MILLE PETROZZA Has 10 Song Ideas For KREATOR's Next Studio Album: 'I'm Writing Music Constantly'

In a recent interview with Portugal's Look Mag, KREATOR frontman Mille Petrozza spoke about the progress of the songwriting sessions for the band's follow-up to 2022's "Hate Über Alles" album. He said (a transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I'm writing music constantly. I know that 'Hate Über Alles' came out in 2022, but it was lying there for over a year. So, to us, the album came out almost in '21 because the music was done and we didn't release it because there was still lockdown and we wanted to wait until the whole pandemic is over. So, I have written since '21 or '22, when we recorded it, I've already written, like, 10 songs or something, or 10 ideas for songs. And I could record an album today, but I want to wait until the right moment comes, where I have a lyrical concept and everything feels right. To me, it's not important to release something just for the sake of it. I think it needs to just feel right… I'd rather be quiet than saying something where I don't have anything to say."

Asked if he and his KREATOR bandmates have an idea of when the group's next album will be released, Mille said: "Yeah, we have a rough idea. We have scheduled the record for 2026, maybe — but if everything goes right. We're probably gonna take the year '25 off for just for songwriting and recording. And let's see where it takes us. But if everything goes by plan, then there will be a new KREATOR record in the beginning of '26."

On the topic of the "secret" to KREATOR's success, Mille said: "There is no formula or secret. I think it's basically believing in what we do and trying to be us rather than trying to be something that we're not. And endurance is another factor, a little bit of luck, of course, and being at the right place at the right time. We have started very early, as teenagers in the '80s, and I think that kind of helps, being one of the first bands that play extreme metal in Europe."

Petrozza also talked about KREATOR's multigenerational appeal, saying: "It's just the way it goes. I guess when you're around for that long, it's just natural that the people are getting older and younger kids are discovering the music that we play. And therefore I feel very privileged to be able to see that. Not many bands endure that long, and I know that not many bands are staying together for more than 10 years or even 20 or five years sometimes. We were prepared to do this when we were kids, and I dedicated my life to this, and I'm happy that there's so much interest and there's still so many people, like almost two or almost three generations of an audience that still enjoy extreme metal from Germany. It's a cool thing. I think it's really cool."

KREATOR's fifteenth studio album, "Hate Über Alles", was released in June 2022. The follow-up to 2017's "Gods Of Violence" was recorded at Hansa Tonstudio in Berlin, Germany. Helming the sessions was Arthur Rizk, who has previously worked with CAVALERA CONSPIRACY, CODE ORANGE, POWER TRIP and SOULFLY, among others.

The "Hate Über Alles" cover artwork was created by Eliran Kantor, who has previously worked with HATEBREED, SOULFLY, TESTAMENT, ICED EARTH and SODOM, among others.

"Hate Über Alles" marked KREATOR's first album with bassist Frédéric Leclercq, who joined the group in 2019.

In March 2020, KREATOR surprise-released a new single, "666 - World Divided". The song was produced by Andy Sneap and Markus Ganter and was recorded at Hansa Tonstudios.

KREATOR played its first show with Leclercq in October 2019 in Santiago, Chile.

Before joining KREATOR, Leclercq rose to fame with U.K.-based extreme power metallers DRAGONFORCE for whom he handled bass duties from 2005 until August 2019.

In May 2023, KREATOR released a music video for the song "Conquer And Destroy" from "Hate Über Alles". The performance footage was filmed on March 4, 2023 in front of 6,000 of KREATOR's mighty hordes in their spiritual home of Essen.

KREATOR and TESTAMENT will join forces for the North American leg of the "Klash Of The Titans" tour this fall. The 33-date trek will kick off on September 12 in Reno making its way across the U.S. and will include seven Canadian dates before concluding in San Francisco on October 27. Joining the night are special guests San Francisco Bay Area death metal pioneers POSSESSED.

Photo credit: Christoph Voy