KREATOR
At the Pulse of Kapitulation:
Live in East Berlin 1990 DVD
SPV Records 2008
www.kreator-terrorzone.de

Genre
Thrash metal / black metal

The Good
To tide fans over while the German thrash legends take a long deserved break, Kreator reaches into the vaults to re-vamp an earlier VHS release. What makes this performance so memorable is that it took place just after the Berlin Wall came down. East and West Germany were finally able to become one. Kreator may draw from early albums for this fifteen song set, but with the 5.1 mix, they sound more vibrant than ever. "Extreme Aggression" [sample] is in your face with its driving riffs and blood curling vocals. Not to mention the bludgeoning drum work. "Pleasure to Kill" gives false hope for something mellow with it's orchestral beginning that gives way to pure fury. I don't really need to go much into the music that much because the intensity speaks for itself, right to the very last song "Tormentor." There are no sissy ballads here.

As far as the show presentation goes, you're not getting a DVD show from today with multiple camera angles and a crystal clear picture. It's 1990 for God's sake. The picture is a little grainy and the shots are a little further away, but the final output is exceptional for the time. There's not much going on stage except some average lighting and energetic heavy metal. Kreator must have been hurting after putting on such a draining set.

Also on the DVD is the long form video, or "Kreator Horror Movie," Hallucinative Comas - Director's Cut. It's pretty much an inter-weaving of song performances with a little movie plot built around the lyrics. It has been released prior, but this time around there is added footage, deleted footage, and a few more extras. One of the highlights of this DVD release is a documentary that features interviews with the audience about Berlin in 1990 and Berlin today.

For those fans that want to take this killer show with them, Kreator includes a bonus CD with every song from the live show.

The Bad
I'm sure the drum solo could have been edited out and no one would have noticed.

The Verdict
Kreator has always been one of those bands I've heard of but never experienced. I can now say that they are one of those bands I MUST hear more of. Kreator has all the intensity of early Metallica, the political fury of Megadeth, and the dark ominous feel of Venom. With this 1990 performance, they unleash the very best of all they encompass.

Did You Know?
Kreator were previously known as Tyrant and Tormentor.

Rating: out of 5

--George Dionne