Kreator - Gods of violence

If ever there is a band you can count on to carry the burden of a diminishing thrash scene and fly the flag back to it's glorious heights, it's Germany's finest. After 14 albums, 35 years, thousands of riffs and millions of bangovers (sore neck the next day after a gig from head banging), you would be forgiven for thinking that these past middle-aged, denim clad thrashers might have a slightly more reserved view of the world compared to the fiery younglings who wrote 'Endless Pain', 'Pleasure to Kill' and 'Extreme Aggression' back in the John Hughes dominated 80's. But one look at the titles on 'Gods of Violence' give you 'World War Now', 'Totalitarian Terror', 'Army of Storms' and 'Earth Under The Sword' gives you the feeling that the unrestrained fury of youth still burns in these veins, especially in the current world on the edge of extinction. Never have Kreator felt more relevant than in these misanthropic times.

Album 15 is just as disgusted with the world as those 80s classics, 'Gods of violence' feels like the album the world needs to hear, take a long look at itself and as all the Mortys would say "sort it's shit out". This is a premonition of what is to come if we can't stop being a virus to this planet, the acne of Earth and the parasite of the solar system. Kreator have seen what is going to happen, and they have packaged it up for us to experience. And they have done a damn fine job of making the end of the world sound magnificent.

'Gods of violence' starts with an intro track in 'Apocalypticon', a 1 minute orchestral build up, featuring choir vocals which lead into a climatic ending to drive us into the first song 'World War Now'. Immediately we are in typical Kreator territory, a pure thrash song with a wad of riffs stuffed into their pockets, the band in their natural environment is as vital and exhilarating as ever, Miland "Mille" Petrozza screaming "6 billion souls at the abyss" makes you feel like one of those souls about to be obliterated from existence, this is the song Slayer have been spending the last 15 years trying to write. 'Satan is Real' opens with a Black Sabbath style church bell opening then hits the most groove laden triplets from the duel guitars you will hear this side of Austin Powers playing the 'Imperial Death March'. The use of the triples on guitar and the catchy as hell chorus feels almost Iron Maiden like, but still Kreator in execution. The song moves into a finger tapping solo as if Eddie Van Halen has donned a patchwork denim jacket and joined the band before bringing you back to the memorable chorus and having everyone listening singing along.

The fire isn't cooled one bit as we get 'Totalitarian terror', flying off at a million miles an hour into another fist in the air chorus, rivalling anything Arch Enemy have put to tape in the last 10 years, this is singalong, headbanging heavy metal at its best. As we hit the title track, we are finally given a few seconds of breathing space as the band start the song with an acoustic intro laden with some harp before the most Kreator chant in history of "We. Shall. Kill" takes us into a song which classes as mid paced for this band, melodic thrash riffs give way to more catchy chanting every time we hear the chorus and the obligatory outstanding duel guitar solos keep the album rolling. 'Army of Storms' stokes the fire even more, a short intro leads us into a maze of riffs which most bands would never find their way out of, even throwing in a Zakk Wylde style pinched harmonic for good measure, the song weaves its way around a central chorus hook which draws in the listener and takes us to 'Hail to the Hordes',  the slowest song on the album. More pummelling than the slashing of the rest of the album, this is a different serial killer altogether, but always feels more original than copy cat killer. The usual sing along choruses throughout the song keep it fitting in with the rest of the album.

'Lion with Eagle Wings' starts with the strangest part of the album, a dream like introduction, quickly turns into a nightmare as the vocals turn it into a thunderstorm or riffs yet again, 'Fallen Brother' starts off with a riff which could have sit along side anything on 'A Vulgar Display of Power', Dimebag would be headbanging with the largest glass of whiskey as soon as he heard this, one of the highlights of this incredible album, pinched harmonics, fantastic rhythm and melodic riffs intertwine with the chorus and are driven into your skull by the double kick drum of Jürgen "Ventor" Reil.

The final tracks of the album are the thrash platter of riffs that is 'Side by Side', sticking to the script of the album with impressive riffs, catchy chorus', great drumming, ferocious vocals and dual solos, most bands would kill to write one song like this, and Kreator have created an albums worth, the only issue will be fitting them into the already chocked full live set, and finally we hit 'Death Becomes My Light', a 7 minute galloping masterpiece, and a fitting way to end the album, the lyrics "Death becomes me, Death becomes my light" will be firmly branded into your brain by the end of the song, tempo changes and solos take place but constantly pull you back to those lyrics before dropping the pace down to almost a stop, with the bass really pulling through as the song slows to a distrustful and morose ending, a sorrowful way to end an adrenaline fuelled album.

Kreator have put together a modern thrash masterpiece, an album which if released in the 80's would be considered one of the all time great metal albums. You will not hear a better thrash album this year, a fundamentally brilliant band and provided us a monumentally brilliant album. Again. Thank that Satan guy they sing about for this band.

9/10

KC

Top Tracks - 'World War Now', 'Totalitarian terror', 'Side by Side'