KREATOR's FRÉDÉRIC LECLERCQ On 'Krushers Of The World': 'The Album Is Amazing'

In a new interview with Australia's Devil's Horns, bassist Frédéric Leclercq of German/Finnish/French thrash metal veterans KREATOR spoke about the band's upcoming sixteenth studio album, "Krushers Of The World", which will arrive on January 16, 2026 via Nuclear Blast Records. The LP was recorded at Fascination Street Studios in Örebro, Sweden with producer Jens Bogren. Bogren previously helmed KREATOR's "Phantom Antichrist" (2012) and "Gods Of Violence" (2017) LPs. The "Krushers Of The World" cover artwork was created by Polish genius Zbigniew Bielak (GHOST).

Leclercq said about the making of "Krushers Of The World" (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I think what's great with the band is still we are on the way up, and the success that we have right now, we always build up, which is great. And it's already like quite established. So in Europe we headline most of the festivals, but there's still territories to conquer and destroy. But we are not just putting out an album — I don't think anyone does. Sometimes you've got the feeling some people put out an album just as an excuse to tour again, or that's what it feels because it's like less inspired or whatever. I mean, what do I know? I'm not in people's heads. But as far as I'm concerned, I think this one is very strong."

Frédéric continued: "Obviously, [we are now] doing interviews for [a new album] — you will never hear a band doing interviews [and saying things] just like, 'Well, this album sucks. The one before was better, but that's all we could come up with.' Because that's what you genuinely believe at the time. So the best would be to talk about it in retrospect. Like, for example, [KREATOR's previous album, 2022's] 'Hate Über Alles'. I think it's a great album. Now that we are about to release the new one, 'Hate Über Alles' is very strong, but we should have done things differently, perhaps. And also the time was complicated because we did that during COVID time. I lost my father as well. There was just some, breaks in between. So we started working on the pre-production [for 'Hate Über Alles'] in July 2020. We recorded it in October 2021, and released it in June [of 2022]. So everything was a bit of a drag. And I think we lost that element of — I don't know — that sort of energy, just like bam, bam, bam. And that's what we have for this one."

Circling back to how "Krushers Of The World" was made, Leclercq said: "Mille [Petrozza, KREATOR guitarist/vocalist] started working on the songs in '23, but we were touring so much that he just did that in pieces, recording demos in the studio. So he presented us the songs very late in the game, so that we were still absorbing them and coming up with ideas to modify them. So that became a very organic and enthusiastic process, not just dragging, just like, 'Oh, God.' 'Cause that's, that's what it was for 'Hate Über Alles'. Like, again, don't get me wrong — [that album had] very strong songs. And when we play 'Hate Über Alles' and 'Strongest Of The Strong' live, you can tell that people just really dig it. So that's amazing. But for this one, yeah, like I said, we got the songs and I was still trying to understand what was going on and already making modifications. This was great because you feel like the songs are even more yours. And then we did a month of that, pre-production, and then we went straight into the studio. So everything was fresh, and [we had] lots of ideas and no time to rest or whatever. So I think there's that. And we benefited from Jens Bogren's production again. He worked with the band for 'Phantom Antichrist' and 'Gods Of Violence'. And I've worked with him for two albums with DRAGONFORCE, one with SINSAENUM and one with AMAHIRU, so he is a great friend of mine. And everybody was just super motivated, going in the same direction. And I think, yeah, the album is amazing. The sound is great — you can hear the bass, which is rather unusual for KREATOR or thrash in general. It's usually more guitar oriented. Thrash in the '80s [had] very much a lot of guitar and the bass [was] in the background. This is fat. And I think it's a first for KREATOR in that sense, to hear the bass that much. And I'm happy about it."

