By this point Kreator had honed in their sound to a very identifiable and strong thrash attack that could be mistaken for no other band. Part of that can be attributed to Mille's shriek/shout/yell that truly sounds like no other vocalist on the planet. Naturally there is a love it or hate it quality to his voicebox, but that's the price of doing your own thing. Anyhow, on Terrible Certainty, the music had been much more honed to a sharp, jagged and bruising force. The guitarists whipped through both standard thrash riffs and slightly more complex pieces over a very rampaging rhythm. At times, as in the album highlight "Toxic Trace", the guitars do seem to be almost unable to keep up behind Ventor's all out barrage on the drums, but they succeed just enough to avoid sloppiness. Kreator also valued putting slower sections with heavy chording to allow the songs to avoid sounding completely similiar all the way through. It is a very intense ride all the way through. Terrible Certainty's sound became a bit more succinct on Extreme Aggresion. If perhaps you have the latter album and enjoy it, finding Terrible Certainty would be a good way to see how Kreator got to that point.

Review by John Chedsey

Review date: 04/1999

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Extreme Aggression represented Kreator's brief incursion with major label distribution on Epic Records in 1989 and while their stay in the big leagues last about as long as an early Napalm Death song, the album shows Kreator off at a high point. Taking the sound they were exploring on Terrible Certainty, Extreme Aggression is a fine thrash record with crystal sharp sound and precision honed anger. As the title suggests, these German boys were quite irritated at this point in their lives and the music captures their dismay quite superbly. Vocalist/guitarist Mille Petrozza spits and howls his anger out all over this record and the blazing soundtrack behind him is a perfect companion. The guitars on this album nearly race completely out of control, but with former Sodom guitarist Frank Blackfire at his side, Petrozza is able to harness their animosity well. The riffs here are occasionally haphazard, but in a way that somehow works. The pacing ranges from intense and wild to a more controlled midpace that truly brings some power into the music.

Throughout the record, Petrozza's angry lyrics portray a hatred of a blind and decaying society that is seemingly unaware of their betrayal of themselves. Whether it is his declaration of defiant independence in "Love Us or Hate Us" or the alienation displayed in "Don't Trust", Petrozza's words come across as partly youthful emotionalism being pushed to an extreme, but entirely honest throughout. Regardless of all else, this was a band that spoke their mind without barring anything.

Released at what I consider the high point of thrash, particularly the German strain, Extreme Aggression still remains my favorite Kreator album of all time and comes highly recommended. Along with Destruction and Sodom, Kreator set a very high standard for the style and deserve your attention.

Review by John Chedsey

Review date: 01/2001

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An entirely uninteresting and sore thumb of a record. Some of have complained of the industrial influence (it's slight but not really a focus) while they really should be griping about the uncomfortable production and lack of really interesting songs. Only "Depression Unrest" even mildly captures my attention. The rest feature a drum track that doesn't even remotely come close to fitting into the music while Mille screams and hollers throughout. A blah record from a band that shouldn't be quite so mediocre.

Review by John Chedsey

Review date: 12/1998

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I'm skipping through the tracks on here trying to find something truly stand-out or remarkable, but Kreator's Cause for Conflict just doesn't hang with their classics from the last decade. It's not a terrible album, just really lacking in what it takes to capture my attention. All the elements are in place: raging waterfalls of double bass drums, dual thrash guitar warfare and of course Mille's shouted vocals. But nothing that makes this album stand out from any other thrash album ever released. (Well, there is a neat cover of Raw Power's "State Oppression".) It's probably no wonder you can find this album in nearly any used CD store.

Review by John Chedsey

Review date: 12/1998

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You know, I haven't picked up a new Kreator album since Extreme Aggression. And if hadn't been for the recent addition of guitarist Tommy Vetterli (the Coroner genius), I would probably have bypassed this album like I have all the others in this decade. But curiosity finally won me over and I now have heard modern Kreator. Quite frankly, this band has reached a new maturity with this album. Blame it on Vetterli, blame it on grace with age, but the songs are tight as hell and well written. As with his work with Coroner, Vetterli's solid rhythms and tasteful leads make his previous band's breakup a little less painful. At least he's doing something worthy of his incredible talent. Mille is still singing about people beating you down, making you a slave, and not letting anyone tell you what to do. His lyrics are a lot more mature than they were a decade ago. But that should go without saying. The modern industrial touches, including vocal processing and occasional rhythms, bring Kreator up to date without the cheese factor of other bands from the era still toughing it out (uh, Testament or Overkill, anyone?). Glad I finally caught up with Kreator again.

