Kreator's work has been consistently in the vein of pure thrash, with the exception of four albums (Renewal, Cause for Conflict, Outcast and Endorama) during the 1990s when they undertook serious experimentation. Incorporating Industrial, Gothic and Avant-Garde elements into their sound, the results were uneven in some fans' and also critics' eyes. The band has since incorporated melodic death metal elements into their thrash sound, particularly that of the gothenburg scene.
Kreator formed as Tyrant in 1982 in Essen, Germany. The original lineup featured vocalist/guitarist Miland "Mille" Petrozza, drummer Jurgen 'Ventor' Reil, and bassist Rob Fioretti. They soon changed their name to Tormentor and released two demos. They changed the name of the band again to the final one, Kreator and signed to Noise Records in 1985. The name Kreator is not just a play on the English word "creator", it's also a name of a demon in the German mythology. Mille thought it was a cool name so the band settled with this new name instead of "Tormentor".
They recorded their debut album, Endless Pain, in just 10 days. Legions of black and death metal bands call it one of their major influences. The band hired the late Sodom guitarist Michael Wulf for the albums tour.
Wulf was in the band for a few days and didn't play on the band's next album, 1986's Pleasure to Kill, despite his getting credit. A new guitarist, Jörg "Tritze" Trzebiatowski joined the band and he played on this album, which is widely considered a thrash classic. Produced by Harris Johns (Helloween, Voivod), it is arguably one of the heaviest, fastest albums in metal, while showing the band growing in talent and technical ability. The song "Flag of Hate" became an early hit, and the band became one of the most promising up-and-coming European metal acts. With Tritze the band started their first tour ever (before the release of Pleasure to Kill they had only played 5 gigs total). The band closed out the year with the Flag of Hate EP.
In 1987 Kreator released Terrible Certainty, which is often considered to be Kreator's best album as the arrangements on the album were more complex and the tempos more varied. The album featured another hit "Behind The Mirror", and the band's popularity continued to grow. They managed to find enough time and money (coming from the concerts) to finance another EP Out of the Dark ... Into the Light.
In 1988 Kreator signed with major label Epic Records. Their debut with Epic, 1989's Extreme Aggression, recorded in Los Angeles, became a metal hit. Continuing the Terrible Certainty formula while showing the band still progressing musically and with better production by the well-regarded Randy Burns (also Megadeth among others), the album featured the band's first major singles and music videos, the title track and "Betrayer", becoming major hits on MTVs Headbangers Ball. They toured North America with Suicidal Tendencies, which greatly expanded their popularity outside of Europe.
In 1989 German director Thomas Schadt made a documentary about Kreator (focusing on the social aspect of heavy metal in the Ruhr Area) titled Thrash Altenessen (named after the band's hometown, a suburb of Essen). Tritze left Kreator after Extreme Aggression. In 1990, with new guitarist Frank "Blackfire" Gosdzik (also formely of Sodom), the band released Coma of Souls. This album was not quite as praised as the bands previous few albums (many felt the album was "rushed" and repetitive), but still managed to do quite well, with "People of the Lie" becoming a hit. However, things changed in the 90's. With many other thrash bands such as Metallica, Megadeth, Anthrax, and others changing their sound for a more commercial approach, Kreator began experimenting with death metal and industrial metal around this time.
The result was 1992s Renewal, which featured heavy death metal and industrial influences. While reaching a newer, more commercial audience, the band upset many longtime fans, accusing them of "selling out". The band, once known for being an excellent live act, had disappointing shows and tours for this album due to the industrial influences.
The excruciatingly taxing touring commitments that followed took the band as far as South America, but understandably left them physically and creatively exhausted. The band began to fall apart around this time, founding member Rob Fioretti left the band after the recording of the album as he wanted to spend more time with his family and was replaced by Andreas Herz, who never played any official release. In 1994 Reil left as well, leaving Petrozza the sole original bandmember. Reil was replaced by Joe Cangelosi. Herz left in 1995 and was replaced by Christian Giesler. To make matters worse, their contract with Epic was dropped. Now on G.U.N. Records the new lineup put out the album Cause for Conflict that year. The result was their most modern album at that time, the sound on this album had influences from Pantera and Machine Head, a slight return to a harsher sound than on the previous album.
