Extreme Aggression (2-CD Set)

Formed in Essen, Germany in 1982, Kreator are arguably the most influential and successful European thrash metal band ever, like many of their European speed metal brethren, Kreator fused Metallica's thrash innovations with Venom's proto-black metal imagery. Kreator has been referred to as one of the "Big 4" of Teutonic thrash metal, and they are often credited with helping pioneer death metal and black metal by containing several elements of what was to become those genres. The band has achieved worldwide sales of over two million units for combined sales of all their albums, making them one of the best-selling German thrash metal bands of all time. Kreator's style has changed several times over the years, from a Venom-inspired speed metal sound, later moving in to thrash metal, and including a period of transitioning from thrash to industrial metal and gothic metal throughout the 1990s. In the early 2000s, Kreator returned to their classic thrash sound, which has continued to the present. The Fourth album by Kreator, Extreme Aggression was released in 1989. 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. On Extreme Aggression, Kreator closes the '80s by delivering their final thrash triumph. With the most hallowed Kreator line-up joining forces once again to follow up the spectacular Terrible Certainty. The results are fierce and noisy on this 1989 Epic release. Extreme Aggression quickly became their biggest seller yet, and the subsequent North American tour with Suicidal Tendencies introduced the band to many new friends. This version contains a show recorded in Berlin in 1990 that showcases the band in full flight.