ALBUM REVIEW: Coma of Souls, Renewal, Cause For Conflict, Outcast (Reissues) – Kreator

There is a strong case to be made that KREATOR are simply the best thrash band in the world. They may not have the commercial appeal of METALLICA, or the fanatic, meme-able fanbase of SLAYER, but the German quartet have spent over three decades delivery at best, aural perfection, and at worst certainly nothing less than interesting, if not captivating, experimentation. 2017 was a big year for the Teutonic thrashers – not only did they release Gods of Violence, their incredible fourteenth studio offering, and tuck a series of hugely successful tours under their belts, but the re-released their first four seminal albums. The ferocious debut, Endless Pain, Europe’s answer to Reign In Blood, Pleasure To Kill, the iconic Terrible Certainty, and commercial breakthrough Extreme Aggression all saw remaster and re-issue with shiny new packaging last year, and 2018 see’s the band give the next four albums in the catalogue the same treatment. Though often overlooked in favour of the classic four albums, and the ‘comeback’ records that have seen KREATOR go from strength to strength, these four albums from the 90s have a lot worth digging into, and it is worth noting that while the latter three are certainly weaker than the rest of the discography, KREATOR traversed the hazardous thrash terrain of the 1990s with their dignity and artistic integrity intact.

Coma of Souls

Coma of Souls is often unfairly overlooked when discussing KREATOR‘s greatest moments. Following a series of records that were unparalleled in their aggression and execution, Coma of Souls took a different approach from the truly visceral one the band had created for themselves throughout the 80s. While still crushingly heavy, Mille Petrozza began to inject a hint of IRON MAIDEN influence into the music, with a stronger focus on melody and hooks. This was the last quintessential KREATOR album before a period of experimentation took over, and in hindsight, the link between Coma of Souls and 2000’s ‘comeback’ record Violent Revolution is clear.

The remastered edition has a really lovely, beefed up sound to it. While still raw, the melodies shine through a little more, and overall the remastered sound is more pleasing to the ears. What really makes this re-issue stand above the original release is the bonus discs. Coming with an utterly punishing live set from the Coma of Souls tour, it’s fantastic to hear some tracks played live that have been missing from KREATOR‘s set for a while. Opening with When The Sun Burns Red  was particularly wonderful, and its great to hear classics like The Pestilence, Coma of Souls and Some Pain Will Last performed as they should be – live, raw and brutal.

Rating: 9/10

Renewal

Renewal was the first recorded of the “experimentation period” in KREATOR‘s history. Arguably the weakest of the four records being re-issued here, Renewal feels, in hindsight, a bit disjointed and forced. That said, hindsight is a wonderful thing – critically and commercially, the record did not perform well upon its release, but with a bit of distance its clear Renewal was judged a little too harshly.

The most instantly obvious change in sound here is in Mille’s vocals – for the most part, is signature, savage scream is gone, in favour of a throaty, hardcore style yell. The record also has a heavy influence from industrial metal, with is the next big stylistic change. The mix of industrial, thrash, and splashes of hardcore actually work quite well, and the record is, overall, well executed. Though it fails to be instantly lovable, like KREATOR‘s previous outputs, and the band didn’t hit their experimental stride until the next offering, Renewal has definitely gotten better with age. It probably isn’t many fans’ favourite KREATOR album, but it isn’t without its merits.

Rating: 6/10

Cause For Conflict

With Cause For Conflict, we see KREATOR really hitting their experimental stride. The hardcore and industrial influences of Renewal are absolutely still present, but its all wrapped up in a more cohesive, stronger package. Again, as with Renewal, Cause For Conflict was unfairly vilified upon its release, but has grown stronger and more enjoyable with age.

Though still present, the industrial influence is a little more subtle, where the hardcore influences are much more obvious giving Cause For Conflict a punky, crossover thrash feel. The remaster has really made the drum sounds across the record punch, and Mille‘s throaty, hardcore yell sounds far more developed and technically sound that what was present on Renewal. Cause For Conflict does have a few filler moments, but on the whole, the under-rated gems make the record a worthy edition to any thrash collection. A special note should be made for one of the bonus tracks, Suicide In Swamps – the B-Side was only available on the Scenarios of Violence compilation, but takes a worthy place in the track list here. It’s a weird, almost Lovecraftian song that is, without doubt, one of the highlights of this remastered edition of Cause For Conflict.

Rating: 7/10

Outcast

The final album in this series of chronological remasters, there’s a trend appearing. Much like Cause For Conflict, Renewal, and, to a lesser extent, Coma of Souls, Outcast was, upon release, the victim of largely negative press, facing unfair criticism and a lack of acceptance for the changing sound of the German thrash giants. And like Renewal and Cause For Conflict, the record is much, much better than those initial reviews would have you believe. Though Violent Revolution feels, in many ways, like a more natural successor to Coma of Souls than any of the 90s, experimental albums, Outcast has far more in common with both than the other experimental albums, and seems like a stepping stone back to the sound KREATOR were loved for in the 80s.

Sonically, Outcast definitely benefits from the remaster. Everything sounds cleaner than the original release, and the smoother sound makes the gothic influences much more pleasing to the ear. Outcast takes the varying genre-influences from the previous two albums, injects a more subtle thrash sound, if there is such a thing, and brings a heavy dose of goth into the mix. The resulting album is actually quite unique, and Outcast stands as the strongest album in KREATOR‘s discography released between Coma of Souls and Violent Revolution. The bonus disc that comes with Outcast features a live set from 1998’s Dynamo Open Air Festival, and is a great chance for those who do enjoy KREATOR‘s experimental albums to hear a small selection of tracks performed live, amidst the classics.

Rating: 8/10

Coma of Souls, Renewal, Cause for Conflict, Outcast (Reissues) are out now via BMG.

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