Up this week they might be Germany’s front runners in the thrash metal arena but there was once  a period in 1999 where it all went wrong for Kreator. Releasing their wildcard Endorama, its not necessarily a terrible album. It just sounds absolutely nothing like the band we now all know and love. Instead of having fast paced drums and scintillating solos we’re given mid paced drums and riffs which even wander into doom metal territory “Golden Age” sets the tone perfectly for the album as a slow brooding song and the rest follow suit.

As mentioned previously I don’t think that this is a bad album, the songs are fairly well written it just sounds absolutely nothing like the thrash icons. There is nothing that is identifiable bar Mille Petrozza‘s slower and less screechy vocals. I commend bands that take the risk to release something that is different, to change their style and try out a new outfit. While writing the album Petrozza has said that he wanted to release what it was he wanted to write not necessarily something that the fans want to hear but there are sometimes where it just doesn’t work out. Endorama would be more apt in Paradise Lost‘s discography or even Gamma Ray’s. Even with title track there are elements that are heard throughout Kreator’s discography but then in comes the odd and predictable chorus adding to the different sound with a guest appearance from Lacrimosa frontman Tilo Wolff.

Overall its an ok album, nothing absolutely standout but nothing too terrible that it would get panned by metal heads and critics alike! Oh well, we all learn from our mistakes and it looks like with the release of the absolutely brilliant Phantom Antichrist, Kreator learnt from theirs.