The Swiss thrash trio Coroner were originally road crew for Celtic Frost. They eventually formed their own group, recording their demo Death Cult in 1986 with Tom G. Warrior of Celtic Frost on vocals. Their first full-length album R.I.P., released in 1987, featured bass player Ron Broder on vocals and he assumed the role for the rest of the group's existence.
The group released several albums through to 1993, ending with a greatest hits collection, Coroner, in 1995. Lack of media exposure brought this band to disbanding in 1995 — and to their farewell tour consequent to their self-titled album in January and February 1996.
In March 2005, talks of a reunion were in the works, but later retracted. The main reason was that neither Marky, Ron, nor Tommy had the time it would require to do this properly, and also that none of them liked to, quote, "reheat things, except spaghetti sauce." However, in June 2010, Coroner eventually decided to reunite and play at the Hellfest Summer Open Air 2011 edition. Asked if the band were planning to write a new album, guitarist Tommy Vetterli replied, "you know, making a new album is kind of difficult... (Pause) Well, you never know. Maybe after four or five shows we'll get into it and say, 'Hey! Let's do an album!' Nobody knows what's going to happen. We don't have a master plan".
Musically, Coroner evolved from a speed metal band with gothic and classical overtones like Celtic Frost and Bathory into a technical-based band. Coroner's first album, R.I.P., was based on neo-classical lines and was technical and classically influenced.
The second album, Punishment for Decadence, saw a progression into a more complex sound with a unison of bass and guitar. Tempo changes interspersed mid-paced sections and the odd slow passage between the faster passages started to emerge. Lyrically, Coroner began to write about themes such as politics and personal introspection.
No More Color was produced by Pete Hinton and the band. Coroner's music became more technical on No More Color as the guitar work was characterized by intricate modes and arpeggios, solo work that was chromatically colorful, as well as the de rigueur crunchy chords and speed runs; the drumming went beyond the 4/4 time of Coroner's two previous albums to incorporate odd time signatures which became their trademark. Ron Royce's bass playing is also worth a mention as having an advanced three-finger technique which enables him to double the rhythm line as well as perform more intricate riffs. Prime examples of this are the opener "Die By My Hand" with its vicious riffing and the harmonic minor inspired riff in the middle of "Mistress of Deception". There is an altogether dark mood on this album that could be classified as death metal yet spans many influences from other metal genres. The closer "Last Entertainment" is a prescient take on TV.
Mental Vortex continued the evolution over No More Color. Continuing with the previous album's technical formula, the speed metal formula was re-integrated into Coroner's sound on this album but with a tone that made it sound not at all like R.I.P. or Punishment for Decadence. There were slower songs but none of the songs on Mental Vortex stayed the same speed for very long. The songs on Mental Vortex ranged from four to eight minutes. Overall, the tone was a shift from the thrash/technical of No More Color which showed them gravitating towards their opus Grin.
Grin saw a much more industrial sound and was a natural progression from Mental Vortex but was different from most of their previous material. It involved a much more reflective guitar riff and underlying bass line. It was slower and more refined in its metal sensibility. Brooding guitar over Royce's bass produced an almost hypnotic trance-like sound on some tracks.
Their eponymous album, Coroner, was a compilation which contained unreleased material and a selection of hits from previous albums.
The band appears on Brütal Legend with the song "Skeleton On Your Shoulder".
