Kreator
Coma of Souls
Epic Records
Released November 6, 1990
The fifth studio recording from Kreator is noted for two interesting aspects; firstly it was released in the US with the dreaded Parental Advisory label on the cover because it contained profanity. Secondly, it was the last pure thrash album produced by the band before they began experimenting throughout the 90’s. As a band, Kreator’s musical output has always been frantic, varied and somewhat perplexing at times, but there is no mistaking that patented Teutonic thrash sound they thrive to perfect which each new release. Coma of Souls is arguably their most polished piece; spawning several great cuts and produced by the great Randy Burns no less.
Like any manic steamroller, the album picks up from where they left off with Extreme Aggression; diving head first into a miasma of superbly controlled guitar work and precise melodies. The aggression is still high and Millie laces the songs with poignant lyrics throughout, capping off the 80’s and entering the 90’s with an album that would put Metallica’s Black album to shame in some respects. Like Metallica though, Kreator would abandon thrash metal during the decade of the 90’s with jaunts into Industrial, Punk and Gothic metal before making their triumphant return to thrash with the fine album Violent Revolution in 2001.
On a whole, Coma of Souls gave us some explosive tracks like: “Coma of Souls”, “People of the Lie”, “Terror Zone”, “Agents of Brutality” and “Mental Slavery”. Without a doubt, this is Kreator’s finest moment and I am giving this one heck of a rating as a sure fire 10 out of 10 in my books.
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