Review by John Chedsey

Review date: 08/1997

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After the mild surprise of Outcast, I have been rather anxiously looking forward to the newest Kreator to hear how the band in their most potent incarnation might pan out. Endorama benefits greatly from having Tommy Vetterli in the band and contributing more to the songwriting process. The result isn't necessarily the Coroner-meets-Kreator hybrid that you might expect, but there are obvious hints of who is manning the second guitar post for the band. Throughout Endorama, riffing is tight, precise and sharp enough to slice a horn right off a rhino's nose. But the starkest element throughout the album is a much less frantic and harsh edge. Rather, a touch of class is added with the usage of some synthetics and a - dare I say - adult approach. The result is an album full of the catchiest songs this band has ever released. Mille Petrozza still retains a little venom in his vocals, but he finally lets himself sing cleanly throughout. Hey, c'mon, who needs to hear his screaming for yet another release? Moreover, it is nice to hear the old dogs show they have learned a new trick here and there, as the first moments of the groovy "Passage to Babylon" demonstrate. While some may freak out at the keyboards and lead piano riff, that song is easily one of the best on the record. The best thing throughout the album as a whole is the well placed melodic leads over the rhythm riffing. Those are the sort of things that make the whole thing much chewier and better with milk. Endorama isn't necessarily going to impress those who feel Kreator should not have moved beyond Pleasure to Kill (but that was an entire lifetime ago) but for regular metal fans craving something oozing with talent and excellent songwriting, this is one highly recommended album.

Review by John Chedsey

Review date: 11/1999

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The demon from the cover of Coma of Souls is back as well as Kreator promising an album that is a return to their roots. Normally this sort of declaration by the band is something that makes me highly suspicious. When a longtime band suggests they are returning to their roots, it is only because their fans were unable to grow along with them and their hope is that they can recapture those fans by giving them what they want rather than pursue what the band wants. Or maybe I'm just cynical. Kreator has taken that outlook and tossed it onto its head because Violent Revolution is a suprisingly powerful release that could have just as easily been released right after either Extreme Aggression or Coma of Souls without raising a single eyebrow. More importantly, this "out with the new and in the old" approach has actually paid off. Violent Revolution is a very respectable, enjoyable release.

Since 1999's progressively-tinged Endorama, Kreator has parted ways with yet another guitarist (ex-Coroner guitar master Tommy Vetterli is now also ex-Kreator) and apparently renewed their interest in the speedy, crunchy thrash tailings they were known for around 1989 or 1990. The benefit of ten more years of playing and experience is that Violent Revolution has the ability to both thrash with the best of them and retain some of the finesse that has marked the past two releases from this band. Guitar solos and leads no longer sound like they were hastily pasted on after the song was recorded; rather, they are melodic and enhance the song. Meanwhile, mainstay Mille Petrozza retains his unique vocal style (with, say, the exception of the Fields of Nephilim imitation at the beginning of "Replicas of Life"). The songs range from midpaced to frantic speedragers, showing that bands who have been around for nearly two decades can still whip the tempos with the best of them. Most importantly, you can hear how years of playing have tightened this unit up as there isn't a drop of sloppiness to be found.

While my personal appeal in Violent Revolution is tempered by having to be the right mood to listen to 80s thrash, I can most certainly say Violent Revolution is yet another strong Kreator record, regardless of whatever approach they are taking at this point. Not only is this a worthy followup to Endorama (yes, I was that person who enjoyed that record, so bite me), but it is also a worthy followup to the band's classic records from a decade ago. Longtime fans are sure to be pleased as this record avoids being an attempt to relive the band's youth.

Review by John Chedsey

Review date: 10/2001

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