Current line-up:
Ron Broder (as Ron Royce) – vocals, bass
Marky Edelmann (as Marquis Marky) – drums
Tommy Vetterli (as Tommy T. Baron) – guitars
Former members:
Chris Vetterli - Bass
Oliver Amberg - Guitar
Peter Haas - Drums
Guests:
Tom G. Warrior (Thomas Gabriel Fischer) - vocals (Death Cult demo)
Gary Marlowe - ambient synthesizers and keyboards (Punishment For Decadence album)
Discography:
R.I.P. (1987)
Punishment for Decadence (1988)
No More Color (1989)
Mental Vortex (1991)
Grin (1993)
Compilations
Coroner (1995)
The Unknown Unreleased Tracks 1985-95 (1996)
Singles
"Die By My Hand" (1989)
"Purple Haze" (1989)
"I Want You (She's So Heavy)" (1991)
Demos:
Death Cult (1986)
R.I.P. demo (1987)
Punishment for Decadence (1988)
Split Releases:
Doomsday News III - Thrashing East Live (1990, split album with Kreator, Tankard and Sabbat)
Videography
No More Color Tour '90 - Live in East Berlin (1990, VHS)
"Masked Jackal" (music video)
"Last Entertainment" (music video)
"I Want You (She's So Heavy)" (music video)
Absorbed
Coroner Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I've got to leave that past of blood and tears
My brain injected, information infected
I'm absorbed lost in my storm
I've got to stop and clear my conscience
I've got to look for another direction
My arms out stretched, my hands touch nothing
You're out there somewhere
Outside getting on with life
I'm in here nowhere
Inside looking for a key
So what can I do to find myself
Which way is right, which way is left
Direction undiscovered, my body exhausted
I'm absorbed totally confused
The lyrics of Coroner's "Absorbed" portray an individual who finds themselves entangled in a web of their own making. The singer of the song has been through a traumatic event and is trying to move on from it, but they find themselves overwhelmed and lost in their emotions. The lines "I have to forget, push things from my head, I've got to leave that past of blood and tears" illustrate this desire to move on and forget about the past.
However, the individual is plagued by their thoughts, which they describe as "information infected" and that their brain is "absorbed lost in my storm". The song also has a sense of isolation and introspection as the individual is looking for a way out of their self-imposed mental prison. They are "absorbed by the fog of my lies", meaning the person is confused and can't see the right path to follow or the truth they should be living.
The lines "You're out there somewhere, Outside getting on with life, I'm in here nowhere, Inside looking for a key" highlight the singer's isolation as they are trapped within their own mind, while others are moving on in life outside. The song finishes with the lines "Direction undiscovered, my body exhausted, I'm absorbed totally confused", signifying the individual's frustration in their inability to find a clear path forward.
Line by Line Meaning
I have to forget, push things from my head
I need to forget the memories that haunt me and force myself to move on.
I've got to leave that past of blood and tears
The painful experiences from my past need to be left behind.
My brain injected, information infected
My mind is cluttered with too much information that has taken over my thoughts, leaving me feeling hollow.
I'm absorbed lost in my storm
I'm feeling lost and alone in the turmoil of my emotions.
I've got to stop and clear my conscience
I need to take a step back and reflect on my actions and thoughts, so I can find peace within myself.
I've got to look for another direction
I need to change course from my current path to find a more positive one.
My arms out stretched, my hands touch nothing
Despite reaching out for help or a solution, nothing seems to be within grasp.
I'm absorbed by the fog of my lies
My deceptions and falsehoods have clouded my judgment and are hindering me from finding clarity.
You're out there somewhere
There are people who live their lives without the weight of my burdens, and I need to aspire to do the same.
Outside getting on with life
Others are able to keep moving forward despite their hardships.
I'm in here nowhere
I feel like I am trapped in a place where I cannot break free from my own negativity.
Inside looking for a key
I'm searching within myself for answers that will unlock my happiness and growth.
So what can I do to find myself
I'm searching for ways to find what I need for myself and move forward with purpose.
Which way is right, which way is left
I'm having trouble determining the correct direction to take and I am feeling lost and confused.
Direction undiscovered, my body exhausted
I am not sure where my journey is taking me, and my mind and body are tired from the constant search for answers.
I'm absorbed totally confused
Doubt and uncertainty overwhelm me, leaving me feeling detached and unsure of what to do next.
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: CH BRODER ROLAND, MARKUS EDELMANN, ROLAND CH BRODER, THOMAS VETTERLI
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind