Kreator are an institution. Since the mid-1980s, the Essen band have stood in the front rank of the German thrash scene, alongside Sodom and Destruction, with whom they once formed the famous « Teutonic thrash ». Forty years on, led by the tireless Mille Petrozza, the band have lost none of their fury, and Hate Über Alles, their fifteenth album, offers vehement proof of it.
The critics, favourable (a 78 average across eight reviews), hail a band that refuses the comfort of age. The slashing riffs, the frenzied tempos, Petrozza’s ragged voice and his rallying choruses are present and correct. Praise goes to a writing that, without revolutionising the genre, knows how to alternate pure brutality with those epic melodies that have become, over the years, the band’s hallmark.
Musically, Hate Über Alles mixes the frontal aggression of old-school thrash with a more melodic, almost anthemic dimension inherited from the great records of the 2000s. The modern, powerful production showcases the precision of a well-drilled machine. The committed lyrics denounce the hatred and the drifts of the age with the conviction one expects from the band.
The record suffers, however, from a certain unevenness: beside fearsome tracks, a few titles struggle to leave a lasting mark, and the formula begins to smell of the already-heard. Kreator excel in execution but surprise little, and the listener seeking renewal will remain hungry. Constancy here has its reverse side.
Verdict: 7.5/10. A solid, raging record confirming Kreator at the summit of European thrash without reinventing it. Fine craftsmanship, without major brilliance.
