Kreator Album: “Voices of Transgression”

Germany's Kreator have three basic eras in their impressive discography: 80's hyper-thrash; 90's raw metal savagery & experimentation; and the return-to-thrash era of the 21st century. When vocalist/guitarist Mille Petrozza & his gang put out their first album in '85 he was only 18 years old, which explains the youthful, energetic approach of their first five studio disks. When the 90s hit and grunge was king, hyper-thrash was no longer in vogue. So Mille & crew, now maturer and more seasoned, took to branching out with their primal brand of metal, but not in the order of Metallica's LOAD albums (or even THE BLACK ALBUM), just less thrashy, more raw, more traditional, with a streak of experimentation.

Some fans look down on Kreator's 90's output, but I like it more than their one-dimensional 80's approach, and just as much as their current era, probably more. It has a strong Bathory vibe, especially the vocals and rawness, as well as non-LOAD Metallica. If you like these bands Kreator's 90's RETROSPECTIVE is a must.

A couple songs are unique to this offering: the outstanding "Inferno" and the slow & moody closer "As We Watch the West."

Although Mille's voice & riffing are unmistakable, giving this collection a strong sense of cohesion (all their albums really), there's quite a bit of welcome diversity:

- Two exceptional slower moody & doomy numbers: "Black Sunrise" and "Outcast."

- Mid-paced-to-fast metal glory: "Isolation," "Renewal," "Hate Inside Your Head," "Inferno," "The Chosen Few" and "Golden Age."

- Speedy thrash/punk stuff: "Bomb Threat," "Lost" and "State Oppresion."

- Metallic Experimental stuff: "Endorama," "As We Watch the West" and the cover song "Lucretia (My Reflection)."

My personal favorites are all from the first two categories: "Renewal," "Black Sunrise," "Outcast," "Inferno," "Isolation," "Hate Inside Your Head," "The Chosen Few," "Golden Age" and "Whatever it May Take."

As for track dispersion from the four 90s studio albums: Five cuts are taken from 1995's CAUSE FOR CONFLICT, five from 1997's OUTCAST, three from 1999's ENDORAMA, but only one from 1992's RENEWAL (?). Both "Karmic Wheel" and "Depression Unrest" from RENEWAL deserve a place on this retrospective; they're excellent Kreator tunes and better than over half the songs here. Oh well, I guess that gives people a reason to seek out and purchase RENEWAL, huh?

A great thing about Kreator's songcraft is that they always know how to change tempos or shift gears when the song starts becoming one-dimensional and dull. Take, for instance, the interesting part thrown into the middle of "Whatever it May Take."

Another great thing about VOICES OF TRANSGRESSION - A 90s RETROSPECTIVE is that the songs don't sound dated in the least (unlike, say, some of their 80's stuff). This is timeless material, pure and simple.

GRADE: A

As a fan of Kreator from the days of Endless Pain, Pleasure to Kill and Terrible Certainty, this compilation fell below my expectations. But the songs I most like are Bomb Threat, Renewal and Phobia.

And must admit that Kreator sound better and harder live in concert than in studio recordings.

This album is a MUST HAVE for every metal fan. Not only because there are songs like "Lost" and "Endorama " but also for all the old songs (classics). About the brand new songs, "As We Watch The West" just will make you feel the decadence of the world.

I really think That Mille Petrozza did a bad thing by placing "Leave this World Behind", "Golden age" and "Bomb Threat" together.. it's just too much!!!! I almost had a heart attack!!

Great music, great sound, great vocals, great aggression!!

Buy It!

This album is a most in any true metal listener, or even if your not, maybe you want something different than Manson, Nu-Metallica etc's, this album is more deep than the 80's Kreator recordings, the openning track,a cover from the classic band "Ths Sisters Of Mercy" rocks!!!, the rest of the album is great, different stages with attitude, you'll maybe not find,fury and burning speed-lightning guitars in this compilation, but a solid work of them, heavy, raw and direct, if you want the best of both worlds, try the other 80's compilations and you'll have a base from one of the greatest metal groups. Yeah.

if you bought last year's endorama, you would know that kreator rocks with the subtlety of a bucking bronco. they are back to try to throw you off their backs with a new album