Kreator
Coma Of Souls

THE REVIEW

If I had to briefly describe who Kreator are to someone unfamiliar with them, I think I would simply start by saying "they are the European Slayer." A definition that would immediately capture (hopefully) the nuances of the type of thrash proposed by the group, which resembles more the Slayer combo than that of Metallica or others (at least as far as their early '80s productions are concerned).

However, to be fair, this definition doesn't do them justice, because it might erroneously suggest that their style is inspired by or derived from the Californian thrashers or imply that they are simply the German counterpart. It's not like that at all, and although Kreator surely have less flamboyant fame, they have had nothing to envy their overseas cousins; in fact, given the almost contemporaneous musical explosion of those years that saw on one side the Bay area and on the other Germany, Petrozza and company are in all respects pioneers of the genre.

The album under review dates back to 1990, a period when, according to many, thrash was breathing its last gasps before the post-thrash and nu-metal phenomena exploded, in a scenario where it seemed that grunge dominated everything. Personally, given the records released between the late '80s and '90s, I can state that even if thrash was indeed dying, it was at least doing so with a final flourish worthy of the glorious decade that saw its birth.
The first ones that come to mind: "Beneath the Remains," "Arise," "Rust in Peace," "Seasons in the Abyss," are clear examples, and in my opinion, this "Coma of Souls," born a year after the (even more beautiful) "Extreme Aggression," is nothing short of one of those final flourishes.

This record may not be a masterpiece, but it remains undoubtedly one of their classics, either for the reasons mentioned above, for the period it was released, or because it contains some tracks that have always been part of their live setlists such as "Coma of Souls," "People Of The Lie," and "Terror Zone," (which we also find published in their latest live recording dated 2003), the latter so classic that it's an integral part of the official website both in name and concept (visit the link and you'll understand).

The album is impeccable under every point of view, starting with a sound quality far superior to its predecessors that immediately does justice to the aggressive sound that the Teutons can create. The typical acoustic intro followed by distorted riffs after a few seconds takes us to Mille's initial scream in "When The Sun Burns Red," and following, we will find an excellent dosage of ingredients taken from the best thrash metal manual.
Typical gallops for immediate headbanging of brief and lightning-fast pieces ("World Beyond"), genre classics (more properly heavy than speed & thrash) with a slow and cadenced start to grow over the distance ("Terror Zone"), or the pieces that as soon as they start you can't help but keep the rhythm, so engaging in its simplicity ("Mental Slavery") to then develop in time changes supporting guitar solos sometimes (and often) very fast but also shorter or melodic with tapping and wah-wah parts ("Material World Paranoia"), frequent time changes and intros with back-voiced guitars ("Twisted Urges").

Last note, but not less important, the lyrics. Cryptic with many political and social references related to the world we live in, described with a certain maturity, which characterizes their hard comprehension. I like how Mille sings on this album, with his hoarse and angry voice, and although he does not have the virtuoso's characteristics capable of high and low flights or very high peaks, he still manages to always maintain a tone as shrill as it is robust at the same time that wonderfully merges on the guitar riffs and the words.

Kreator are still today one of the most appreciated thrash bands of all time, although in the past they have always remained a bit more in the shadows compared to others. It's a pity I discovered them too late compared to the more famous American bands. Knowing that Europe and nearby Germany were also able to contribute to the development of one of my favorite genres was indeed a great discovery. Highly recommended to those who missed it.