In 2025, metal titans KREATOR celebrated two outstanding achievements by releasing vocalist/guitarist Miland „Mille“ Petrozza’s book Your Heaven, My Hell with co-writer Torsten Gross and hitting German cinemas with Hate & Hope, the first proper movie about a really loud – to the very day – really extreme metal band not only melting your face with firestorms of pyrotechnics but also music equivalent to searing bursts of hellfire. Starring guests such as Scott Ian (Anthrax), Chuck Billy (Testament), Bela B. (Die Ärzte), Phil Demmel (Kerry King, ex Machine Head), and many more, Hate & Hope proves that in a career like KREATOR’s you should always expect the unexpected.
Synonymous with all the heaviness, speed, energy, violence and sheer volume one associates with heavy metal, KREATOR’s ongoing story is a classic tale: the wondrous adventure of teenagers coming from rags to riches, from the proverbial gutter to literally every stage you can imagine. They went from No. 99 (1986’s Pleasure To Kill, the title track was part of Netflix series Dark’s soundtrack) to No. 1 (2017’s Gods Of Violence) in their home country’s official album charts, and traveled the world from Tokyo to Santiago, from Bangalore to Los Angeles.
Now, it is time to continue this tale of humble beginnings, ambitious visions and unbreakable will, and start its much-anticipated 16th chapter! Entitled Krushers Of The World, the new KREATOR album, will be out on Nuclear Blast Records on January 16th, 2026.
Krushers Of The World is not a shy title, it is a statement, an expression of pride and self-awareness knowing how long and hard the band’s path has been and knowing what they still have to say and share with their ever growing following. After the buzz around the movie and book, it is time for KREATOR to let the riffs, the roaring vocals, and thunderous drums do the talking.
Their newest studio album, Krushers Of The World, shows a band that has lost none of its bite kicking off with the rabid aggression of ‚Seven Serpents‘. It also tackles Petrozza’s love for horror flicks by paying tribute to Dario Argento’s Suspiria in ‚Tränenpalast‚ with extreme metal vocal coach Britta Görtz (Hiraes) adding her own vicious tone over dark yet catchy melodies. And of course, you shall have hefty doses of pure, thrashing aggression as well! ‚Barbarian‚, ‚Deathscream‚ or ‚Psychotic Imperator‚ deliver your fix of merciless riffs, majestic leads by Sami Yli-Sirniö and some of Ventor’s fastest parts ever. Are you looking for powerful mid-tempo sections allowing bassist Frédéric Leclercq to shine? Then the monumental groove of the title track and stunning chorus of ‚Satanic Anarchy‚ will have you covered. Rounded off by a triumphant and – no pun intended – krushing production courtesy of Jens Bogren at Fascination Street Studios, KREATOR return in perfect shape.
A novelty to Krushers Of The World is immediately obvious when staring at its cover. With Zbigniew Bielak, renowned for his work for Ghost, art and design offer an interesting twist to KREATOR’s history. Transforming classic visual trademarks dedicated fans will recognise from Coma Of Souls (1990), Out of the Dark… into the Light (1988) and Pleasure To Kill (the font!) into a highly detailed tapestry garnered with occult symbolism, Bielak crafted an outstanding piece paying homage to a band he loves since his teenager days yet with a daring and unique flair. The cover of Krushers Of The World rewards everyone willing to analyze the grandiose sleeve design.
In essence, Krushers Of The World is of course not a throwback to KREATOR’s past, it is furious, massive sounding and creative in its own right, gifted with a songwriting quality honed over years. It displays a band which earned its spot among the giants of the genre, and developed its youthful anger further into a professional, internationally successful, nonetheless intimidating creature. Krushers Of The World underlines the fact that fueled by the reflective look at their own legacy sparked by 2025’s Hate & Hope movie, KREATOR nowadays appear more mindful of their early days while simultaneously progressing uncompromisingly, unstoppable in their search for new realms to conquer and new worlds to krush.
