Coroner Mental Vortex

Coroner's unorthodox approach to thrash metal had been turning heads and opening minds with their every release, and with album number four, 1991's Mental Vortex, the band arguably reached their creative peak. Widely regarded as their greatest achievement, Mental Vortex was the culmination of three increasingly unique and experimental albums which saw the Swiss trio (much like their early mentors, Celtic Frost) quickly moving away from the everyday trappings of thrash metal into unpredictable avant-thrash territory…

From their modest beginnings as roadies for avant-garde Swiss metal legends Celtic Frost, the members of Coroner carved out one of the most unique careers in the European thrash metal scene. They were originally pegged as a conventional thrash band, but their jaw-dropping musicianship and increasingly complex, almost prog rock compositions soon won over most critics, some of whom labeled them the Rush of thrash metal…

Although most fans and critics will commonly point to 1991's Mental Vortex as Coroner's best all-around effort, the adventurous Swiss trio had yet to deliver one last semi-masterpiece before going their separate ways. Ultimately Coroner's last will and testament, 1993's multi-faceted Grin drew strong criticism from some of the band's more extreme fan contingent upon release – these being of the opinion that its experimental songwriting was simply too "out there," even for Coroner…