Kreator Ruled Kino Šiška (2018)

German thrash metal veterans Kreator have been visiting Slovenia since their younger days. These days, it’s hard to go even five years without a Kreator show. The band comes back to Slovenian soil with every album, hitting us on both club and festival tours. Kreator already introduced last year’s album “Gods of Violence” at the Metaldays festival, and now it was time to show what they’ve got again at a club gig. Naturally, Kreator brought along some well-known names. This time, the support slots went to Polish death metal veterans Vader and promising French band Dagoba.

Tickets went like hotcakes, but you couldn’t really feel that strong turnout during Dagoba’s set. Makes sense: Dagoba don’t exactly play thrash metal, but chase a groovier sound packed with electronic elements. The biggest problem is that the band bills itself as groove metal, which automatically invites comparisons to the mighty Gojira, and Dagoba’s music was nowhere near that. The band did serve up a few interesting hard-hitting tracks, beefed up with electronic extras. To seal the deal, after a few songs the band started leaning on catchy choruses, and so the potential of an interesting band went down the drain. Not even the inventive and skilled drummer could save it. Dagoba as a whole just don’t convince; you could see the experience with big stages, but the music told a different story.

Like Kreator, Vader are old acquaintances of Slovenian stages. This year they’ll hit 35 years of existence, which is a very long run for a death metal band. Of the original members, only vocalist/guitarist Piotr Wiwczarek remains in Vader, while the rest of the crew is considerably younger. Piotr decided that on this tour he wouldn’t deliver a standard best of setlist, but would devote himself to just one album, which turned 25 last year. So Vader played The Ultimate Incantation from start to finish. It’s the album that steered Vader toward death metal, making it an important milestone for the band. Of course, Vader didn’t sound like they did in 1992: the songs got a more modern makeover, with clearer instruments and more extreme drumming, handled by James Stewart. As for the playing, there’s nothing to complain about. Vader were confident and solid. You could accuse them of being too routine and not energetic enough, but the point was undoubtedly made. Above all, the old-school fans got their fill, which counts as a big plus considering how often bands forget about their early material.

Kreator have always been known for throwing a proper party live, so expectations were high, and they were justified in no time. The spotlight was on the current album “Gods of Violence”, which they were keen to promote as much as possible. Besides the new stuff, there were also some other renowned tracks that have always been part of the band’s repertoire. There’s the usual debate that with such a massive discography, Kreator somehow refuse to play anything but their set of greatest hits. But apparently even “old farts” know how to surprise. The first surprise was that Flag of Hate wasn’t played at the end, and frontman Mille Petrozza didn’t spend 15 minutes talking to the crowd before the song. The band’s form was more than solid. Petrozza’s vocals didn’t sound worn out by all the touring behind the current album, either, and the band’s tightness remains top-notch. Guitarist Sami Yli-Sirniö naturally stood out, nailing every melody and solo, which has been what makes Kreator special since the album Violent Revolution. The rhythm section didn’t fall behind either, so the band as a whole worked the way it should.

Kreator made sure both young and old fans got their due. With classics like Betrayer, People of the Lie, Total Death and the closing Pleasure to Kill, they brought back their early days. They played plenty of newer stuff too, especially the songs with standout choruses and melodies aimed at a bigger audience. Even so, Kreator’s set never felt monotonous; the band still makes an effort to impress. One more song wouldn’t have hurt, but in the end most people walked away satisfied.

The first big metal show of 2018, with good old friends Kreator joined by Vader and Dagoba, was a success and a solid kickoff to another fruitful year of gigs.

author: Primož Novak
photos: Aleš Podbrežnik

Setlists

KREATOR:
1. Mars Mantra (recorded intro)
2. Phantom Antichrist
3. Hail to the Hordes
4. Enemy of God (intro includes the main guitar riff from “Army of Storms”)
5. Satan Is Real
6. Civilization Collapse
7. People of the Lie
8. Extreme Aggressions
9. Phobia
10. Gods of Violence
11. Total Death
12. From Flood
13. Fire
14. Hordes of Chaos (A Necrologue for the Elite)
15. The Patriarch
16. Violent Revolution
17. World War Now
—encore—
18. Fallen Brother
19. Betrayer
20. Pleasure to Kill
21. Death Becomes My Light (recorded outro)

VADER:
1. Creation (recorded intro)
2. Dark Age
3. Vicious Circle
4. The Crucified Ones
5. The Final Massacre
6. Testimony
7. Chaos
8. One Step to Salvation
9. Demon’s Wind
10. Decapitated Saints
11. Breath of Centuries
12. Imperial March (recorded outro)