Kreator are truly one of the German Gods of Thrash, amidst the hordes of chaotic enemies of god. It really meant a great deal to me to be able to spend some quality time with mainstay musician - Miland "Mille" Petrozza - after I saw them play with Exodus & Warbringer, in Louisville. Enjoy this personal interchange of veritable certainty, among these renewed, calm souls, ensuring there is no cause for conflict, or violent resolution.

MettleAngel: Mille, I will say this interview means a great deal to me my dear mettle Brother, as you are a thrash idol to me.

• Mille: Really, how so?

MettleAngel: I've been waiting over 22 years to see Kreator play again live. Last time I saw you was in '87 with Voi Vod and The Accüsed. You even did an in store personal appearance at my local record store. I still have my original - Flag Of Hate (EP) - cassette, which you signed!

• Mille: Wow, that's so cool to hear!

MettleAngel: I've been listening to Kreator since - Pleasure To Kill - came out. This was the first Kreator tape I ever bought! I even remember when Bob Thiesson of Roselawn's Record Alley, in Cincinnati, first played this for me. I thought is was a new Slayer album, with some unique qualities. I became a fan instantly. I've purchased every album in one form or another ever since. Hordes Of Chaos is the first one I did not actually buy; because, I received a promo, and reviewed it accordingly for you.

• Mille: I think I recall reading that one. It was cleverly written, but not everyone at Metal Covenant agreed with you, right? It is always awesome to hear about an older fan, who has assiduously followed us for so long. It is even more reassuring that someone, as yourself, now does reviews and interviews.

MettleAngel: Hell yeah, and this is the very reason why, so that I can engage in an awesome interview with you, and then tell you about my fealty to the Kreator camp. I can even remember buying a Pleasure To Kill shirt at that aforementioned show at Bogarts. Sadly, my shirt, along with several other rare titles, including a signed Helloween shirt, The Crumbsuckers, and my Accüsed - Martha Splatterhead Tee, were all stolen in the late '80s.

• Mille: That really sucks man!

MettleAngel: Well, to show our undying support, I bought a new Kreator shirt tonight, although I chose to get one for The Hordes Of Chaos Tour, in lieu of Pleasure To Kill. I even bought my wife one, because she could not come to the show this evening.

• Mille: Is she also a Kreator fan?

MettleAngel: Not so much as I, but she does love Exodus, and would have enjoyed this tour. This was the first time you played in Louisville, correct?

• Mille: Yes, and it was a nice mix of new and older fans, which is so reassuring to us. Some shows on this tour , like the one in L.A., were just nuts. Many even were sold out. It really surprises me, because the young kids seem to prefer our older material, even more than the new.

MettleAngel: That's because The Noise Records albums were landmark achievements. I remember being in college and buying all the Kreator tapes. I would read the "Thank You" lists, in order to learn about other bands like: Darkness, Living Death, Holy Moses, Minotaur, Exumer, Accu§er etc. I loved everything on Noise International Records, especially: Vendetta, Deathrow, Tankard, Rage, Sabbat, Running Wild, Grave Digger, Midas Touch, Scanner, Voi Vod, etc. I am a big supporter of - The Doomsday News titles - where you could hear a B-Side like - After The Attack!

• Mille: Wow, this is so cool to hear from an older American - Thank You!

MettleAngel: This is how I learned about the vivid underground German scene. The members of the press often mention Kreator/Sodom/Destruction as the "Top Three", but there are so many killer bands - many who are now reforming! This is why this tour means so much to us.

• Mille: Yes this is such a great tour. All the bands fit in the mix, even Belphegor, and Warbringer. Actually, this is our most successful tour, ever.

MettleAngel: Tonight you made history with John Kevill of Warbringer appearing onstage, singing - Pleasure To Kill - with you (or should I say, rather screaming out the words!).

• Mille: Yeah, that was so much fun. The guys in Warbringer really like us. Touring with Exodus is great too, because, as you know, Exodus and Slayer even inspired us, back in the day.

MettleAngel: I was really impressed with your set-list. It was a really great blend of new cuts, along with all the classics. Although, I noticed many blank faces when you played - Coma Of Souls. I realize that that many fans do not like the new album, as much as say - Enemy Of God or Violent Revolution. As I stated in my review, I suggest that it delivers a - Terrible Certainty meets Coma Of Souls feel, with a hint of - Endorama, an album I personally love.

• Mille: Really? Many do not like that album too much. They feel it is too weak, and Gothic. With Hordes Of Chaos, we wanted to progress beyond what we have previously created. We did not want to repeat ourselves. Actually, as far as music sales, this is our most successful album, so far.

MettleAngel: Really, that is so good to hear! A band like Kreator truly deserve the success.

• Mille: We worked with a certain degree of modern technology to get an updated sound. We kept it live and fresh, but we mixed it differently. We would do a number of various takes, to get the sound right. Then, we would overdub the vocals.

