Punishment for Decadence

After the classic R.I.P, it would be hard for Coroner, a band so technically and skillfully superior to most other thrash bands to top their first album. While they were a thrash band, much like your Megadeth's, Kreator's and Artillery's, they had their own agenda and being your typical "thrash, beer, mosh" band was not really what their music represented. You should also know that it's not their skill or technicality than win you over, it's their uncanny knack of being musical geniuses in the song writing department.

So with Punishment For Decadence we are subjected to a lot of the same from Coroner, classically inspired riff and solo mind rape. The leads consist of a wonderful mix of thrashy riffing with some serious neoclassical shred. All coming from Tommy T. Baron. The music is very complex, technical and consistent, getting bored is pretty hard when listening to this album. "Absorbed" starts the album off in a super manner with their typical spiraling, exuberant, riffing. Great track. After hearing "Nosferatu" on their first album they follow that up with yet another superb instrumental called "Arc-Lite," which showcases again how high a level of musicality the band has.

They like to start their songs nice and easy before quickly leading into brilliantly written, exciting verse-chorus assaults. "Skeleton On Your Shoulder" seems to stand out as it's super memorable and easier to digest than some of the other songs. But, the other songs are easily as good and perhaps take more time to grow on you. You cannot make out most of the lyrics without the lyric sheet, even worse on this album as they are faded more than before but, Royce's vocals are much the same, strained and unusual. They actually grow on you a bit in a somewhat hysterical way. As a bassist, Royce is no mug either as evident during the solo of "Skeleton On Your Shoulder." Throughout the album he keeps up with the rhythm of the leads. Now, this is a trio and Coroner would not be Coroner without the drummer Marquis Marky. With the unbelievable guitar work of T T. Baron pretty much on autopilot, it can overshadow Marky's more than capable drumming which is quite possibly par with Royce's and Tommy's guitar skills.

Perhaps this album doesn't leave you with some of the absolutely mind altering songs on R.I.P like "Reborn Through Hate" and "When Angels Die" But, Punishment For Decadence is very consistent and most of the material on it is so close to being just as good it's not funny. So, Coroner's second effort is an overlooked classic and a vital album to have in addition with their trio of classics from the 80's. As a huge metal fan, discovering Coroner is definitely one of the best finds for me.