| Pleasure to Kill | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 1st November 1986 | |||
| Recorded | 1986 | |||
| Studio | Musiclab (Berlin) | |||
| Genre | Thrash metal | |||
| Length | 38:42 | |||
| Label | Noise | |||
| Producer | Harris Johns, Ralf Hubert | |||
| Kreator chronology | ||||
| ||||
Pleasure to Kill is the second studio album by German thrash metal band Kreator, released in November 1986 by Noise Records. [1]
Pleasure to Kill is widely considered a landmark thrash metal classic, [1] [2] [3] [4] along with Master of Puppets by Metallica, Peace Sells... but Who's Buying? by Megadeth, Reign in Blood by Slayer, Eternal Devastation by Destruction and Darkness Descends by Dark Angel, all released in 1986. [5] The album played a considerable role in the development of many extreme metal subgenres, and death metal bands such as Cannibal Corpse cite the album as an influence. [6] [5] [7]
The lyrical themes follow those found on their first album Endless Pain , containing descriptions of macabre scenes of death and horror. Just like that album, Kreator were a three-piece band during the recording of Pleasure to Kill; on some early pressings, guitarist Michael Wulf, who was briefly a member of Kreator, was erroneously credited as a band member in the liner notes. [1]
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [8] |
| Collector's Guide to Heavy Metal | 6/10 [9] |
| Metal Hammer (GER) | 5/7 [10] |
| Rock Hard | 8.0/10 [11] |
In a contemporary review, Oliver Klemm of the German Metal Hammer called Kreator "the best death metal band in Europe after Celtic Frost" and described the album as obviously inspired by Possessed's Seven Churches , but "even louder, even faster, even more brutal". [10] Rock Hard reviewer found the album very similar to Endless Pain and, despite the opaque drum sound, quite good by hardcore standards. [11]
In a modern review, AllMusic writer Jason Anderson wrote that "many in the underground metal scene were already paying special attention to the German outfit's proto-death sound, but the cult status was shed after this critically and commercially successful second effort hit record-store shelves. As fierce and unyielding as the group's debut, Endless Pain, was, Pleasure to Kill provides double the sonic carnage and superior material." [8] Canadian journalist Martin Popoff acknowledged the importance of the album in "propelling the band into the trinity of the genre next to Destruction and Sodom", but was not very pleased by the "tech-thrash ugliness" of the music. [9]
Coinciding with the 2017 remastered issue, Pleasure to Kill charted for the first time 31 years after its release, and peaked at number 99 on the German album charts. The remastered edition of the band's 1989 album Extreme Aggression charted on the same day. [12]
Pleasure to Kill was ranked at number four on Loudwire 's top ten list of "Thrash Albums NOT Released by the Big 4". [13]
All tracks are written by Mille Petrozza, except where noted
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Vocals | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Choir of the Damned" (instrumental) | 1:39 | ||
| 2. | "Ripping Corpse" | Petrozza | 3:36 | |
| 3. | "Death Is Your Saviour" | Jürgen Reil, Petrozza, Roberto Fioretti | Reil | 3:58 |
| 4. | "Pleasure to Kill" | Petrozza | 4:11 | |
| 5. | "Riot of Violence" | Reil, Petrozza | Reil | 4:56 |
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Vocals | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6. | "The Pestilence" | Petrozza | 6:58 | |
| 7. | "Carrion" | Reil, Petrozza, Fioretti | Petrozza | 4:48 |
| 8. | "Command of the Blade" | Reil, Petrozza | Reil | 3:57 |
| 9. | "Under the Guillotine" | Petrozza | 4:38 |
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10. | "Flag of Hate" | Reil, Petrozza, Fioretti | 3:56 |
| 11. | "Take Their Lives" | 6:26 | |
| 12. | "Awakening of the Gods" | 7:32 |
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Choir of the Damned" | 1:39 |
| 2. | "Ripping Corpse" | 3:36 |
| 3. | "Death is Your Saviour" | 3:58 |
| 4. | "Pleasure to Kill" | 4:11 |
| 5. | "Riot of Violence" | 4:56 |
| 6. | "After the Attack" (bonus track) | 3:43 |
| 7. | "The Pestilence" | 6:58 |
| 8. | "Carrion" | 4:48 |
| 9. | "Command of the Blade" | 3:57 |
| 10. | "Under the Guillotine" | 4:38 |
| Total length: | 42:24 | |
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 11. | "Flag of Hate" (taken from Flag of Hate EP) | 3:55 |
| 12. | "Take Their Lives" (taken from Flag of Hate EP) | 6:27 |
| 13. | "Awakening of the Gods" (taken from Flag of Hate EP) | 7:30 |
| 14. | "Endless Pain" (taken from Endless Pain ) | 3:22 |
| 15. | "Tormentor" (taken from Endless Pain) | 2:52 |
| 16. | "Total Death" (taken from Endless Pain) | 3:26 |
| Total length: | 66:13 | |
| Chart (2017) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| German Albums (Offizielle Top 100) [15] | 99 |
Kreator is a German thrash metal band from Essen, formed in 1982. Their current lineup consists of lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist Miland "Mille" Petrozza, drummer Jürgen "Ventor" Reil, lead guitarist Sami Yli-Sirniö, and bassist Frédéric Leclercq. The band's lineup has changed multiple times over its 41-year career, most noticeably with their bassists and lead guitarists. Petrozza and Reil are the only two original members left in Kreator, although the latter took a break from the band from 1994 to 1996. Yli-Sirniö has been the lead guitarist of Kreator since 2001, while Leclercq joined in 2019 as the replacement of Christian "Speesy" Giesler, who had been a member of the band since 1994.
