Coroner - Punishment For Decadence review
| Band: | Coroner |
| Album: | Punishment For Decadence |
| Style: | Technical thrash metal |
| Release date: | 1988 |
| Guest review by: | Chainer |
01. Intro
02. Absorbed
03. Masked Jackal
04. Arc-Lite
05. Skeleton On Your Shoulder
06. Sudden Fall
07. Shadow Of A Lost Dream
08. The New Breed
09. Voyage To Eternity
10. Purple Haze [Jimi Hendrix cover]
Switzerland's thrash triplet Coroner are underappreciated, and their 1988 release Punishment for Decadence is no exception. An album composed in the classic 80's thrash style, Punishment for Decadence has all the makings of a great album. Every element of this album screams good old thrash. T. T. Baron's blistering solos and technical acrobatics are more than memorable on each and every track, in addition to standouts like the neck snapping speed of "Arc Light." Marquis Mark's drumming is powerful and tight, laying a solid backdrop for Royce's strong, if slightly under amplified, vocals. The sophomore effort saw a move from the blood and guts of R.I.P. to more political and personal lyrical content. The transition suits the band well, Royce literally spits venom with almost tangible aggression on tracks "Masked Jackal" and "Sudden Fall." To cap it all off, an over the top cover of Jimi Hendrix's "Purple Haze" ends things on a high (no pun intended) note.
On the production side, the album sounds just like you would expect and album recorded in the 80's to sound. Rough, raw, and unpolished are accurate descriptions, but this isn't necessarily a bad thing. It fits the whole 80's thrash vibe, but if you haven't realized times have changed. While the old school production sounds good in context, Royce's vocals could be a bit louder, and like other old thrash, the bass is nigh inaudible. All in all it would be unfair to judge Punishment for Decadence as just a "good old days" album as it still listens like a solid record today. In closing, listen to Coroner, if not for their historical significance as being in the lineage of the mighty Thomas Gabriel Fischer, than at least because it's good technical thrash that will leave you with a smile on your face wishing it was still 1988.
Rating breakdown
| Performance: | 8 |
| Songwriting: | 9 |
| Originality: | 7 |
| Production: | 8 |
Written by Chainer | 21.10.2010
Guest review disclaimer:
This is a guest review, which means it does not necessarily represent the point of view of the MS Staff.
This is a guest review, which means it does not necessarily represent the point of view of the MS Staff.
Comments
Comments: 10
Visited by: 100 users
| Richard Elite Posts: 4862  |
Described accurately, and judged and rated fairly, this is a good review. Coroner are probably indeed generally underappreciated overall.
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| pazuzuovbabel Pazuzu Posts: 302  |
I agree about what you said in the Review, but i believe 7.8 is very low for such a masterpiece record from the era it comes. I would give this rating if that album came nowadays, but when you look at its historical significance, it deserve higher. I hope that with their reunion At Hellfest 2011 will bring them the attention they deserve. 
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| Chainer Witch Hunter Gen Posts: 172  |
Written by pazuzuovbabel on 23.10.2010 at 08:19 I agree with you, believe me. I thought about an 8, but it would be unfair to rate the album as if it was 1988. Had this been written about 5-7 years earlier I think it might have been higher, but albums are not rated on how good they were when they were released, the are rated in the context of when the review is written. I also hope your right about Hellfest. They sounded like if things go well another album could possibly be in the future. So lets all keep our fingers crossed.
---- Written by Dangerboner on 02.11.2009 at 08:11
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| Candlemass Defaeco Posts: 828  |
Ahhh...in my book it gets at least 8.5. It is a beautiful fusion of some of there neo-classical influence with thrash metal. Also I like for the vocals for the evil tone  Songwriting is great too!
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| tea[m]ster Au Pays Natal Contributor Posts: 5266  |
Nice review, I especially agree with you on the production - The mixing isn't the best but maybe it was intended? Here's hoping Coroner's reunion show gets them some well deserved attention!
---- rekt
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| Chainer Witch Hunter Gen Posts: 172 |
Written by tea[m]ster on 16.11.2010 at 02:28 Thanks! I'm not so sure about the mixing, but you might be right, who knows why it was mixed the way it is? Also I do hope that their appearance at Hellfest will motivate them to crank maybe just one more album, and possibly more live performances. .....Not that I'll ever get to see them..... Damn you Europe, you have no idea how lucky you metal heads are....
---- Written by Dangerboner on 02.11.2009 at 08:11
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| AndMetalForAll kual21 Posts: 314  |
Agree with your review, but tend to disagree with the score I think it would be more suitable a better score, I give it a 9 it marked a change in the band's musical direction, it doesn't has the quatlity of the classic Mental Vortex but it is still a great album. Congratulations for the review!
---- greets, kual21
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| Bad English Tage Westerlund Posts: 62004  |
About sond actually its good 80's sound , abit monu, old school studio, no digital, all was jammed and then re recordet. Today music is shared in files and use guitar programs to compose it, nonm sits n jams, so I miss that day music most of it.
---- I stand whit Ukraine and Israel. They have right to defend own citizens. Stormtroopers of Death - "Speak English or Die"  I better die, because I never will learn speek english, so I choose dieing
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| sgtrobo Posts: 593  |
7.8 is an abomination. This is one of the greatest technical thrash albums in metal.
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| JoHn Doe Posts: 5084  |
Nice review, now I want to find some time for some Coroner. 
---- I thought the two primary purposes for the internet were cat memes and overreactions.
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