Kreator
Gods Of Violence

It can be said that between 2016 and 2017, many historical Thrash Metal bands seemed to "awaken" all at once, releasing albums that few would have expected from some groups after years of silence, and others that were simply waiting for the simple task.

The first category includes bands like Exumer, Flotsam & Jetsam, Overkill, Havok, Megadeth, and Death Angel, with the latter two having seemed to be given up on after the musical quality of their previous releases. In the second category, one can cite Annihilator, who continue to produce increasingly inconclusive albums, Tankard, Sodom, or Destruction. Two years rightly balanced between highs and lows, then.

As for Kreator, however, the discussion is quite different. Considered alongside the already mentioned Destruction, Tankard, and Sodom as an integral part of the Big Four of German Thrash, Petrozza's band after a decade of continuous musical experimentation and exploration of melodies ranging from Industrial to the more common Heavy Metal, began in 2001 a slow but gradual ascent, or return to origins for some (even if I do not fully agree with this term), toward the sounds that made them more famous. Clearly, Petrozza himself has always honestly admitted that the albums released in the 90s by Kreator (Renewal, Cause For Conflict, Outcast, Endorama) were neither released randomly by the group to show their fans that they were active nor for compromises with any record label, but only out of pure passion.

"In our opinion, success is never defined by sales figures. All our albums have been successful simply because we reached the goal we aimed for."

In 2001, with the release of "Violent Revolution", they put aside all experiments and returned to publishing, albeit with a slightly longer waiting time compared to the past, albums that saw them return to the Thrash of their beginnings, complemented by a slight melodic component that indirectly contributed to their ever-greater success. Now, with every post-"Violent Revolution" release, the band's fans were divided into two. Those who accused them of having printed a copy of its predecessor and having lost inspiration, and those who simply thanked and were satisfied.

At the beginning of 2017, therefore, after the release of the last "Phantom Antichrist" in 2012, Kreator released "Gods Of Violence", with a determination, if possible, even stronger in wanting to prove they still have something to say. Accompanied by a cover that fully reflects the style and attitude the German group has always had, expectations could only be high, and in the opinion of the writer, they have been widely repaid.

From the initial "World War Now", the doubts that plagued even the most skeptical are dispelled; Kreator remains on their path, regardless of criticism and other things. As mentioned before, the melodic components in this album are not lacking, but this addition should not be understood as a softening of the sound; on the contrary, it manages to create an atmosphere that is excellent from a sound point of view. It seems to hear the Kreator of "Extreme Aggression" again in pieces like "Totalitarian Terror" or "Army Of The Storms", very driven and with a standout Mile Petroza, with a harsh yet unmistakable vocal tone. "Hail To The Hordes" works more as an anthem, but it should not be understood as one of those odes to fans for their own sake, with words that would only make Manowar envious, but as a piece that will be devastating live and accompanied by an excellent riff. "Side By Side" fades more into anonymity, a sort of copy-paste of the previous song, and the same can be said for "Lion With Eagle Wings", too predictable and disappointing in its progression, especially in the chorus. "Satan Is Real", chosen as the main single of the album, instead puts Petrozza's sparse but essential singing at the center of the scene, and an incredible drumming by Jurgen Reil.

Kreator, along with a few other historic groups, demonstrates that they have not yet run out of ammunition, and perhaps produce one of their best products since "Violent Revolution". A small step back perhaps has been made in production, which excessively diminishes the guitar work in some parts, but these are really small details. The times of works like "Pleasure To Kill" and "Terrible Certainty" are now distant, but Kreator does not make us regret any of that, and indeed, they prove capable of looking to the past without falling into musical recycling. While waiting for the successor of this "Gods Of Violence", hats off to Petrozza and company.