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.
Riot of Violence
Kreator Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Paralyzed by power
The decision to die
Tales of terror
Deep in the corner
Passion to kill
Corpse on the ground
Minds starts to chill
A man lies in the corner, covered with blood
Bloody wounds on his body, praying to his god
People pass him by, but they say
Why should we care about him? he will die today
Riot of violence
Find your own way
You must go alone
Kill all next to you
They want the throne
The infectious disease
Is the only life
You're scared to death
Die by their knife
A man lies in the corner, covered with blood
Bloody wounds on his body, praying to his god
People pass him by, but they say
Why should we care about him? he will die today
Brutality and mighty wars, warriors start to fight
With bombs and guns, the troops have come to extinguish the light
I'd rather not go wild tonight, but I must save myself
On a field littered with corpses
Stands a lonely flower
It reminds the world how it was
But we kicked it away with power
The lyrics to Kreator's song Riot of Violence describe a world consumed by power and violence, where people are driven by a passion to kill and will do anything to obtain the throne. The song implies that this kind of world is an infectious disease, where people are paralyzed by power and greed for blood, and the only life is brutal warfare.
The man lying in the corner covered in blood represents the innocent victims of such violence, who are overlooked and ignored by those consumed by their passion to kill. The chorus of the song encourages the listener to find their own way and go alone, suggesting that individuality and self-sufficiency are necessary to survive in such a world.
The second verse describes the brutal nature of war, with soldiers using bombs and guns to extinguish the light. The singer expresses a desire to not go wild tonight but must save himself, showing that even those who don't want to engage in such violence are forced to do so for self-preservation.
Overall, the lyrics of Riot of Violence paint a bleak picture of a world consumed by power and violence, where individuality and self-sufficiency are necessary for survival.
Line by Line Meaning
Greedy for blood
Desire for violence and killing, seeking bloodshed
Paralyzed by power
Being completely controlled by authority and inaction due to fear
The decision to die
Choosing death and martyrdom over life for a personal, but hopeless cause
Tales of terror
Stories about horrific acts of violence and slaughter
Deep in the corner
Fighting the battle in a small, confined space
Passion to kill
Overwhelming, intense desire to murder and destroy
Corpse on the ground
Dead body lying on the floor from the recent actions of violence
Minds starts to chill
Feeling of growing fear and dread among those observing the aftermath of the violence
A man lies in the corner, covered with blood
The violent and bloody aftermath leaves a man, desperate for help and dying in the corner
Bloody wounds on his body, praying to his god
The man is severely injured and pleads to his god for salvation before dying
People pass him by, but they say
Indifference of observers with many ignoring the dying man and his pleas for help
Why should we care about him? he will die today
Rationalization for the inaction on the part of the observers as they see the death of the man as inevitable
Riot of violence
A sudden and uncontrolled outburst of violence and destruction
Find your own way
Challenging individuals to find their own path in life
You must go alone
Independence and autonomy is required to succeed
Kill all next to you
Eliminating everyone in one's immediate surroundings, regardless of guilt or innocence
They want the throne
Others are motivated by ambition and a desire for power
The infectious disease
Violent and destructive actions that spread rapidly and affect the masses
Is the only life
The destructive path, fuelled by the lust for power, is the only existence the perpetrators know
You're scared to death
The fear and tension is overwhelming and terrifying for those affected by the violence
Die by their knife
Being killed by those who have turned to violence and murder as their means of achieving their goals
Brutality and mighty wars, warriors start to fight
The start of devastating conflicts and wars, where powerful and brutal warriors engage in battle
With bombs and guns, the troops have come to extinguish the light
The violent destruction and killing of people, with military forces using powerful weapons to annihilate their enemies
I'd rather not go wild tonight, but I must save myself
The horrifying circumstances force individuals to embrace violence and kill, not out of desire, but as a last resort to protect themselves
On a field littered with corpses
The terrible aftermath of the war or violence, with dead bodies strewn across the ground
Stands a lonely flower
A single and insignificant reminder of the beauty of life, standing among the carnage and destruction
It reminds the world how it was
The flower serves as a symbol and reminder of how beautiful and peaceful the world once was
But we kicked it away with power
The world's obsession with dominance and control destroyed the beauty and peace of life, replacing it with chaos and brutality
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: JUERGEN REIL, MILAND PETROZZA
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Metal_Arch
Ventor's voice is brutal and better than Mille's on this album.
alfred robert Babasoro
I agree. I realize that the songs I love the most in this album are those where Ventor is on vocs, apart from Pleasure to Kill.
Just some dude you know
100% straight up speed metal! Back when i was so poor that buying a record was impossible and there was no way to hear new bands unless you could copy your friends tape. Used to go to record shops and stare at the metal records for hours. Used to annoy the hell out of the people that worked there cuz i never bought anything. I'd turn the records over and over in my hands, reading everything, and tracing the art with my eyes. Then i'd go home and try and draw the art from memory. My pee chee folder was covered in metal band logos.
Grace
your comment is one of the best things I saw today
Agoraphobic News
The riffs, the bass line, the vocals, the lyrics. One of Kreator's best!
Sean Rushford
One of the best thrash metal songs ever made. Heavy, brutal and full of merciless fury, with no messing around. A classic.
Andy O Brien
I am only starting to realize how good these guys really are . Ahead of their time .
People talk about the big 4 , Its a insult to Kreator , they would give Slayer a run for their money any day of the week
Nisindu Perera
Really?
Can you top the artistry in rust in peace?
Not brutality
Artistry
D Ceased
Pleasure to Kill stands up to both though.
D Ceased
@Ray Zins
Show No Mercy eats it alive.
Hell Awaits damns it's soul.