Kreator
Coma Of Souls

THE REVIEW

They may not be as famous as the major bands from the renowned Bay Area, but Kreator undoubtedly deserve great respect, and at least in Europe, no one has been able to compete with them in the genre.

The year was 1990 when Mille Petrozza and company created their fifth masterpiece, "Coma of Souls." It's the band's last purely thrash album: the '90s will indeed be characterized by different and more experimental works until a return to harder sounds in the new millennium. Much of their fame is rightly due to previous albums like "Pleasure to Kill" and "Extreme Aggression," but Kreator has consistently managed to deliver excellent records on all fronts, as demonstrated by "Coma of Souls." Every time I listen to them, I am always amazed by the perfect combination of power and technique that sets them apart from American thrash, which is slightly more melody-centered.

"Coma of Souls" doesn't greatly differ from previous works; from the first to the last song, all the qualities that have always distinguished the band can be found: violence, immediacy, speed, just like all Teutonic thrash evidently influenced by Slayer. However, compared to its predecessors, there's an improvement in production and, consequently, in the sound of the guitars and especially the bass. As for the vocals, well, there's nothing to say here, it's the usual brutal Mille, unapologetic and blunt.

The slow and sad acoustic beginning almost seems to prepare us for the album's destructive power. From Mille's first scream to the end, there will indeed be no pause. The guitar riffs are always fast and powerful, and in many songs, there are melodic but very peculiar solos. Also noteworthy is the performance of drummer Ventor, whose technique has greatly improved compared to the early works.

Analyzing the songs in more detail, the title track is a classic of the band that conveys violence in every single second, characterized by various tempo changes and an exciting chorus, certainly very beautiful live. Other notable songs include "People of the Lie" (where Mille's voice becomes even more vicious), "Terror Zone", and "Agents of Brutality", especially for the riffs of Mille and the other guitarist Frank in the middle of the track. Influences from Slayer are evident, but also from Sepultura ("Mental Slavery"), and there are also short pieces that, as always, maintain a certain power from beginning to end ("World Beyond").

In conclusion, an album I recommend to all thrash lovers and consider, if not the best, one of the most beautiful by the German band, the only one that has managed over the years to stand up to American groups.