Last month, Frédéric was asked by Jai That Aussie Metal Guy how his role in KREATOR has evolved since he joined the group more than six years ago. He said: "Very soon in the game, when I joined the band, when we started to work on a song together, the first one was '666 - World Divided'… Before that it was just rehearsing songs that already existed, to be able to perform them together in a live situation. But '666 - World Divided' was just, like, I was getting, 'So, what are the dynamics? Who does what?' And that's how it works. Mille comes with the material, and then we just arrange everything together, because he needs to be able to sing and perform and to feel the lyrics. So it all comes from him, and it makes total sense. I've tried to send him riffs, and [he tells me] just, like, 'Well, I love the riff, but I need to be able to sing on top.' And it has to come naturally from him. So it makes total sense. And so when we started to work on '666 - World Divided', I was, like, 'Okay, I'm new in the band, but I'm very proactive when it comes to music. I can be very direct, but it's all for the greater good, so don't be surprised.' And that room existed, that space for me to exist, because they were pretty loose and let the producer do the work. But I was there just, like, 'Okay, Sami [Yli-Sirniö, KREATOR guitarist] you're doing this, and Mille, you're doing that. That doesn't work together. And how about we do that?' And they were just, like, 'Oh, great. Good on you, mate.' Just, like, 'That's cool.' So I didn't wanna impose, but also I didn't wanna be in the backseat just doing nothing, because I'm, like, if you join a band, then [the goal is] to improve things. And it's been the same since that day."

He continued: "I know my role, which is checking the harmonies, making sure that everybody knows what they're playing. I try to come up with different melodies and different stuff. And that's what I've been doing with 'Hate Über Alles'. On 'Hate Über Alles', I was doing a lot of the pre-production, and it was just spread out because it was during COVID time, so we had a lot of time to work on stuff. This one [KREATOR's upcoming 'Krushers Of The World' album] was a bit more compact, which was great, but I still obviously came up with my bass lines, but also rearranging, like cutting some… And everybody does anyway… 'Cause I'm the one recording in the rehearsal room. I come with a computer, check the demos, which means I'm the one editing the demos in the afternoon when everybody fucks off… So, yeah, when everyone fucks off, I'm the one working on the songs, which means I can just, in a very subtle way, add an extra guitar or just, like, change that and just [be], like, 'Well, I was thinking…' And it's nice that way, just subtle. So that's what I do. And then when we were in the studio recording, I had set like a little room where we could work on the solos because I'm a guitar player as well, so I come up with melodies for the solos, challenging Sami to bring him new ideas, 'cause he is got his own style, which is great. But he was the one just going, 'Hey, if you have any ideas…' So, I'm contributing on different levels, but like I said, everybody does that in a certain way. But as far as I'm concerned, that's what I do. And that's great. Hopefully people like it. But if they don't, it's fine."

KREATOR has released three singles so far from "Krushers Of The World": "Seven Serpents", "Tränenpalast" and "Satanic Anarchy".

"Tränenpalast" features vocal coach Britta Görtz of extreme metal band HIRAES on guest vocals.

KREATOR will promote "Krushers Of The World" with a monumental European tour across 20 countries, joining forces with fellow metal powerhouses CARCASS, EXODUS and NAILS. The trek will kick off on March 20, 2026 in Lisbon, Portugal, at MEO Arena and wrap up on April 25, 2026 in Copenhagen, Denmark, at Poolen. Highlights include shows in London, Manchester, Glasgow, Paris, Milan, Berlin, Stockholm, and more.

KREATOR will also embark on a U.S. tour next spring. The band, which last conquered American audiences and venues in 2024, will embark on a headline tour in 2026, with stops at key festivals, including Welcome To Rockville, Sonic Temple and Maryland Deathfest. The tour kicks off on May 7 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and runs through May 23 in Huntington, New York.

The official KREATOR documentary, "Hate & Hope", was shown on July 2, 2025 at the 42nd Munich International Film Festival and received a theatrical premiere on September 4, 2025. The 110-minute film was directed by Cordula Kablitz-Post.

Mille's official German-language autobiography, which he wrote with journalist, author and presenter Torsten Groß, "Your Heaven, My Hell - Mein Leben, Heavy Metal Und Wie Das Alles Passieren Konnte", was published on August 28, 2025 via Ullstein Verlag.

Photo credit: Robert Eikelpoth