Krushers of the World
Kreator have become very good at making thrash metal for large crowds. Krushers of the World has the fast riffs and harsh vocals you'd expect, alongside choruses designed to be shouted back at a stage. The combination works well, though some songs make the crowd participation a little too obvious.
Seven Serpents opens strongly. There's plenty of speed in the playing, and Mille Petrozza's delivery gives the song the aggression it needs. Satanic Anarchy follows with a bigger emphasis on the hook, setting up the balance that runs through the rest of the record.
The title track slows things down for a heavier, more direct stomp. It will be easy to imagine it finding a place in the live set. On record, the repeated chorus feels less exciting than the guitar work around it. Kreator can write a very good riff, and there are moments where the anthem gets in the way of that strength.
Barbarian is more convincing. The pace picks up, the guitars cut through, and the band sound focused on moving the song forward. Blood of Our Blood has a similar bite. Sami Yli-Sirniö's lead playing gives both the faster and more melodic material plenty of detail, while the rhythm section keeps the whole thing firmly in place.
Tränenpalast brings in Hiraes vocalist Britta Görtz and a darker atmosphere. Her contribution gives the track another voice to work with, adding variation within an album that otherwise stays close to the band's established sound.
The glossy production is clear and powerful, but anyone wanting the rough edge of early Kreator will need to adjust their expectations. The closing stretch has some more of that aggression, particularly in Psychotic Imperator and Deathscream, and it helps keep the balance from tipping too far towards festival choruses.
Krushers of the World is a strong, occasionally predictable record. The playing is excellent and the best songs have real force. A little less chanting would leave even more room for the parts that make Kreator interesting.
