishment for Decadence, No More Color and Mental Vortex, generations of fans had the opportunity to either relive that blitz or experience it for the first time.
The renewed charge of stepping onstage again, combined with the the lifelong itch to create compelled Coroner architect Tommy Vetterli to consider what the modern iteration of Coroner could sound like. And while the revival had no intention of evolving beyond the stage and a legacy set, Vetterli found it impossible to rest on his laurels.
“I started sketching ideas around 2015, but never found the mental space to focus fully. Life kept getting in the way — short bursts of progress, then long interruptions. Running my own recording studio means I ’m constantly producing other bands while managing the studio’s demands. After nine-hour days recording or mixing, there’s not much creative energy left at night. The actual recording sessions didn‘t kick off until June 2023 — and even those got interrupted multiple times for the same reasons."
Vetterli continued, “I thought a lot about what Coroner should sound like today — but I pretty quickly realized that looking backwards would’t serve us. What’s past is past. So much time has passed, and we’re not the same people. Just like we didn‘t care about trends back then, we didn’t try to make this record for anyone but ourselves. We weren’t trying to continue a legacy — we were just trying to create something honest and present."
Chipping away at what would become an album more than a generation in the making and at least a decade in executuon, Coroner's eventual return underscores both legqacy and continued mastery. Across the 10-tracks of Dissonance Theory, Coroner's distinct brand of destruction is on full display, asserting elite level songwriting and an enduring heft that is evergreen.
Bridging style and substance, Tommy Vetterli submitted a track-by-track breakdown of Dissonance Theory, offering the kind of commentary that connects the dots between idea and execution. A testament to the band's durability and their continued commitment to their craft, the modern era of Coroner serves well in harkening their roots, while exploring new plateaus despite being away for decades.
OXYMORON
Vetterli - As the album’s opening piece, this track introduces its underlying tension; laying the groundwork for the psychological friction that define the concept of cognitive dissonance.
CONSEQUENCE
Vetterli - Consequence is our take on the madness of modern progress. What began as a technical track turned into a reflection about where blind innovation can lead us.
SACRIFICIAL LAMB
Vetterli - This one looks into the mind of a mass murderer; their distorted way of thinking and how they justify what they do. The lyrics show someone who sees their violence as a kind of sacrifice, convinced they’re serving a higher cause.
CRISIUM BOUND
Vetterli - Crisium Bound tells the story of Jack Parsons, his passion for progress but also the strange mix of science and magicthat defined him. He was a key figure in early space exploration, but also deeply drawn to the occult.
SYMMETRY
Vetterli - This track is about vanity, ego, and how self-obsession can be destructive. That idea shaped the way we played it too. Symmetry gave us room to explore, and with the rhythmic dimension Diego brings, it pushed us further than we’ve gone before.
THE LAW
Vetterli - The Law is about ultimate power - one voice that decides everything. No morality, no empathy, just pure authority and control.
TRANSPARENT EYE
Vetterli - Here, Emerson’s concept of the “transparent eyeball” - becoming one with everything - was our inspiration. Seeing without bias or judgment and reaching a state of pure perception and clarity.
TRINITY
Vetterli - Trinity looks at the creation of the atomic bomb and its impact. It reflects on Oppenheimer and the Manhattan Project, the light, the glass, the destruction; and the weight of what humanity unleashed.
RENEWAL
Vetterli - Renewal might be the last track on the album, but it was the first single that was released and therefore opened the chapter for what became the first Coroner album I’m fully satisfied with, start to finish. The track itself has a sense of destruction and rebirth, facing chaos head-on and focusing on what’s left to rebuild.
PROLONGING
Vetterli - The outro brings the album full circle, revisiting its core ideas of dissonance, resolution, and acceptance.
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Dissonance Theory, the new album from Coroner is now available via Century Media Records. Order the album - HERE
