By Christopher David<\/p>\n
In any genre, there are certain pioneers without whom the genre itself wouldn\u2019t exist. Unwavering after more than thirty years, German powerhouses Kreator led nothing short of an attack on the capacity crowd at Chicago\u2019s House of Blues.<\/p>\n
Taking the stage to \u201cPhantom Antichrist\u201d from the 2012 album of the same name, the ninety minutes that followed were an education in some of the best riffs in thrash metal, and singer\/guitarist Mille Petrozza worked the mosh pit as if it was his birthright. To say that Kreator have \u2018hits\u2019 in the classic sense wouldn\u2019t be entirely accurate given the band\u2019s non-existent radio play in the states; however, tearing through some of their best known songs like \u201cPeople of the Lie\u201d and \u201cFlag of Hate,\u201d the band\u2019s violent political imagery rang truer than it has in a long time given the state of global relations.<\/p>\n
Kreator\u2019s melodic approach to riffs and solos (particularly the effortlessly elegant speed of lead guitarist Sami Yli-Sirnio, whose fluid style is unmatched in contemporary thrash) always put them a considerable cut above Destruction, Sodom, and Tankard (their long-time German peers in the genre), and the career-spanning setlist (highlighting last year\u2019s stellar Gods of Violence<\/em>) showcased a wide range of material for both long-time fans and newcomers.<\/p>\n The fact that Kreator has remained a cult phenomenon in America was at times puzzling; in a world where Slayer can win Grammies, one has to think that a band with the precision and experience of Kreator could enjoy the same kind of mainstream success. Regardless, as the hordes of fans at House of Blues proved, it doesn\u2019t really matter\u2014when you\u2019re good at what you do, it speaks for itself, and Petrozza\u2019s mission for the fans to \u2018destroy the place\u2019 took the form of a floor-wide pit for the duration of their set.<\/p>\n Sabaton took the stage to a backdrop of computer-animated war footage and visuals that accompanied the high-energy performance that began with \u201cGhost Division\u201d from 2008\u2019s The Art of War<\/em>. While in stark contrast to Kreator, the band\u2019s classic power metal style called to mind elements of early NWOBHM and the manic energy of Iron Maiden and Raven.<\/p>\n For more on Kreator, click here<\/a><\/p>\n Photos of Kreator from the show at House of Blues Chicago, click here<\/p>\n