Here we are, a couple of months after the beastly The Electric Age another thrash metal titan is out for blood. Kreator´s last couple of albums have been nothing but immensely pure melodic thrashing quality, and finally, the anticipated Phantom Antichrist has arrived. The 00´s have been good to Kreator and after the 90´s tried to kill all that was good (or evil) in the music world, many giants have been stomping back into form and churned out neckbreaker after neckbreaker and even some absolute future classics. Not surprisingly, Kreator has very much been a part of the wave of returning legends, and even if Phantom Antichrist doesn´t exactly revolutionize the genre it will still kick your ass.

After a surprisngly cool introduction, the title-track takes off in familiar fashion. It´s fast, packed with suicidal riffs and melodic, catchy choruses that will have you shout along like a madman. Some songs, not surprsinigly, follow the same formula but there are some definite exceptions. From Flood into Fire, partly Civilisation Collapse and a number of other cuts start off slower, churning, stomping their way through the motions before Mille unexpectedly explodes into world domination mode where the band´s songwriting abilites absolutely shines. This shapeshifting grips you by the face, sinks its claws in and makes you pay attention.

Another element that I´ve noticed in my journeys through this lovely slab of face-pounding metal, is that the leads are better than earlier. They´re more noticeable, and countless times I´ve caught myself rewinding just to hear them again. Mille makes good use of the wah-wah, never abusing it (read: The Kirk Hammet effect), making every note he hits more enjoyable.

Kreator have packed an amazing amount of quality into this album, as they´d ususally do, but songs like the title-track, Civilisation Collapse, Your Heaven, My Hell, Victory Will Come and brilliant finisher Until Our Paths Cross Again takes this a step further than Hordes of Chaos. It´s a bit darker, more twisted and a bit more commanding than its predecessor, making it all the more interesting. Other than that it´s more of the same awesome riffs, fast-paced rhythms, and fucking great vocal lines. Together they pack a mortal punch that will make your spleen gush out of your mouth like a projectile.

There´s not really alot more to say about this, you know what you´re in for with these guys, and it´s always a fucking pleasure (to kill). Go get.