Extreme Aggression

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.[1] This was their first issued in the US by Epic Records. The album was also available on picture disc vinyl.

Extreme Aggression
Studio album by
Kreator
Released19 June 1989
RecordedJanuary–February 1989 in Hollywood, California
GenreThrash metal
Length37:28
LabelNoise Records/Epic Records
ProducerRandy Burns
Kreator chronology
Out of the Dark ... Into the Light (EP)
(1988)		 Extreme Aggression
(1989)		 Coma of Souls
(1990)

The album's original artwork was that of a man standing in front of a bathroom mirror looking at the reflection of his face falling off, exposing Kreator's mascot demon underneath. However, it was quickly replaced with a new artwork, depicting an image of the band in front of an orange background.[2]

Recording and production

Extreme Aggression was initially recorded in Germany, but these tapes were abandoned, with lead vocalist Mille Petrozza expressing frustration with the band's guitarist Jörg "Tritze" Trzebiatowski. Petrozza shifted the project to Los Angeles, replacing Tritze with Sodom's guitarist Frank "Blackfire" Gosdzik. Tritze was credited as guitarist on Extreme Aggression but his contributions were not included on the album, and he left the band after its release. Blackfire left Sodom and joined Kreator, playing the Extreme Aggression Tour to support the album.[3][4]

Reception
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[5]
BillboardFavourable[6]
Blabbermouth.net10/10[7]

Critical reception

Extreme Aggression was generally well received by critics. AllMusic writer Jason Anderson gave the album a rating of four-and-a-half stars out of five, and wrote, "The results are fierce and noisy on this 1989 Epic release -- the first major-label effort for the band. Petrozza and Fioretti's guitar work is as punchy as ever, and Reil's massive drums are unrelenting and continually improving."[5] In its favourable review of the album Billboard wrote, "the playing is very, very tight and drummer Ventor flexes some powerful muscle", while suggesting that "Epic is obviously looking for its own Metallica and this quartet could be it."[6]

Commercial performance

Coinciding with the 2017 remastered issue, Extreme Aggression charted for the first time 28 years after its release, and peaked at number 90 on the German Charts. The remastered edition of the band's 1986 album Pleasure to Kill charted on the same day.[8]

Track listing
No.TitleLength
1."Extreme Aggressions"4:44
2."No Reason to Exist"4:37
3."Love Us or Hate Us"3:42
4."Stream of Consciousness"3:53
5."Some Pain Will Last"5:39
6."Betrayer"3:59
7."Don't Trust"3:43
8."Bringer of Torture"2:15
9."Fatal Energy"4:57
Total length:37:28
  • 2017 CD Remake was released with a two disc bonus Track of "Live in East Berlin 1990."

Personnel
Kreator
  • Mille Petrozza - vocals, rhythm guitar
  • Frank "Blackfire" Gosdzik – lead guitar
  • Jörg "Tritze" Trzebiatowski - lead guitar (not on the album)
  • Rob Fioretti - bass
  • Ventor - drums
Production
  • Martin Becker - photography
  • Randy Burns - producer, engineer
  • Edwin Letcher - lyric adaptations
  • Greg Saenz - background vocals
  • Karl-Ulrich Walterbach - executive producer
  • Recorded from January to February, 1989 at the Music Grinder studio in Hollywood, California. Additional recording at E.Q. Sound and Cherokee Studios.

Charts
Chart Peak
position
Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)[9] 68
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)[10] 90

References
  1. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=7YNfYFZiPf4
  2. http://www.metal-archives.com/albums/Kreator/Extreme_Aggression/417562
  3. https://www.voicesfromthedarkside.de/Interviews/FRANK-GOSDZIK--7174.html
  4. https://metallian.com/kreator.php
  5. Anderson, Jason. Kreator: Extreme Aggression at AllMusic. Retrieved December 8, 2020.
  6. "Album Reviews: Kreator: Extreme Aggression". Billboard. Vol. 101 no. 29. New York: Billboard Publications. July 22, 1989. p. 74. ISSN 0006-2510. OCLC 4086332.
  7. Van Horn, Jr., Ray. "CD Reviews - Extreme Aggression - Kreator". www.blabbermouth.net. Blabbermouth.net. Retrieved December 2, 2017.
  8. "Kreator > Longplay-Chartverfolgung" (in German). PhonoNet. Archived from the original on 27 March 2012. Retrieved 9 July 2017.
  9. "Dutchcharts.nl – Kreator – Extreme Aggression" (in Dutch). Hung Medien.
  10. "Offiziellecharts.de – Kreator – Extreme Aggression" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts.
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