Forsaking the ultra-precise Eurothrash characteristic of their early releases, Coroner slowed things down quite a bit on 'Grin', spending most of the album in a midpaced, Metal Church-esque crunch sprinkled with the psychedelic leads and bent rhythms of post-breakthrough Voivod. The results are less satisfying than the formula would suggest, as the songs on 'Grin' tend to be sprawling and repetitious, with little of the progressive tendencies the band displayed on more technical material. There's nothing wrong with epic song writing as long as you've filling those six minutes with something of substance, but Coroner at this point was about five whacko leads and four brain cells away from proto-groove metal. Most of the songs have the same formula: one riff with a catchy melodic lead repeated ad nauseam, and all at the same indolent pace. Essentially, angry pop music, if you will. An exception is "Internal Conflicts", which approaches the breakneck Coroner of old (and comes early, making the rest of 'Grin' a letdown), and there's also a smattering of techno/electronic stuff mixed in with the loops of chug (ahead of its time in 1993, but still not very good). Otherwise, it's pretty un-engaging and uneventful. It's a shame, too, since Coroner obviously had talent. But like many bands, their attempts at progression led them to mediocrity. Hopefully, their accomplishments are enough to overshadow this misstep: 'Punishment for Decadence' and 'No More Color' are classics that merit buying much more than 'Grin'.

© 2000 craig