Coma of Souls

Album review

After the remastered re-release of the first four albums of this pioneer band of European thrash metal, the following four deserve the same special treatment, headed by Coma of Souls that many consider to be Kreator’s major work. When a majority of bands jumped the thrash ship in hope of the same flamboyant success as Metallica, Kreator’s singer-guitarist and leader Mille Petrozza re-pledged his allegiance to the genre with a proper inventory of its best assets. Technically Kreator has nothing to envy to the Metallica of Kill ‘Em All, the Slayer of Show No Mercy and Hell Awaits or the Megadeth of Killing Is My Business… and Business Is Good! or Peace Sells… but Who's Buying, nor to their counterparts from the German Big 4 − Sodom, Tankard and Destruction… Masterful sound, overpowering riffs, unleashed cavalcades of double bass drum, blistering solos (in the tradition of Kirk Hammett from early Metallica and Exodus), nasty aggressive singing…The only rare concessions made to a more consensual style of metal don’t go beyond a few melodic breaks in the style of Iron Maiden or Helloween, only more vindictive. Furthermore the quality of these re-released live tracks – recorded in Fürth in 1990 – is definitely worth pointing out, with no less than 17 tracks!

Following this thrash punishment, Kreator surprised everyone by turning the page for a (too?) long time. Starting from Renewal, the band ventured in mixed singing − although not strictly speaking melodious, less offensive guitars and electronic sounds borrowed from industrial music… But in essence they remained closer to Megadeth and Metallica – whose Load they seemed to be anticipating (and even Lars Ulrich’s famous drumming on St. Anger) – than Ministry or Nine Inch Nails, but this change of course was not received enthusiastically. In hindsight, and with an optimised sound, its numerous quality became more apparent, starting with strong and varied compositions that have aged nicely.

Not really resorting back to their thrash of predilection in Cause for Conflict, Kreator did take into consideration the success of Pantera, Machine Head and Sepultura to try and regain an optimum aggressiveness, even reincorporating the punk hard-core rock of thrash metal. But combining this newfound rage and vehement and inspired lyrics to a more modern sound. At least for the time being. As a bonus, the re-released version features the incredible Suicide in Swamps that was only released on the Scenarios of Violence compilation in 1996. For some (rather many), Kreator hit rock bottom in 1997 with Outcast, disavowing their origins and singularity. But others claim that it’s their most experimental and inspired album. Indeed the band is far from ridiculous when venturing on the territory of Rammstein, Nine Inch Nails or Marilyn Manson. The ten live tracks recorded at the Dynamo Open Air – including four from this forsaken album – clearly show that on stage, Kreator was far from the end of their rope. © Jean-Pierre Sabouret/Qobuz