Germany’s best thrash metal band, Kreator, return with their 16^th full-length album, Krushers of the World. When we look at the Big 4, regardless of your thoughts, it is based on album sales and overall popularity relating to tours,etc.., and they are rightfully: Metallica, Slayer, Megadeth and Anthrax. When looking at what the second Big 4 would be, my vote would be for: Kreator, Exodus, Testament, and Overkill.

Kreator’s success is due to their incessant touring – never giving up. I have seen them numerous times live, and remember their first several US tours, back in the 80’s in NY. I hung out with Mille for quite a bit on their Extreme Aggression tour. The dude was beyond cool and I pleaded with him to play my favorite Kreator song, “The Pestilence” live. There I was, a young punk asking this German dude to play a song, lol. I even asked him about his friendships with other German thrash bands I loved, like Sodom and Destruction, and he explained to me they’re all good friends, and to my song reques,t he said, “Yes, “The Pestilence” is in our set tonight”. They ruled that night, and I could not believe how amazing his English was when I first started talking with him.

The man’s reputation has only grown over the years as a great person, vocalist/guitarist. And Gary from Exodus and Chuck Billy from Testament have been singing praises of Kreator for decades. So much so, they have all opened for Kreator on European tours over the last decade or so, as Kreator’s name has gone through the roof. But the band backs it up with their music.

Their 2012 album, Phantom Antichrist, saw the band incorporating some epic anthemic choruses to their sound, and that has continued since. Krushers of the World is so outstanding it even bests their last several albums, Hate über alles and Gods of Violence. The band keeps getting stronger. No duds on this album.

“Tränenpalast” was one of the singles first released and it’s an homage to the classic 1977 Italian Horror movie, Suspiria, by Dario Argento. The creepy harpsichord sounds from the movie make their way into this song. Kreator emulating the sounds, then on the guitar riffing, is a thing of beauty. The lyrics reflect the thematic horror that the movie created, and Mille shouting Suspiria several times is super catchy. Britta Görtz (Chaos Rising/Hiraes), lends her brutal set of pipes to this song, as well. As she gets into the low raspy range, she is known for being super cool. This is one of the catchiest songs Kreator has written in 40 years.

Going backwards, “Seven Serpents”, opens the album with some beautiful and epic guitar work, which reminds me of “Battery” from Metallica, then right into the thrashing madness with amazingly catchy guitar riffs. Ventor proves, time and time again, why he’s one of the greatest drummers in thrash metal, all these decades later. Check out the double bass over the fast moments and then during the slower chorus moments. Stop on a dime type o shit. And he does that live too. Sami Yli-Sirniö returns on second guitar, as does Frédéric Leclercq on bass. The chorus with gang background moments with ‘Where seven serpents crawl’ is repeated in perfection.

“Satanic Anarchy” is up next, and the mid-paced moments are powerful. Even better is the chorus: ‘Rise up, confront the enemy, Create a new reality, And bring down tyranny, This cult, a timeless synergy, A new messiah’s born among thee, The choice for you and me. Satanic Anarchy’ Beyond catchy. These moments showcase the melodic nature of the band and how they started incorporating melody, first on their killer third album, Terrible Certainty. Some well-placed guitar soloing starts happening and then back into the chorus. Beyond catchy.

“Blood of Our Blood” starts with a great drum roll, then the isolated guitar riff ushers in the Holy Shit moment. BOOM!!!!! Right into the brutal thrashing madness. Maniacal double bass over the speed parts, then the song slows down with some beautiful guitar harmonies. Then Mille is like, ok enough of that, and right back into the speed. The guitar riffing is impeccable, and with Exodus about to drop their new album this year, they had better be on high alert, because the riffing on this new Kreator album is untouchable.

“Death Scream” has a great opening scream from Mille, then right into the speed!!. The song slows down, then speeds up, then slows down even more so. The chorus moments over the brutal thrashing have Mille getting into the lower registers, in the dual vocal moments, harnessing his early death metal roots.

Kreator has brought it once again, folks, and Krushers of the World is sure to be on my best of, at the end of 2026. Since receiving the promo three days ago, I have listened to it 25 times. Whether at the gym, showering, in my vehicle, at my office, you name it. I am already singing some of the songs, because I am a nut.

The album cover is terrific and captures their album and lyrical themes, and the production is terrific. Kreator knows thrash metal, harmonies, chorus placement, catchinesss and although we get mid-paced crushers like the title track, the band thrashes hard throughout the entire album, writing fast songs. This also may be the catchiest album the band has ever written. Epic, atmospheric, brutal and over the top greatness. Kreator Krushes!!

[Visit the band's website]

---

Comments