KREATOR
“GODS OF VIOLENCE”
Album Review By Iron Mathew
10/10
Kreator are a thrash metal band from Germany forming in 1982 as Metal Militia, later changing their name to Tyrant. A third change of name and the band became known as Tormentor, releasing two demos before changing their name for a fourth (and final) time to Kreator. The eighties saw the evolution of German thrash metal, with Kreator one of the first pioneers along with Destruction, Exumer, Sodom and Tankard. These five bands created a brutal, aggressive and raw, in your face style of thrash metal that set alight a path for many to follow. 1984 saw the release of the band’s debut album ‘Endless Pain’ and over the next thirty years, twelve more studio albums have been released as well as two live albums and three compilations. With new albums from Exumer, Destruction and Sodom released in 2016, the 2017 release of the new Kreator album was high on expectation, with immense pressure on the band to deliver a great album.
And boy, do they deliver… ‘Apocalypticon’ is an exciting, atmospheric and tension building intro that leads into the breath taking album opener ‘World War Now’. Brutal and aggressive in equal quantities, ‘World War Now’ is blisteringly quick, guitars blazing and drums thundering like a raging storm. Kreator are masters of thrash and over fifty two minutes, they prove that they are worthy of that title. The first single off the album, the heavy, stomping ‘Satan Is Real’ is next up and if you are not a metal head, there is no amount of aspirin in the world to cure your headache after listening to this. ‘Satan Is Real’ is very heavy and will pummel into submission non metal heads. Guitars cut and thrust with a rhythm brutal enough to demolish tall buildings, ‘Satan Is Real’ is pure Kreator. The style of thrash metal that Germany evolved is raw, brutal and aggressive, and that is exactly what you get in the shape of ‘Totalitarian Terror’. A scorching pace, with a menacing vocal delivery, ‘Totalitarian Terror’ will have you head banging so hard you may just head bang your head right off your shoulders…
It has been thirty three years since the debut album from Kreator saw the light of day and the band have lost none of their fire or desire and continue to be a major force in the world of thrash metal. The title song ‘Gods Of Violence’ is typical Kreator, raw and aggressive… The pace of the album is breath taking and if you thought Kreator could not produce a better album than their 2012 release ‘Phantom Antichrist’…then you are so so wrong. ‘Gods Of Violence’ (the album) is packed tight with gems, ‘Army Of Storms’ bristles with energy and is so intense it over powers the senses. It is fast paced, full of frenetic riffing and a top notch vocal delivery. Enter the mosh pit at your own risk…it will get brutal! Without a pause for breath, the album rages on like a herd of stampeding rhino…’Hail To The Hordes’ is a meaner, more moody song than the rest of the album and displays some very heavy guitar riffing. A top notch vocal performance from singer Mille Petrozza proves he still has a cracking voice, instantly recognisable as throaty, raspy and gravel edged. The scorching pace of earlier returns in abundance with ‘Lion With Eagle Wings’ blazing a trail of destruction through the airways. Thunderous as a raging storm, ‘Lion With Eagle Wings’ is brutally aggressive and the blistering guitar solo screeches and screams like a banshee…
Even this early in the year (after all, it is still only January) Kreator are delivering a hot favourite for Album of the Year! Pace subsides and is replaced with one of the heaviest mid tempo romps you will hear this year. ‘Fallen Brother’ is a superb example of awesome guitar work and is the most “heavy metal” song on the album. Now I don’t know what it’s like to be hit with a concrete slab, but ‘Side By Side’ must come close…opening with a blood curdling scream by Mille, followed by likely the quickest guitaring the album has to offer. ‘Side By Side’ is a glorious thrash metal romp, full of the greatest traits German thrash metal is famous for. Kreator are true legends of the genre and are still at the top of their game. The album does come to an end, but remember, there is always the replay button to press…but just before it does end, there is one more foray into thrash the only way Kreator can – with aggression and brutality. ‘Death Becomes My Light’ delivers the goods once more but opens in a more subdued melodic fashion, and yes I did just say melodic… The pace quickens and ‘Death Becomes My Light’ closes the album as it opened, in a furious flurry of rampant riffs and rhythms. Kreator have produced a superb album that has set a very high standard for every other band in the world to beat…and I don’t think there’s a single band out there that could even come close.
Overall, a magnificent and breath taking thrash metal romp that is simply stunning and out of this world. An early candidate for Album of the Year…
TRACKLIST
Apocalypticon
World War Now
Satan Is Real
Totalitarian Terror
Gods Of Violence
Army Of Storms
Hail To The Hordes
Lion With Eagle Wings
Fallen Brother
Side By Side
Death Becomes My Light
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