The "Gods Of Violence" period was triumphant for Kreator. The thrash legend came up with a huge album, the tour that followed gave the live "London Apocalypticon". Since then, Christian Giesler left the band after 25 years of presence and was replaced by Frederic Leclercq, the band changed producer with Arthur Rizk and showed the will to come back to a less clean thrash sound than on "Gods Of Violence". After a single ('666 - World Divided') released at the beginning of 2020, Kreator is back with their new album, "Hate Über Alles".
After an introduction worthy of a Morricone soundtrack, the record starts with a bang with 'Hate Über Alles'. Pure thrash slap, the title goes fast with ultra fast bleeding riffs, the vocals of a possessed Mille and a federative chorus. 'Killer Of Jesus' and 'Strongest Of The Strongest' remain in the same vein as the opening track, that of the Kreator of the 2000s. Carried by effective choruses and a percussive velocity, these tracks are of a certain effectiveness.
After that, the observation is more severe. Kreator abuses its formula with choruses, riffs and soli that have been heard many times, and the tracks are quickly forgotten. Mille is still vocally powerfull, but there is something missing to make interesting tracks. 'Crush The Tyrants' and 'Dying Planet' are boring and long, without melodic catch and especially lack of power. The intervention of Sofia Portanet on 'Midnight Sun' doesn't bring much to a track that frankly lacks strength and even seems artificial.
The observation may seem harsh but Kreator offers with "Hate Über Alles" a freewheeling record where the best tracks are wedged at the beginning. To see such a band lose all inspiration is quite disappointing.