Gosdzik and Cangelosi left in 1996 and were replaced by Tommy Vetterli (formerly of Coroner), and, surprisingly, Jurgen Reil. The band continued to experiment with their sound, releasing Outcast and Endorama, both of which experimented with goth and ambient influences, incorporated samples and loops and even found Petrozza trying a few different singing styles on for size. It also retained the groove metal influences. The record sales went down, by the end of the '90s the band reached both commercial and critical nadir. Though frontman Mille Petrozza never cared about this: "For us, success doesn't define in record sales. So all our albums have been successful for us, because we've achieved what we were aiming for...".
However, in 2001, with new guitarist Sami Yli-Sirniö, the band released their "comeback" album Violent Revolution, which saw the band returning to their classic thrash style (albeit they used a lot of melodic metal and so called Gothenburg metal riffs). It was praised by fans and critics alike. The tour was extremely successful and introduced Kreator to a younger generation of metal fans. A live album Live Kreation and live DVD Live Kreation: Revisioned Glory were released in 2003, and a new studio album - still retaining a style closer to old school thrash metal - Enemy of God was released in 2005. This album also saw a special edition re-release in 2006 called Enemy of God: Revisited. In early 2006, Kreator toured North America and Canada with Napalm Death, A Perfect Murder, and Undying. In 2007 Kreator had a European tour with Celtic Frost and Waatan. Kreator were to tour 2008 with King Diamond, Leaves Eyes, and Cellador, however the tour has been cancelled due to back issues with King Diamond.
In July of 2008 Kreator entered the Titonus Studios in Germany with producer Moses Schneider to record their twelfth studio album: Hordes of Chaos. The record was mixed by Colin Richardson and released worldwide under Steamhammer Records on the 13th January 2009. The record has been described as their most organic album to date because, barring vocals, guitar solos and some melodies, the album was recorded in a live setting on analog tape recorder with very few overdubs. Frontman Mille Petrozza noted that this was the first time they have recorded an album this way since Pleasure to Kill in 1986.
The album was released in three different formats. The standard edition was issued in a jewel case and features the 10 album tracks. A deluxe edition features a bonus DVD with a making of the album documentary. The LP version of the album has different artwork to the other versions.
The album debuted at number 165 on The Billboard 200 chart in the US, with first week sales of approximately 2,800 copies.
The album was re-released as the 'Ultra Riot' box set edition in mid 2010. It featured new artwork, extended liner notes, promo videos, a bonus disc with demo tracks and cover songs and various pieces of memorabilia (such as a photobook, sticker, poster and photo card).
Kreator toured on the back of this album throughout 2010, and Mille has recently confirmed that 2011 will primarily be a song-writing year for the band.
Prevail
Kreator Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Birth of decay
Fight revolution
Grips the heart of men
Rising rebellion
Loosing control
Pure mental terror
Reformation needed to be
Raised to future awareness
Manipulation has failed
Rulers, leaders
Anarchy will prevail
Now, reinforced hate
Glowing, pulsate
Society failed
New generation awakes
Mental slavery, through erasure
Cause for your condition
Mind murdering parasites
Forced into suicide
Material safety, plastic saviors
Basis of possession
Rulers participate
Anarchist dominate
Infected by a virus promise of a better
Pay, conception of a master plan
Protectors of blind faith
Raise to new awareness
Individual way of life
A dated shit philosophy
Youth runs amok
Moloch masters, democrats
Diplomats, desperation
Criminal energy, part of the strategy
Focus distraction, pain infection
Manipulation failed
Misleading disharmony
Now only victory
Life becomes perfection, when the spark
Has almost died
Decades of endless darkness
Now embraced by shining light
Autonomous power,
Finally this war is won
Golden days of anarchy
The new age has begun
Moloch masters, democrats
Diplomats, desperation
Criminal energy, part of the strategy
Focus distraction, pain infection
Manipulation failed
Misleading disharmony
Now only victory
Life becomes perfection, when the spark
Has almost died
Decades of endless darkness,
Now embraced by shining light
Autonomous power,
Finally this war is won
Golden day of anarchy
The new age has begun
Fear of the future
Hope for the past
Hymns of enslavement
Forever laid to rest
Elders tomorrow
Youth of today
Choice for a changing
Better world needed to be
Raised to future awareness
Manipulation has failed
Rulers leaders
Anarchy will prevail now
The lyrics to Kreator's song "Prevail" speak to the themes of rebellion, revolution, and anarchy. The opening lines set a dark and foreboding tone, declaring that emotions have died and decay has taken their place. The struggle for revolution grips the hearts of men, leading to rising rebellion and a loss of control. The situation is one of pure mental terror, and the only solution is a reformation.
