In 1984 and 1985, KREATOR - at the time still known as TORMENTOR - released their first two demos and signed with Noise. Founders of the thrash metal inferno from Essen were vocalist and axemaster Mille Petrozza, bass player Rob Fioretto and vocalist/drummer Jürgen „Ventor“ Reil.
After changing their name to KREATOR, they unleashed their debut album „Endless Pain“ and soon gained cult status in the metal scene, while inspiring hundreds of bands in the black and death genre. At first, Petrozza and Reil shared the lead singer position, but after a while, Mille grew to be the main voice of the band.
Their second longplayer „Pleasure To Kill“ was recorded with the help of producer Harris Johns in 1986, before KREATOR embarked on a big tour featuring DESTRUCTION and RAGE together with their new guitarist Jörg Trietze. „Terrible Certainty“, released in 1987, brought them on the same stage as CELTIC FROST and VIRUS, before the band conquered the United States with D.R.I.
America had a great impact on KREATOR and therefore, „Extreme Aggression“ (1989) was recorded in Los Angeles with Randy Burns, who got the best out of Mille and his colleagues with an evolved sound and more mature production. Their first headline tour together with SUICIDAL TENDENCIES made the band accessible to even more US fans and after some line-up changes, the fifth album became the ultimate breakthrough for KREATOR and from this day on, they would only be known as one of the biggest thrash forces from Germany.
On “Renewal”, the band then tried to reinvent itself with hardcore and industrial elements and faced more line-up changes, when Ventor was kicked out of the band due to drug abuse and Rob Fioretti aiming for new horizons. With bass player Christian „Speesy“ Geissler and drummer Joe Cangelosi, KREATOR’s „Cause For Conflict“ saw the light of day, followed by the 1997s “Outcast”.
On a tour with DIMMU BORGIR and KRISIUM the band promoted their latest release, but even though the press reactions had been very positive, several fans showed disappointment about the new musical development of the band – especially after they completely turned their back on thrash metal with „Endorama“ and embraced a new gothic sound with a focus on softer vocals.
But the band soon reacted to the voices of their loyal fanbase and in 2001 „Violent Revolution“ kept the promise made by its name. With their new guitarist Sami Yli-Sirniö (Ex-WALTARI) the return to their thrash roots was completed and several tours with CANNIBAL CORPSE, SODOM and DESTRUCTION prove that KREATOR were more than ever ready to crush the world with an uncompromising sound – of course this comeback had to be celebrated with the double-CD „Live Kreation“ and the DVD „Live Kreation – Revisioned Glory“.
In 2003, KREATOR slowly started to think about their next album and two years later, the evergreen „Enemy Of God“ was forged and accompanied by a tour with DARK TRANQUILLITY through Germany and the special occasion to play in Morocco as first non-local metalband ever. No wonder they destroyed Summer Breeze 2006 with their bombastic headline show.
In spring 2007, KREATOR once again joined forces with CELTIC FROST before „Hordes Of Chaos“ made 2009 a mighty neckbreaking year.
In 2012, „Phantom Antichrist“ once again wrote thrash history and during their homecoming show at the Turbinenhalle in Oberhausen, they recorded their live set for the DVD »Dying Alive«.
But with their 14th record »Gods Of Violence«, invading the world in January 2017, Mille and his crew deliver an energetic and merciless violator, cementing their status as one of the most uncompromising, yet diverse acts of the metal scene.
Line-Up
Frédéric Leclercq (Bass)
Ventor (Drums)