Progressive thrash + speedy technical thrash = an amazing show full of energy and fun!
Coroner released their first album in 32 years this past October, and North America was blessed to get a follow-up tour in early 2026, with direct support from thrash legends Heathen. The tour stopped at El Corazon in Seattle, WA, on February, Friday the 13th, 2026. I absolutely loved Coroner’s latest release, “Dissonance Theory,” but I had never seen them live. I had also never seen Heathen live and was admittedly not as familiar with them outside of a song here or there. I was quite excited to see both for the first time!
Two local Seattle bands, Hellbox, and Rising of the Tides, opened things up, and I always love seeing local bands get the opportunity to open for bigger name bands. I have provided Instagram links for both of them if you want to check them out! This review will just focus on Heathen and Coroner.
Heathen
Bay Area thrashers Heathen played third after the two local openers finished up. They are legends in the thrash scene, starting way back in the mid 1980’s. They currently have no original members left, though lead vocalist David White is the closest they have, having been in the band for most of the band’s existence. I spent some time talking to him at the end of the night, and he was super nice and fun to talk to. It was also pretty fun that we had the same first name sporting the same bald look!
The band was having quite a few problems during the set hearing each other, with multiple asks to the sound guy to changes volumes, take things out or add things in, etc. It eventually got to the point where David completely took his ear monitors out, and other band members asked for certain speakers to just be shut down. From a crowd perspective, the vocals were lower than I would have liked, though the overall instruments mix got better as the set progressed and was actually quite good.
You never would have guessed that the band was experiencing actual problems other than perceiving their obvious frustration, as they were super tight and performed what felt like a flawless set. Their songs are quite complex, speedy and technical with a lot going on, and they never seemed to miss a beat as they forged ahead. The drummer is new, literally playing his first shows with the band in January at 70000 Tons, but he sounded like he had been playing with them for years. He was a ton of fun to watch, with great facial expressions and insane technical prowess. The guitarists and bass were phenomenal, crushing riffs at a million miles per hour and flawlessly executing lightning speed dueling solos. And David’s vocals were great, a solid mix of aggressive thrash attack with traditional metal singing. He did a great job engaging with the crowd, as did the rest of the band, and they were an absolute blast to watch!
Setlist:
Heathen played an 8-song set, featuring songs from across their discography as well as their most recently released single. They even called out that they were playing a “deep cut” with 4th song “Fear of the Unknown,” which sounded fantastic live! They also cut out the first couple minutes (which is more sampling / narration) of “Hypnotized,” diving right into when it really gets going. The setlist was:
- Dying Season
- In Black
- Open the Grave
- Fear of the Unknown
- Never a God (new single, Laughing Dead cover)
- The Blight
- Hypnotized (without the 2 minute intro)
- Goblin’s Blade
Coroner
Swiss progressive thrash trio Coroner headlined the night. I had been anticipating this show ever since it was announced, particularly considering how much I love the new album. I am always curious how music translates live, especially more complex music, perhaps even more so given the band has just 3 members.
It is amazing just how big Coroner’s sound is as a trio. Let me start first with the drumming. Diego Rapacchietti was just insane to watch, reminding me at times of Adam from Vola with the way he moved behind the set. His fills and various rhythms were impressive, and I literally would just catch myself watching him in awe. Guitarist Tommy Vetterli was fantastic, navigating crushing riffs and some killer solos while occasionally engaging the crowd. Ron Broder plays a mean bass with plenty of technical prowess while also providing his trademark gruff vocals. Though officially a trio, Daniel Stössel joined them on tour providing background vocals and working the cool backing effects and minor orchestration. I so enjoyed their show, and I would love to see them again!
Setlist:
Coroner played an 11-song set with a 2-song encore, with several songs from “Dissonance Theory” as well as songs spanning every single one of their older albums. The setlist was:
- Oxymoron / Consequence
- Sacrificial Lamb
- Divine Step
- Serpent Moves
- Masked Jackal
- Symmetry
- Semtex Revolution
- Tunnel of Pain
- Metamorphosis (extended version)
- Grin (Nails Hurt)
- Renewal / Prolonging Outro
- [encore] Reborn Through Hate
- Die by My Hand
Final Thoughts
Coroner was an interesting foil to Heathen, as their set felt more laid back for lack of a better descriptor. It is interesting how two bands with the same thrash foundation can bring such different vibes to the stage. I truly enjoyed both, but for different reasons. Coroner was mesmerizing at times as they drew you in with their polyrhythmic passages against thrash aggression, and I could appreciate the song compositions and everything going on. Heathen exuded energy constantly, and the band members were bouncing all over the place. They definitely had the more classic thrash feel done at expert levels, and the atmosphere throughout their set was just vibrant. I would absolutely see both again and hope I get the chance to do so soon!