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KREATOR “Krushers of the World”
KREATOR “Krushers of the World”
By Colonel Angus
KREATOR are back with another studio effort full of German thrash metal and I could not be happier. I know a lot of their long-time fans miss their 80s output and to be fair, “Pleasure to Kill” and “Endless Pain” are masterpieces in the genre. To be frank, I’ve found myself drawn to their more recent disks. The songwriting feels more assured and deliberate, reflecting a clear maturity in their approach. They’ve learned to harness their heaviness, moving beyond the chaotic thrashing that defined their earlier work while losing none of their intensity. “Hate Uber Alles” was a great release (and I was lucky enough to catch them on that tour) so when it was announced that they have a new one coming out, I was really excited to hear it in all its loud glory.
We start off this new record with their first single “Seven Serpents”. After a nice little intro, the song kicks in full force into a nice thrasher that has plenty of speed, groove, and melody. It’s a great way to start the record and I can picture them starting their shows with this track. The intro and heaviness lend itself to being the opener. “Satanic Anarchy” keeps up the pace but with a cool melodic chorus that gives the track a real catchy-ness that I feel captures a lot of latter day KREATORr perfectly. Next we get the title track which is where the band sacrifices speed but still keeps things heavy. The track carries a regal quality, leaning more toward classic heavy metal than thrash. Like its predecessor, it also delivers a catchy chorus that lingers long after the song is over.
Starting off with some fast thrash riffing (after a brief intro), “Tranenpalast” follows the title track in going metal in certain parts but with this one, Mille Petrozza and company add more thrash while still retaining the memorable chorus. They also incorporate some very interesting bridges and sections that give the material light and shade keeping the listener on their toes during the first run through. Starting with “Barbarian”, the record takes more of an intense approach to the songwriting. This one is a full on thrasher that does not let up from start to finish incorporating a cool mid-section that will have you headbanging. Following on the heels of “Barbarian”, we get another old-school thrash metal track “Blood of Our Blood” that has all the hallmarks of becoming a classic after a few years. It is heavy but provides room for some fist pumping rhythms that feel tailor made for the concert stage.
As the disk slides towards the end, we get a chugging song that has groove and melody for days. “Combatants” keeps it heavy but has this underlying strut to the rhythm that makes it a standout on a record full of standouts. This latter day KREATOR really hits a chord (no pun intended) with me and I know I will be playing this tune often and loud. “Psychotic Imperator” starts off a little slow but grows into a chaotic thrasher, again, enlisting a catchy chorus to anchor the song into our metal brains. This is another track that practically demands a repeat spin even before the last chord is done.
The record comes to a close with a couple of solid tunes that kind of follow in the footsteps of the material that came before. “Deathscream” is solidly a thrash track but there are parts where the band settles back and goes more groove-oriented giving us a taste of old-school and latter-day KREATOR in one track. Ending “Krushers of the World” is another epic tune called “Loyal to the Grave” which oddly is the lightest track on the record but still has that fist-pumping rhythm that is present throughout the disk. After a few spins, I’m not sure where I would rank this album in the KREATOR catalogue but I feel it is a fine addition to their latter-day collection. Whether you’re a longtime devotee or a newcomer, “Krushers of the World” offers plenty for both camps to appreciate.
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