Review Summary: An underrated album, Renewal is a tragic but misunderstanding effort.
Album History:
The first experimental album from these German thrash metal gods, Kreator decided to add in some industrial influences to their thrash metal style making the album's music heavier and much more faster.
Titled Renewal, the album was an unsuccessful and unpopular release, with crowds un-pleased and calling them a big "Sell-out", though the release was underrated and unsuccessful, I think it has been hugely misunderstood.
With fast and strangely Slayer-style sounding vocals from guitarist/vocalist Miland "Mille" Petrozza, crunching and modern-style guitar riffs to screaming solos, throbbing bass lines, and a catchy and (sometimes) relaxing performance, Kreator revealed a totally different and heavier style of old-school thrash metal. It would soon turn out that Renewal's style would be featured on their next two albums.
The Crew:
As most may know, this was the final album with long-time bassist Rob Fioretti and the last with drummer Jürgen 'Ventor' Reil until his return to the band in 1996.
The line-up on this album was:
Mille Petrozza - vocals, guitars
Frank Gosdzik - guitars
Rob Fioretti - bass
Ventor - drums, programming
Song Information:
Beginning with the classic drumming intro that then turns straight into a catchy and fast riff powered through to the actual song, "Winter Martyrium" is a great mind-blowing start for newcomers that then marches forward into the second song, title-track, "Renewal". "Renewal" starts off just as good as the first song, with it's catchy and solid guitar riff and it's talented and pounding drums from Ventor, both, the title-track and "Winter Martyrium" has that sort of gothic / doom metal feel to it.
The third track "Reflection", probably one of the less-better songs on the album, starts out quite good with the catchy riff on the first verse, that suddenly changes to a more slow-paced riff on the chorus.
Fourth song "Brainseed" is a fast and solid song full of fatal energy, with its grinding riffs and its ear-bursting drums, "Brainseed" quite possibly could be one of Kreator's best songs.
"Karmic Wheel" is an unsatisfying song, it's more chilling than heavy, it contains some melodic elements that I don't agree with. It doesn't fit on a Kreator album. Though the song isn't bad, it just isn't the best.
"Realitatskontrolle" is a weird song, it's weird and cool, but it's not the best either, really.
It sounds like a few guns are firing, and it sounds cool, but still it doesn't excite or satisfy me.
Seventh song "Zero to None" is a total classic! It's a fast, heavy and aggressive song that bursts out (straight away) with these solid-as-all-f**k riffs! It ends nicely also, with Petrozza finishing his vocals thirteen seconds before the ending.
Eighth, "Europe After the Rain", one of the finest moments on this album, has great solos and amazing riffs all in one!
"Depression Unrest", the least-best song on the recording, is another disappointment, it's too melodic and is a pretty bad finish-off.
The Lyrics:
On this album, the lyrics are great. They don't confuse, they make sense and they are well-written. With great lyrics such as "Hypnotized by the masses/And a future torn apart/Agony, the final conflict/Hatred yet ignored/Love is colder than death/And in coldness we'll remain" are very great lyrics from the beginning track, "Winter Martyrium".
As well as that, on "Europe after the Rain", these lyrics: "Monotony provokes the escalation/Terrifying industry protect departed nations/Can't get back together again/Leaving Europe after the rain/Acceptance of neo-fascist/Persecuting anarchists/Put the wrong ones on the list/Let the new age begin" are actually very well-written.
The lyrics are great and fit well on the album.
Re-Release:
The album was re-released in February 2018 under Noise Records. The reissue featured the original 1992 album remastered, adding digibook packaging featuring all lyrics, sleevenotes and rare photographs as well as three bonus songs and exclusive artwork.
The remastered re-release has better packaging and better sound than the original.
Overall:
Overall, the album is excellent, underrated and a fast, catchy and solid performance full of fun!
If you like Kreator's 1995 album Cause for Conflict, then you may need to get used to this classic underrated album!
Highly recommended!
PROS:
- Great modern sound
- Fast, solid and catchy
- Beginning of songs are perfect
- Good album for newcomers to the industrial/thrash metal genres
CONS:
- Some songs have bad endings
- Some songs get too melodic
Recommended tracks:
Winter Martyrium
- Renewal
- Zero to None
- Europe After the Rain