Endless Pain is the debut studio album by German thrash metal band Kreator, released in October 1985 by Noise Records.
Extreme Aggression is the fourth studio album by German thrash metal band Kreator released in 1989. While the band had already gained a sizeable following in the US due to their 1988 tour with the crossover thrash band D.R.I., this album introduced many American fans to Kreator, primarily through heavy rotation of the "Betrayer" music video on MTV's Headbangers Ball, which was partly shot at the Acropolis in Athens, Greece. The beginning of the song "Love Us or Hate Us" was used in an early 1990s promo ad by the Los Angeles radio station KNAC. This was their first album issued in the US by Epic Records. The album was also available on picture disc vinyl.
Coma of Souls is the fifth studio album by German thrash metal band Kreator, released in 1990. It was reissued in 2002, with the lyrics for the last four songs missing from the booklet. Coma of Souls was Kreator's first release with guitarist Frank "Blackfire" Gosdzik, and would be the last album before the band began experimenting with influences from other musical genres. It also would be the last record issued in the United States by Epic Records.
Terrible Certainty is the third studio album by German thrash metal band Kreator, released in 1987 through Noise Records. It was released on cd, cassette, black vinyl, and as a limited edition red vinyl. The remastered version of 2000 contains the tracks of the 1988 Out of the Dark... Into the Light EP as bonus tracks. Another remastered version in 2 CDs was released on 9 June 2017, and included all the live tracks from the EP.
Cause for Conflict is the seventh studio album by German thrash metal band Kreator released on 1 August, 1995.
Miland "Mille" Petrozza is a German musician of Italian descent. He is best known as the lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist of thrash metal band Kreator, which he started playing in as Tyrant in 1982 and renamed into Tormentor in 1984. He is also the principal songwriter of the band and the only member to appear on every Kreator album.
Renewal is the sixth album by German thrash metal band Kreator, released in 1992. It's their first "experimental" album, as in this release Kreator incorporated industrial music influences in their songwriting, as well as featuring a groove metal sound. It is also the last album to feature original bassist Rob Fioretti. The song "Karmic Wheel" contains audio samples from the suicide of R. Budd Dwyer.
Outcast is the eighth studio album by German thrash metal band Kreator. It was released by G.U.N. Records in 1997. This album featured more gothic and industrial influences than earlier Kreator, retaining little of the thrash metal from previous years. Outcast is also Kreator's first album to feature drummer Jürgen "Ventor" Reil since 1992's Renewal, and the first to feature then-former Coroner guitarist Tommy Vetterli.
Endorama is the ninth studio album by German thrash metal band Kreator, released on 20 April, 1999 by Drakkar Records. The gothic metal influences were the most prominent on this release, and Lacrimosa frontman Tilo Wolff provided guest vocals on the title song.
Scenarios of Violence is a compilation album by German thrash metal band Kreator, released in 1996 through Noise Records. The collection features two previously unreleased songs.
Flag of Hate is the first EP by German thrash metal band Kreator, released in 1986. It is also included on the 2000 reissue of the Pleasure to Kill album. US version included three bonus tracks—"Endless Pain", "Tormentor" and "Total Death"—all from Endless Pain. A less common reissue of Pleasure to Kill has all six as bonus tracks.
Out of the Dark... Into the Light is the second EP by German thrash metal band Kreator, released in 1988. The live tracks were recorded at Dynamo Club in Eindhoven, Netherlands in 1988. Late 1990s reissues of Terrible Certainty album feature this EP as bonus material.
The following is the complete discography of the German thrash metal band Kreator.
Voices of Transgression – A 90s Retrospective is a compilation album by German thrash metal band Kreator. It was released in 1999 by GUN Records. This "best of" collection, compiled by Mille Petrozza, includes only songs from the band's albums recorded in the 1990s and features three previously unreleased songs: "Inferno", "As We Watch the West" and "Lucretia " which was originally written and performed by The Sisters of Mercy.
Past Life Trauma (1985–1992) is a compilation album by German thrash metal band Kreator, compiled by lead singer/guitarist Mille Petrozza. It was released in 2000 by Noise Records. Tracks are taken from the albums recorded between 1985 and 1992 (Renewal). Track 5, 8, 9 and 15 are rare tracks.
Hordes of Chaos is the twelfth studio album by German thrash metal band Kreator.
Phantom Antichrist is the 13th studio album by German thrash metal band Kreator, released through Nuclear Blast on 1 June 2012.
Dying Alive is a two-disc live album by German thrash metal band Kreator. Released in 2013 by Nuclear Blast, it contains 24 tracks recorded at Turbinehalle in Oberhausen. It was also released as a deluxe edition containing the two-CD set and a DVD.
Hate Über Alles is the fifteenth studio album by German thrash metal band Kreator, which was released on 10 June 2022 through Nuclear Blast. Produced by Arthur Rizk, it is the band's first studio album since Gods of Violence (2017), the longest gap between studio albums in their career, and the first to feature bassist Frédéric Leclercq, who replaced Christian "Speesy" Giesler in 2019.