The second verse speaks to the failure of manipulation and the rise of anarchy. The youth of today are awakening to their mental slavery and the mind-murdering parasites that control them. Society has failed, and the only way forward is through individual awareness and a rejection of dated philosophies. The chorus repeats the idea that manipulation has failed and anarchy will prevail.
The final verse speaks to the need for a better world and a choice for change. The elders of tomorrow are called upon to join with the youth of today to create a world where hymns of enslavement are forever laid to rest. The song ends by restating the idea that manipulation has failed, and anarchy will prevail.
Line by Line Meaning
Death of emotions
The lack of emotions in society has lead to its downfall
Birth of decay
The decay and degradation of society is born out of this emotional void
Fight revolution
The only way to overcome this decay is to fight against it with revolution
Grips the heart of men
The fight for revolution and change lies within the hearts of men
Rising rebellion
A rebellion is brewing against the established order
Loosing control
Those in power are losing control over the masses
Pure mental terror
The terror being inflicted is more mental and emotional in nature rather than physical
Reformation needed to be
A reformation of society is needed to bring about true change
Raised to future awareness
The people must be raised to a higher level of awareness to understand the need for revolution
Manipulation has failed
The powers that be have tried to manipulate the people but have failed miserably
Rulers, leaders
The established leaders and rulers have lost the faith and trust of the people
Anarchy will prevail
Anarchy is the only way for the people to take control and bring about change
Now, reinforced hate
The people's hate and anger towards the establishment has been reinforced
Glowing, pulsate
This hate and anger is growing and pulsing within the hearts of the people
Society failed
Society as it is now has failed and must be changed
New generation awakes
A new generation is waking up to the need for change and revolution
Mental slavery, through erasure
The people have been mentally enslaved and brainwashed through the erasure of their emotions and free will
Cause for your condition
The reason for the current state of affairs is due to this mental enslavement and brainwashing
Mind murdering parasites
Those in power are like parasites, sucking the life and freedom out of the people
Forced into suicide
The people have been pushed to the brink and are being forced into self-destruction
Material safety, plastic saviors
The establishment offers only material safety and fake saviors made of plastic
Basis of possession
The basis of this material safety is possession and ownership
Rulers participate
Those in power are active participants in this materialistic way of life
Anarchist dominate
The anarchists will soon take over and bring about real change
Infected by a virus promise of a better
The promise of a better future is a virus infecting the minds of the people
Pay, conception of a master plan
Those in power offer only pay as a form of control and have a master plan to keep the people enslaved
Protectors of blind faith
Those in power protect and promote blind faith in their authority
Raise to new awareness
The people must be raised to a new level of awareness and understanding to break free from this control
Individual way of life
Each person must be free to live their own individual way of life without interference from those in power
A dated shit philosophy
The current philosophy and way of life is outdated and irrelevant
Youth runs amok
The youth are running wild and taking matters into their own hands
Moloch masters, democrats
Those in power, no matter their political affiliation, are like Molochs, devouring and enslaving the people
Diplomats, desperation
Even those who claim to be diplomats or peacemakers are acting out of desperation to hold onto their power
Criminal energy, part of the strategy
Criminal energy and tactics are part of the established power's strategy to maintain control
Focus distraction, pain infection
The establishment uses distraction and pain as a means of infection to keep the people under control
Misleading disharmony
The establishment is causing disharmony and division among the people through their misleading tactics
Now only victory
The people are now on the path to victory and true change
Life becomes perfection, when the spark
Life becomes perfect when there is a spark of hope and change
Has almost died
This spark is almost extinguished, but not quite
Decades of endless darkness,
Society has been stuck in a state of endless darkness and despair for decades
Now embraced by shining light
But change is finally coming, represented by a shining light
Autonomous power,
The power is now in the hands of the people rather than being controlled by those in power
Finally this war is won
The war for liberation and change has finally been won
Golden days of anarchy
The new age will be one of anarchy, but not in the violent sense, rather in the sense of true freedom and democracy
Fear of the future
People are afraid of what the future holds under the current regime
Hope for the past
But they do hold onto hope for a past time when things were better
Hymns of enslavement
The established powers sing hymns that are meant to enslave the people and reinforce their control over them
Forever laid to rest
But these hymns and their message will be forever laid to rest by the people's victorious revolution
Elders tomorrow
The future belongs to the young, as they will be the ones to bring about real change
Youth of today
The youth of today are the ones who will be leading society into a brighter future
Choice for a changing
The choice is clear, change must come
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Capitol CMG Publishing
Written by: FRANK GOSDZIK, MILAND PETROZZA
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind