Kreator is a German thrash metal band from Essen, formed in 1982. Their current line-up consists of lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist Miland "Mille" Petrozza, drummer Jürgen "Ventor" Reil, lead guitarist Sami Yli-Sirniö, and bassist Frédéric Leclercq. The band's line-up has changed multiple times throughout its -year career, most noticeably their bassists and lead guitarists. Petrozza and Reil are the only two original members left in Kreator, although the latter left the band in 1994 but rejoined in 1996. Yli-Sirniö has been the lead guitarist of Kreator since 2001, while Leclercq joined in 2019 as the replacement of Christian "Speesy" Giesler, who had been in the band since 1994.
To date, Kreator has released sixteen studio albums, two EPs, two live albums and three compilation albums. They gained a large underground fanbase within the international thrash metal community, with their second studio album Pleasure to Kill (1986) regarded as an influential album of the genre. Many of their subsequent albums — including Terrible Certainty (1987), Extreme Aggression (1989), and Coma of Souls (1990) — were also highly acclaimed. Despite being an influential band, as well as one of the first European thrash metal bands to sign to a major label (signing to Epic Records in 1988), Kreator did not achieve mainstream popularity until later albums, including their thirteenth studio album Phantom Antichrist (2012) and its follow-up Gods of Violence (2017), both of which charted highly in many countries, with the latter reaching number one on the German charts. Their latest studio album, Krushers of the World, was released on 16 January 2026.
Kreator has achieved worldwide sales of over two million units for combined sales of all their albums, making them one of the best-selling German thrash metal bands of all time. Along with Destruction, Sodom and Tankard, they are credited as one of the "Big Four" of Teutonic thrash metal, responsible for developing and popularizing the German thrash metal scene, as well as pioneering the then-emerging death metal and black metal genres during the mid-1980s. The staff of Loudwire named them the 31st best metal band of all time in 2016. In 2025, Zahra Huselid of Screen Rant included the band in the site's list of "10 Best Thrash Metal Bands Who Weren't The Big Four".
History Formation and early releases (1982–1987) The band was originally formed in 1982 as Metal Militia in Essen, Germany, and then became Tyrant. Later they used the name Tormentor until 1984, when they changed to its current name Kreator. The original line-up featured lead vocalist and guitarist Mille Petrozza, drummer Jürgen "Ventor" Reil, and bassist Rob Fioretti. Kreator recorded their debut album, Endless Pain (1985), in just ten days. The band hired future Sodom guitarist Michael Wulf for the album's tour to play lead, while Petrozza switched to rhythm guitar.
Wulf was only in the band for a few days but, contrary to the liner notes, he did not play on the band's second album Pleasure to Kill (1986), which is widely considered a thrash classic, and a big influence on the death metal genre. It would not be until 31 years after its release that Pleasure to Kill entered the German album charts. Produced by Harris Johns (who had also worked with Sodom, Helloween and Voivod), the album showed the band growing in talent and technical ability. The song "Flag of Hate" became a concert standard, and the band became one of the most promising up-and-coming European metal acts. The band started their first tour ever (prior to the release of Pleasure to Kill, they had only played five gigs total); they played their first shows outside of Germany during the fall of 1986, touring Europe with Destruction and Celtic Frost, and in the spring of 1987, they toured North America for the first time, supporting Voivod on their Killing Technology tour. Kreator's first EP, Flag of Hate, was also released in 1986. The band would become a quartet with the addition of guitarist Jörg "Tritze" Trzebiatowski.
Rising popularity (1987–1991) In 1987, Kreator released its third studio album, Terrible Certainty, often considered a high-quality record as the arrangements were more complex and the tempos more varied. The album featured another hit, "Behind the Mirror". The band's popularity continued growing and a music video for "Toxic Trace" received airplay on MTV. They found enough time and money (coming from their concerts) to finance another EP, Out of the Dark... Into the Light (1988). By this point, Kreator was headlining their own tours and playing at theaters and arenas with bands such as Megadeth, Voivod, Overkill, D.R.I. and Holy Terror.
Berlin-based independent record label Noise Records licensed Kreator for the territories outside of Europe and Japan to major label Epic Records, with whom the band signed in 1988. Their fourth studio album and debut with Epic (for limited territories), Extreme Aggression, recorded in Los Angeles, became a metal hit in Europe upon its release in 1989. However, the album would not enter the German album charts until 28 years after its release. Continuing the Terrible Certainty formula while progressing musically with better production by the well-regarded Randy Burns (who had also worked with Megadeth, Possessed, Nuclear Assault, Death, Dark Angel, among others), the album featured the band's first major singles, the title track, "Betrayer" and the radio-only "Love Us or Hate Us", gaining support from the Southern California radio station KNAC, and the video for "Betrayer" receiving airplay on MTV's Headbangers Ball. This, as well as playing with bands like King Diamond, Raven, Coroner, Suicidal Tendencies, Death and Sadus, greatly expanded their popularity outside of Germany.
Also in 1989, German director Thomas Schadt made a documentary about Kreator (focusing on the social aspect of heavy metal in the Ruhr area) titled Thrash Altenessen (named after the band's hometown, a suburb of Essen). Tritze left Kreator after the release of Extreme Aggression. In 1990, with new guitarist Frank "Blackfire" Gosdzik (then-formerly of Sodom), the band released their fifth studio album, Coma of Souls, again produced by Burns. The album was not quite as praised as the band's previous few albums (many felt it was "rushed" and repetitive), but it still managed to sell and maintain popularity quite well, with the singles "When the Sun Burns Red" and "People of the Lie" becoming hits.
Experimentation (1992–2000) The early 1990s brought a decline in the popularity of traditional thrash metal, which was replaced by grunge. By 1992, Kreator was released from their American contract with CBS/Sony Music, then-home of the likes of Alice in Chains and Pearl Jam. Their sixth studio album, Renewal, was released in the fall of that year, and featured heavy death metal and industrial influences. While reaching a newer audience, the band upset many longtime fans, accusing them of "selling out". Kreator experienced a decline in popularity as a result of the backlash against the album.
The line-up also underwent significant changes. Founding member Roberto Fioretti left after recording the album and was replaced by Andreas Herz. In 1994, Reil departed as well, leaving Petrozza the sole original band member. Reil was replaced by Joe Cangelosi while Herz left the same year and was replaced by Christian "Speesy" Giesler. During this time, Kreator had ended their tenure with Noise Records and signed with GUN Records. The new line-up released the album Cause for Conflict in 1995. The songs bore a heavy influence of such bands as Pantera and Machine Head, as well as a partial resemblance to Renewal.
Gosdzik and Cangelosi left in 1996 and were replaced by Tommy Vetterli (then-formerly of Coroner) and a returning Reil, respectively. The band performed at Wacken Open Air this year. Kreator continued to experiment, producing Outcast (1997) and Endorama (1999) with ambient and gothic influences and incorporating samples and loops. However, record sales went down, and by the end of the 1990s, the band had reached commercial and critical nadir. Despite that, Petrozza was quoted as stating: "For us, success doesn't define in record sales. So all our albums have been successful for us, because we've achieved what we were aiming for."
Return in style (2001–2009)
In 2001, with Sami Yli-Sirniö replacing Tommy Vetterli on guitar, Kreator released their tenth studio album, Violent Revolution, which saw the band return to its classic thrash metal style. Despite containing a lot of melodic and so-called "Gothenburg metal" riffs, Violent Revolution was praised highly by fans and critics alike and benefited from the 2000s thrash metal revival movement, led by Overkill, Slayer, Megadeth, Exodus, and Testament. The tour was extremely successful and introduced Kreator to a younger generation of metal fans. Yli-Sirniö, who lived in Germany, was known to be a good guitar player, so the band recruited him. They played Wacken Open Air in 2002. A live album, Live Kreation, and a live DVD, Live Kreation: Revisioned Glory, were both released in 2003, and their eleventh studio album – emphasizing more on the Gothenburg influences – Enemy of God was released in 2005. A special edition was re-released in 2006, called Enemy of God: Revisited. In early 2006, Kreator toured North America with Napalm Death, A Perfect Murder, and The Undying. There was a joint headline European tour with Celtic Frost in 2007 with support from Watain. Kreator were slated to tour in 2008 with King Diamond, Leaves' Eyes, and Cellador, but this tour was canceled due to back issues with King Diamond.
In March 2008, the At the Pulse of Kapitulation DVD was released, featuring Live in East Berlin and Hallucinative Comas on one disc. Both had previously been available on VHS only and were long out of print. The band also began working on their twelfth full-length album in late 2007/early 2008, and began recording in July 2008. Recording for the album, titled Hordes of Chaos, wrapped up in late August, with the album released in January 2009. On 23 January 2009, the band began their "Chaos Over Europe" tour in Tilburg (the Netherlands) with Caliban, Eluveitie and Emergency Gate as other acts. In April 2009, the band embarked on a North American headlining tour, co-headlined by Exodus, and supported by Belphegor, Warbringer, and Epicurean. In late 2009, Reil was forced to sit out some tour dates due to personal issues, with Marco Minnemann temporarily taking his place.
Phantom Antichrist and Gods of Violence (2010–2017) Kreator signed with Nuclear Blast in early 2010, before embarking on a North American tour in March to celebrate their 25th anniversary. A European tour with Exodus, Death Angel and Suicidal Angels, entitled Thrashfest, took place in late 2010. On 1 June 2012, they released their thirteenth studio album, Phantom Antichrist. Kreator co-headlined a 23-date North American tour that fall with Nuclear Blast labelmates Accept. Entitled the Teutonic Terror Attack 2012 tour, they were supported by Swallow the Sun. Kreator performed alongside Suidakra in Bangalore on 16 June 2012.
Kreator released a music video for "Civilization Collapse" on 28 November 2012.