to be in keeping with the noise records theme of the last post, i start a little series on kreator and the aforementioned noise records. noise was a german independent metal label with its heyday in the late eighties and early nineties. after two takeovers by other music groups, noise is now a division of the bmg music group since 2016. bmg was clever enough to recognise what makes the money roll in on the vinyl market nowadays - the name is re-issues.
the first four kreator records already got re-issued and re-mastered and were all pretty nice fanboy editions (i call the first two, "endless pain" and "pleasure to kill", my own). whereas first pressings of those are pretty much steadily available through second hand market places for reasonable prices, most pressings for the nineties albums of kreator are rare and highly sought after. therefore i was all in for those four re-releases.
i start chronological with "coma of souls" from 1990. it is the band's fifth studio album and the first one with frank blackfire of sodom fame as new guitarist. kreator still played that full-on thrash which is distinctive for this ruhrpott combo. new to the sound were the slower parts here and there and the more complex riffing of petrozza and blackfire. an all around great record of kreator and one of their best selling.
"coma of souls" also enabled them to their first u.s. headlining tour together with suicidal tendencies. but now to this lovely re-issue here. noise/bmg came up with a lovely triple lp release with loads of added value. great liner-notes by petrozza in the inner gatefold, lyrics explanations on the printed dust sleeves, a vivid live gig in fürth, germany from 1990 spread over two bonus discs and all vinyl on a nice clear red. top notch! noise records. 1990/2018.
