Location: Essen
Country: Germany
Genre: Thrash metal
Full length: Krushers of the World
Format: Digital, CD
Label: Nuclear Blast
Release date: January 16, 2026
“Krushers of the World” took little time to grow on me, as it reminded me of the Kreator I knew way back when. I always maintain that bands can redefine themselves and expand their boundaries with reverence for their origins, balancing raw intensity with greater sophistication.
This album has the fierce, uncompromising tone of “Pleasure to Kill,” “Flag of Hate,” “Terrible Certainty” and “Extreme Aggression.” Since founding members Mille Petrozza and Ventor Reil have partnered for so long, they have a commanding presence and menacing, relentless precision. There’s an instantly recognizable side to this album, a significant change some may find uncharacteristic that are usually associated with subgenres of black metal, gothic metal, epic metal and avant garde metal.
I’ve personally never been a purist or a gatekeeper when it comes to bands like Iron Maiden, Anthrax and Celtic Frost experimenting, even when some of that experimenting led to mixed reactions. The reception “Krushers of the World” has gotten from magazines and sites like Kerrang, Angry Metal Guy and Sputnikmusic suggests this direction generally works for Kreator, and I see their point.
“Krushers of the World” illustrates how hard Petrozza and Sami Yli-Sirniö have worked to refine their dual guitar harmonies, with more than adequate support from bassist Frédéric Leclercq. The first three tracks are replete with melodic sections, atmospheric keyboards, harmonies likened to Murray-Smith and King-Hanneman and sections encouraging audience participation, especially on the title track. This is not for commercial appeal but a natural extension of their foundations in German thrash.
Most importantly, the lyrics are motivated by passionate individualism; a voice for those who refuse to be silenced even as the world is becoming increasingly out of control, and Mille's phrasing allows the lyrics to be clearly understood. “Tränenpalast,” an homage to Argento's 1977 supernatural horror movie Suspiria, exerts the most effort to engage audiences, delving into power metal and melodic death metal. From there, the album creates a compelling equilibrium between aggression and emotional depth.
“Barbarian” exemplifies this stage of their development. It's rawer, thrashier, and more straightforward, and Petrozza adds more melody to his raucous vocals. The same can be said for “Blood of Our Blood,” “Psychotic Imperator,” and especially “Deathscream” which hearkens to Bay Area thrash with complex, bass heavy progressions, mid-tempo breakdowns and accents. “Loyal to the Grave” may sound partially clichéd, but adding chant to the crunch and harmonies is a nice touch to end the album on. –Dave Wolff
Lineup:
Miland ‘Mille’ Petrozza: Vocals, guitars
Sami Yli-Sirniö: Guitars
Frédéric Leclercq: Bass
Jürgen ‘Ventor’ Reil: Drums
Track list:
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
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