Kreator – Krushers Of The World
Nuclear Blast Records/Shinigami Records
9,0/10,0
Brief:
Back in 1975, AC/DC’s Bon Scott sung “It’s a Long Way to the Top (If You Wanna Rock ‘n’ Roll)”, five decades later, German metal titans KREATOR might like to change this into “It’s an even Longer Way to the Top (If You Wanna Thrash)” if they were to pen an equally autobiographical track.
Synonymous with all the heaviness, speed, energy, violence and sheer volume one associates with heavy metal, KREATOR’s ongoing story is a classic tale: the wondrous adventure of teenagers coming from rags to riches, from the proverbial gutter to literally every stage you can imagine. They went from No. 99 (1986’s “Pleasure To Kill”, the title track was part of Netflix series Dark’s soundtrack) to No. 1 (2017’s “Gods Of Violence”) in their home country’s official album charts, and traveled the world from Tokyo to Santiago, from Bangalore to Los Angeles.
In 2025, KREATOR celebrated two outstanding achievements by releasing vocalist/guitarist Miland “Mille” Petrozza’s book “Your Heaven, My Hell” with co-writer Torsten Gross and hitting German cinemas with “Hate & Hope”, the first proper movie about a really loud – to the very day – really extreme metal band not only melting your face with firestorms of pyrotechnics but also music equivalent to searing bursts of hellfire. Starring guests such as Scott Ian (Anthrax), Chuck Billy (Testament), Bela B. (Die Ärzte), Phil Demmel (Kerry King, ex Machine Head), and many more, “Hate & Hope” proves that in a career like KREATOR’s you should always expect the unexpected.
Now, it is time to continue this tale of humble beginnings, ambitious visions and unbreakable will, and start its much-anticipated 16th chapter! Entitled “Krushers Of The World”, the new KREATOR album. “Krushers Of The World” is not a shy title, it is a statement, an expression of pride and self-awareness knowing how long and hard the band’s path has been and knowing what they still have to say and share with their ever growing following. After the buzz around the movie and book, it is time for KREATOR to let the riffs, the roaring vocals, and thunderous drums do the talking.
But let us hit the “rewind” button for a second and do a quick recap of the story so far…
When KREATOR’s earliest incarnation formed under the influence of Kiss and Judas Priest in the early 80’s none of the above was thinkable. For young adults, Essen, back then a 600k plus city in the Ruhr area, was a grim place. Unemployment rates were surging, houses had been blackened by smoke from factories and coal mines, for some alcohol and drug abuse were the only escape route from this dismal, post-industrialized backdrop.
Whereas Birmingham spawned Black Sabbath and undoubtedly became the legitimate birthplace of heavy metal, the bands associated with the New Wave Of British Heavy Metal like Iron Maiden, Venom, Saxon pushed the genre with a street-fighting attitude, US artists such as Metallica, Exodus, Slayer, and Swedes Bathory intensified the style even more, and altogether concocted a dangerous brew KREATOR poured down their throats in gallons. For today’s remaining founding members Mille and drummer Jürgen “Ventor” Reil, music was the way out from these dire surroundings, and provided an outlet for the frustration and contempt boiling in their guts. And KREATOR went all in. Naive, chaotic yet utterly determined.
And they left their own mark on heavy metal history, radicalizing thrash and inspiring legions of musicians including Arch Enemy, Cannibal Corpse, Behemoth and Ghost, with Papa Emeritus joining a TV performance of ‘Satan Is Real’ in 2017.
Their newest studio album, “Krushers Of The World”, shows a band that has lost none of its bite kicking off with the rabid aggression of ‘Seven Serpents’. It also tackles Petrozza’s love for horror flicks by paying tribute to Dario Argento’s “Suspiria” in ‘Tränenpalast’ with extreme metal vocal coach Britta Görtz (Hiraes) adding her own vicious tone over dark yet catchy melodies. And of course, you shall have hefty doses of pure, thrashing aggression as well! ‘Barbarian’, ‘Deathscream’ or ‘Psychotic Imperator’ deliver your fix of merciless riffs, majestic leads by Sami Yli-Sirniö and some of Ventor’s fastest parts ever. Are you looking for powerful mid-tempo sections allowing bassist Frédéric Leclercq to shine? Then the monumental groove of the title track and stunning chorus of ‘Satanic Anarchy’ will have you covered. Rounded off by a triumphant and – no pun intended – krushing production courtesy of Jens Bogren at Fascination Street Studios, who previously worked with the group on “Phantom Antichrist” (2012) and “Gods Of Violence” (2017), KREATOR return in perfect shape.
A novelty to “Krushers Of The World” is immediately obvious when staring at its cover. With Zbigniew Bielak, renowned for his work for Ghost, art and design offer an interesting twist to KREATOR’s history. Transforming classic visual trademarks dedicated fans will recognise from “Coma Of Souls” (1990), “Out of the Dark… into the Light” (1988) and “Pleasure To Kill” (the font!) into a highly detailed tapestry garnered with occult symbolism, Bielak crafted an outstanding piece paying homage to a band he loves since his teenager days yet with a daring and unique flair. The cover of “Krushers Of The World” rewards everyone willing to analyze the grandiose sleeve design.
In essence, “Krushers Of The World” is of course not a throwback to KREATOR’s past, it is furious, massive sounding and creative in its own right, gifted with a songwriting quality honed over years. It displays a band which earned its spot among the giants of the genre, and developed its youthful anger further into a professional, internationally successful, nonetheless intimidating creature. “Krushers Of The World” underlines the fact that fueled by the reflective look at their own legacy sparked by 2025’s “Hate & Hope” movie, KREATOR nowadays appear more mindful of their early days while simultaneously progressing uncompromisingly, unstoppable in their search for new realms to conquer and new worlds to krush.
[Edited Press Release]
Tracklist:
1 – Seven Serpents
2 – Satanic Anarchy
3 – Krushers Of The World
4 – Tränenpalast
5 – Barbarian
6 – Blood Of Our Blood
7 – Combatants
8 – Psychotic Imperator
9 – Deathscream
10 – Loyal To The Grave
Main Focus Tracks:
3 – Krushers Of The World
4 – Tränenpalast
6 – Blood Of Our Blood
9 – Deathscream
Other Recommended Tracks:
2 – Satanic Anarchy
5 – Barbarian
8 – Psychotic Imperator
Line-Up:
Miland “Mille” Petrozza – vocals, guitar
Jürgen “Ventor” Reil – drums
Sami Yli-Sirniö – guitar, backing vocals
Frédéric Leclercq – bass, backing vocals
Comments:
Having succeeded in a perfect alliance between technique, rage, and melody, Kreator offers us Krushers of the World, a must-have work for any thrash metal fan. Krushers of the World is the thrash metal album of the year 2026, quite simply!
COMPRAR ÁLBUM: Shinigami Records
Contacts:
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Selected Discography:
Endless Pain – 1985
Pleasure to Kill – 1986
Terrible Certainty – 1987
Extreme Aggression – 1989
Coma of Souls – 1990
Renewal – 1992
Cause for Conflict – 1995
Outcast – 1997
Endorama – 1999
Violent Revolution – 2001
Enemy of God – 2005
Hordes of Chaos – 2009
Phantom Antichrist – 2012
Gods of Violence – 2017
Hate über alles – 2022
Krushers of the World – 2026
Photo Credit: Robert Eikelpoth