If you read my Exumer review then you’d know that I have an enormous soft spot for German thrash.
Sodom will always be closest to my heart, (mainly due to happy memories of reading the lyrics to songs like “Burst Command Till War” & giggling my tits off as a kid), but few can deny that the most technically proficient and, dare I use the word, ‘progressive’ Teuto-thrash band were the mighty Kreator.
From the moment I bought the “Behind The Mirror” 12 inch single with the iconic demon head on the front I was hooked & I have bought everything they’ve done since.
Phantom Antichrist is their 13th full length and is a natural progression from “Hordes Of Chaos” but just as much of a rager as “Pleasure To Kill” was back in the day. Yes, it’s much more melodic & has a shiny production but the extreme aggression is still there beyond doubt.
Mille Petrozza’s vocals are just as caustic as ever and, as always from Kreator, the guitar work is brilliant with Mille & Sami’s lead s intertwining like a pair of horny snakes! Checkout “United In Hate” for evidence.
The only weak point, for me at least, is the song, “From Flood Into Fire”, not crap but a bit of a “lighter waver” for me……. not what I want from the flyers of the flag of hate!!
All in all a great album with brilliant artwork (I still care about that) and it’s well worth getting the ltd. edition which contains a dvd with a ‘making of…’ and two live sets from Wacken in ’08 & ’11.