Since Kreator’s inception a generation ago in 1982 in Essen, Germany, the band has become legends of thrash metal. They have continually gained fans and fame worldwide as they remain at the forefront of the genre. Their latest album, Enemy of God, proved to be their most successful, reaching spot 19 in the German album charts… quite good for a band that’s so far away from the popularity contest where most mainstream musicians battle it out. But Enemy of God is now 4 years old and has already been re-released, so it’s time for something new.

Enter Hordes of Chaos, Kreator’s new album for 2009. The 10 tracks it contains were recorded earlier this year during July and August, and are expected to be a bit more organic sounding, given the relative simplicity of the live setting and analog tape method that was used to record them. This is the first time in 20 years the band has recorded this way, according to the band’s singer Mille Petrozza. The length of the album is different also, in that it’s more than 15 minutes shorter than Enemy of God, coming in at under 40 minutes. Don’t expect the quality to suffer, though. A quick listen to the sample of the song “Warcurse” won’t let you down.

Are 4 different versions enough?
Hordes of Chaos will be released in 4 different formats. First, the standard version will just have the 10 songs on a CD in a normal jewel case. Second, the limited edition will contain the CD plus a bonus DVD with a “making of Hordes of Chaos” video, 2 videos of songs performed live, and the music video for the album’s title track which was influenced by the movie 300. Third, the “ultra deluxe edition” will contain the CD, an extended version of the bonus DVD, a Kreator T-shirt, and a book. And finally, there will be an LP version of the album which will feature alternative artwork not available on any of the CD versions. All the versions will be released on January 13th in North America, January 16th in Germany, and January 19th in the rest of Europe.

You can find the album anywhere
Because Kreator is such a well known band around the world, you should have no problem finding Hordes of Chaos (or most other Kreator albums) in your local CD shop. And if you’re a child of the internet age, you can easily find it on any major online retailer like Amazon.com. They’ve got most of the versions available: the standard edition, the limited edition, and the vinyl LP version, but not the ultra deluxe edition. I haven’t found anywhere you can buy that version yet. Amazon.com also has the tracks for sale as MP3 downloads, which you can buy either together as an album or as individual songs. You just have to wait for the release date before they become available.

Follow the jump and read to rest of the article, including the album track listing and Kreator’s North American tour dates.
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