Review by Ben for Coroner - Mental Vortex (1991)

Coroner are one the most underrated bands in metal. Every album they released was gold and Mental Vortex is one the many highlights of their too short career. This album fine-tuned what was already a great technical thrash metal sound and upped the song writing to near perfection. At first listen, it would be easy to write these tracks off as being simplistic as they are generally mid paced, easy listening style thrash metal. But there are a whole bunch of jaw dropping riffs and Tommy's lead work is second to none (and I mean that!). The solos on this album are some of the very finest I've ever heard, managing to be technically genius while completely memorable and unobtrusive to the solid tracks beneath. I can't praise him enough, so I'll stop trying.

Opener Divine Step is the fastest track on the album and gets the blood pumping immediately. A multitude of cracking riffs get things underway and the album never really drops the ball until I Want You, which is incredibly a Beatles song. It's not that this track is bad either, as Coroner manage to give it a total overhaul in darkness and heaviness. It just stands out like a sore thumb as being a completely different mood to the rest of the album, which is why I generally hate covers. Other highlights are Son of Lilith, Semtex Revolution, Metamorphosis and About Life. Not to be missed if you enjoy technical thrash metal that's not afraid to explore the slower, less chaotic realms of the genre.