Kreator, founded in 1982, is a German thrash metal band from Essen. Their current lineup consists of Miland “Mille” Petrozza, lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist, drummer Jürgen “Ventor” Reil, lead guitarist Sami Yli-Sirniö and bassist Frédéric Leclercq. Over its 39-year career, the band's lineup has changed several times, most noticeably with their bassists and lead guitarists. 1)
The musical style of Kreator is close to that of their compatriots' Devastation, Sodom and Tankard, typically more nuanced and more melodic after Violent Revolution (2001). Kreator has been referred to as one of the “Big Four” of Teutonic thrash metal, along with those three bands. 2)
Fourteen studio albums, two EPs, and two live albums have been released by Kreator. With their second studio album, Pleasure to Kill (1986), they established a large underground following in the international thrash metal culture, considered an influential album of the genre. Many of their albums were extremely applauded, including Horrible Certainty (1987), Serious Violence (1989) and Coma of Souls (1990). 3)