Kreator Album: “Pleasure to Kill”

I am not really a fan of speed metal. Thrash is as deep as I usually go in the metal categories and grindcore makes me physically ill. There is something about the German speed metal band Kreator that I really enjoy. A friend loaned me Pleasure To Kill back in the 1980s (it was originally released in 1986) and I liked it so much I was not satisfied just making a copy of it; I had to go out and buy the real thing. Then I bought Terrible Certainty, Flag of Hate, and Out of the Dark...Into the Light. Pleasure to Kill is still my favorite. At first I thought it was funny because it starts with the beautiful instrumental "Choir of the Damned" and then launches into the explosive, hard pumping "Ripping Corpse." The more I listened, the more I became hooked to the incredible guitar riffs. It is not just noise; there is melody here (fast and furious) that I can remember. The best track here is definitely "Riot of Violence." This is my favorite Kreator song. It is amazing and sounds even better on the live album Out of the Dark... "Command of the Blade" has ferocious guitars. The Medieval-looking cover artwork is also very cool. If I can like this album, any real fan of speed metal will love it!

What can I say? Many albums claim to be equal to Slayer's "Reign In Blood," but "Pleasure to Kill" is the only one that can measure up to that thrash masterpiece. Mille and company lay waste to every thing in their path on this release...if you don't beleive me, just get this thing! The production is raw enough to enhance the aggression, but its a LOT better than on "Endless Pain." There are a few slower moments like "Riot of Violence" and "Take Their Lives," but overall this is a really fast album. My only complaint would be the guitar solos, which are basically maniacal tapping and whammy diving, but for the music they're playing here, it suits the insanity that is so prevelant. FEEL THE PLEASURE TO KILL!

I HAVE BEEN INTO ROCK AND METAL SINCE 1966 (THAT'S DAY ONE OF METAL , KIDS! ) KREATOR RANK AS ONE OF THE MOST POWERFUL AND INFLUENTIAL METAL ACTS OF ALL TIME. "PLEASURE TO KILL" DOES JUST THAT, DELIVERING ONE CRUSHING BLOW AFTER ANOTHER. "AWAKENING OF THE GODS" IS THE HIGH POINT OF THE ALBUM ,IN FACT DAMN NEAR THE HIGH POINT OF ALL METAL HISTORY!! THE ONLY (MINOR) COMPLAINT IS THAT SOME OF THE GUITAR SOLOS ARE SOMEWHAT UNDISCIPLINED AND INACCURATE.BUT LISTENING TO A LOT OF TONY IOMMI, YOU GET USED TO HEARING ACCURACY AND DISCIPLINE! BE THAT AS IT MAY, THE SONGS AND PLAYING ON "PLEASURE TO KILL" ARE WAY ABOVE THE AVERAGE METAL EFFORT. SO IF YOU WANT METAL THAT DELIVERS, KILL!!!!!!

This CD has everything you would want from a German Thrash metal band: complex yet extreme guitar parts, rough vocals, pounding drums, and thumping basslines. The drummer does vocals on 3 tracks, which is pretty cool. The intro song is very decieving, as it is very melodic, which this CD is not. Kreator is one of if not THE best band to come out of Germany. If you claim to be the biggest thrash metal fan ever, your statement won't be true until you own this CD and all the other thrash classics.

Anyone who bought this death metal masterpiece when it first came out years ago I bet remembers just how it made you feel. Opening the album is a orchestral piece with beautiful guitar and soundscape.....then, all hell breaks loose...in a beautiful way. At the time..nothing like I had ever heard ripped through my speakers and I've been a fan ever since. The guitars crush and scream, the drums and bass kill, and the vocals..ANYONE who is a fan of Kreator already knows..One of the Masters--if not The Master of Vocals is heard ripping up the path to the hill of pleasure to kill. If you are a fan of Death Metal...the way it was meant to be..or a fan of Metal itself..you owe it to yourself and your Kreator to buy this cd. Lay back and scream!