MettleAngel: I also appreciate how between studio albums, Kreator has always released something special, for the sake of the fans. A good example of this is the - At The Pulse Of Kapitulation - Live In East Berlin: 1990 - which also marked the first time - Hallucinative Comas was released on DVD. I know some old school fans, who think that you now suck, who bought that. The - Live Kreation-Revisioned Glory DVD was a killer offering too!

• Mille: Why do we now suck? What have we done so differently?

MettleAngel: You know those die-hards who are stuck in the '80s, they refuse to grow up. They are too stubborn to look beyond a certain sound or style.

• Mille: Why won't they appreciate that we want to try something different? We are not Motörhead, after all. All throughout our history, every album has a certain vibe.

MettleAngel: I agree, and this different line-up has added to this. I admit the industrial elements of - Renewal - and the drastic vocal change did throw us a bit, but I love that album now. Also, you have Sodom's: Frank "Blackfire" Gosdzik playing on - Coma Of Souls, Renewal, and Cause For Conflict; while you have Coroner's: Tommy Vetterli playing guitar on - Outcast and Endorama.

• Mille: I'd have to say 9 to 12 of our studio releases still stand strong, some suffer from production issues, and the views of the band at that time. In the mid '90's we were not so strong. We had many internal issues, and complex struggles, always going on.

MettleAngel: Yeah, this is evident by an album like- Outcast - I did not particularly like that at all, at first. It was not until later when I heard songs like - Phobia - live, that I began to appreciate it more.

• Mille: That is my least favorite album.

MettleAngel: Well we agree on that one. What is with - Scenarios Of Violence?

• Mille: That is total crap, bullshit from the record company, nonsense!

MettleAngel: Songs like - Suicide In The Swamps - always threw me. At least it was a way of hearing some rare songs, even those - Live In East Berlin cuts. I guess it is fair to assume that fans view Kreator as being on a musical journey. They avidly follow their career, and tend to accept their misgivings. Ultimately, they remain faithful, and never abandon the band, as long as the band does not forsake them.

• Mille: Sometimes I really hate our critics, well not hate, but you know, all this condemnation occurring with the internet bullshit, really gets to me!

MettleAngel: Sure I do! I bet you want to take their lives, eh? Or would you take pleasure in killing them. This is why I love the lyrics to your song - Murder Fantasies.

• Mille: People are confused about our evolution and experimentations. Some just want us to stick to our well-defined style, they have no tolerance for change.

MettleAngel: Which is bizarre, because change is everything and the essence of like itself. People fail to realize that if we don't evolve, change, or adapt, we stagnate and die. I even bought those expensive imports in the '90s to show my undying support.

• Mille: People have to understand that at times the band suffered from many factors, we were not always straight or focused, and the business aspects are always a major concern. This is still a business, and many corrupt people out there still want to fuck you over. We know now, and are truly grateful, because, Kreator - the band is stronger than ever before!

MettleAngel: That is so good to hear you say! The new material is excellent.

• Mille: We want our supporters to know that the next album will even be heavier, and more aggressive, not because we give into our detractors; but, because we want to create heavy melodies in this fashion.

MettleAngel: That is really cool news! I was surprised that you dropped - People Of The Lie or Toxic Trace - from the live show. I would love to hear - Riot Of Violence - too!

• Mille: We now play the festival set-lists, but we love to include older material, if time allows. Every now and then we'll play something more rare like - Rippin Corpse. We just dropped Awakening Of The Gods. On our last tour we did - Behind The Mirror.

MettleAngel: Wow! Terrible Certainty is still my favourite Kreator album! I so wish you would have gone with the original artwork Lawere painted for - Extreme Aggression. That is such a killer album, with such lame artwork. Maybe someday, you can put out a T-shirt with that design.

• Mille: This is what I mean about business bullshit. We still get asked about that, and there are still legal issues, at stake, all because - Extreme Aggression - was distributed through a major label. The music business is always the same, now as it was then. With the illegal downloading, the labels are doing everything to not go under. We are pleased to be working with SPV, because they really support the band.

MettleAngel: I'm very grateful to represent SPV, as well. I assume you stay healthy while on tour?

• Mille: Definitely, I exercise, play sports, seldom drink or smoke weed, and definitely no cigarettes. The body is my instrument. When I'm on stage I'm ready to turn it on!

MettleAngel: I admire your "no nonsense" ideal I've always admired your lyrics, which makes me a bit curious about your spirituality. In the Hallucinative Comas interview, when asked about your beliefs, you allude to certain suggestive gnostic themes - are you an atheist, or more agnostic?

• Mille: Honestly about the unknown, I really don't know...

MettleAngel: That is a fair assesment, based on invincible ignorance.

• Mille: The explanations of the cosmos, and what some call - God - may be very simple and disappointing to most religions.

MettleAngel: This is why I celebrate reading and advocating - The Conversation Of God series. You don't even have to believe in God, or agree that the author, really had a conversation with the creator. The practical wisdom, and everyday psychological advice is sound, and applicable.

• Mille: I've heard about that...

MettleAngel: In Neale Donald Walsch's new book about change - When Everything Changes...Change Everything, he equivocates God with concepts like: LIFE and LOVE. Everything is based on energy and motion (E + motion = emotion). He believes that emotions occur before belief, and thoughts. He shows us how to change our emotions first, and foremost. I believe that there are no victims or villains, and that we are all one.

• Mille: I can see your point....

MettleAngel: God is too often anthropomorphized and seen as having opinions, feelings, beliefs, and portrayed as a supposed supreme ruler, whom all must rightfully follow. This is total bullshit!

• Mille: Yeah, for me spirituality is more simple, and personal. I don't want to get into any religious arguments. For me, when I create a song or write music, I feel spiritual. When the power of the mind makes something out of nothing, this has real meaning and purpose. To me, this is mostly powerful and practical.

MettleAngel: You inspired me with the song - Stream Of Consciousness, based on the book, on the - Extreme Aggression album. I admire your tenacity, honesty, and intuition. I never viewed Kreator as inciting a riot of violence or ever being satanic.

• Mille: Yeah, I don't like politics and religion, because of the way they test mankind and violate human rights. I'm genuinely a nice guy. Sure, some satanic bands are influenced by us, but we are influenced by Venom and Slayer. The heart and mind are the most important aspects of spirituality.

MettleAngel: I agree, and that is the real mettle of the matter! George Carlin, before he died, basically discussed human rights, and concluded that they are non-existent, and non-exclusive. He asserted that humans have privileges, at best. In the CWG Series, need itself, is an illusion.

• Mille: So yeah, if one chooses the spiritual truths, over the material, I guess you could say I am still soul searching; but, I still really don't know the real truth.

MettleAngel: You may never know, and this my friend is the joy of the journey. I've really been ill quite a great deal this year. All this is a mystery to me. I'm an amalgam to doctors, and scientists.

• Mille: What do you mean by that?

MettleAngel: I mean that they are all confused about my ailments. My wife may be correct in assuming that all this is stress related. I'm not a hypochondriac, or acting psychosomatic, but my symptoms are real, and even fatal! I've come full circle in my beliefs, and view of life. Ten years ago, I believed everything openly. I was walking with my head in the clouds, never questioning anything. Now I'm very skeptical, but never close minded.

• Mille: I think it is good to be skeptical, and call things into question.

MettleAngel: Yes, I agree. Many of what I took for granted, or based on faith, I now question, even the most so-called spiritual of truths. I don't want to get too heavy with this shit. So changing gears, is there a plan to re-issue - Hordes Of Chaos - with bonus material, like SPV did with - Enemy Of God?

• Mille: Perhaps, the Record Company will do this in the future. They want to make it worthwhile for the fans; especially, if they just have to buy it, again. Many bitched about this last time. They are thinking about releasing a box set which includes a DVD/T-shirt/CD.

MettleAngel: That sounds great!

• Mille: I'm sure some will still complain, but some may have only bought the digital first time, and this presents a better deal. You yourself, might be interested in this, as well!

MettleAngel: Yeah, then I would have purchased every studio album, in one form or another. There is so much great music out there. So many of my favourite acts of the '80s are releasing new material like: Bulldozer, Sacrifice, Artillery, Whiplash, etc. We all fall for the Iron Maiden reissues, just to get the 3-D puzzle, liner notes and videos. What, have they now been re-released four times!, Now the new Flight 666 Movie, Double DVD and Double CD Live, are right around the corner! As if we really need more live Maiden music...ha, ha, of course we do, but I digress! Thank you, Mille, it has been an honour!

• Mille: With bands like Maiden this will always be the case, they always give their fans what they want! Michael, for me too this has been a very enjoyable conversation. I want to thank you again, it was great to get to know you! Maybe, next time you will be here with your wife.

MettleAngel: Well given the success of this tour, we will definitely be back to see you. Man, we were so bummed when King Diamond cancelled the Tour with Cellador, Kreator, & Leaves' Eyes, last year. Well, at these this tour is a thrasher's dream. I know you only have a few dates remaining. Rumour has it you have something special planned for the last show at Jaxx.

• Mille: The boys in Exodus promise to make that most memorable, you should go, it will be killer.

MettleAngel: I'm sure I'll hear all about it in time. We have Testament Monday, so we won't be able to attend. We will catch Kreator next time your are close by. Thank You again!

See also: review of the album Hordes Of Chaos

Related links:

www.kreator-terrorzone.de
www.myspace.com/officialkreator