I still can remember when I listened to this record for the first time. Hard to believe, but this year it’s been thirty years since this fantastic album has been released. Yes, KREATOR`s “Endless Pain” was released thirty years ago. The time is flying, but “Endless Pain” has never been bothered by the passing of time. This stuff, after thirty years, is still damn powerful. This is another proof that the 80s were special times. Most of the records from that time still sound very fresh.
KREATOR, a band from Essen appeared on the map of extreme music in 1984, buthad become active as Metal Militia /Tormentor two years earlier. Their debut album turned out to be one of the most extreme records at the time. “Endless Pain” caused a lot of turmoil back then, and installed the Teutonic Metal in a throne. Soon, a strong competitor from across the Pond appeared. Of course, what I am talking about is POSSESSED`s “Seven Churches.”
This rivalry between The Old Continent and The New World had become apparent much earlier, but started for good in 1985 when Classic Heavy, Speed and Thrash Metal were left far behind. “Endless Pain” was a 100% Black/Speed Metal piece of art. Well, when it comes to “Pleasure to Kill,” it is not that obvious though.
Let us focus on the debut album of KREATOR, shall we? “Endless Pain” was a perfect connector between the old-school type of metal and the coming wave of speed-obsessed death metal. This album was characterized by heavy and dirty guitar sound, deeply tuned drums and destructive vocals of Mille and Ventor. Actually, Ventor was one of very few drummers who took care of singing and did it really powerfully.
Just listen to the title track, “Storm of the Beast” or “Son of Evil” to know what I am talking about. Interestingly, “Endless Pain” was split between the two vocalists in such a way that each of them sang in exactly 5 songs what made this album even more attractive. Let’s also say their way of singing was really wild back then.
The album as a whole carries an amazingly huge load of condensed energy, yet it crushes with its heaviness. Raw sounding guitars make the songs sound rough, and these slightly chaotic though very nice solo guitar parts complete the music very well. You can still hear some failures, but passion for playing as well. This album carries a very honest message, and is full of teenage rebellion. That’s why it is a sheer pleasure to listen to this stuff.
The fact that “Endless Pain” was recorded as a three-piece band proves to me that this number of musicians seems most optimal when it comes to writing and playing music. There are no needless sounds, all`s compact and carries power and strength. These sounds are where the old-school magic is cast in. The songs, not too complex as they are, paralyze with their efficiency like some nuclear explosion that turns any musical competitors into dust. We must remember that it was only in 1985 that KREATOR showed their full spectrum of skills.
The album was recorded in the Cat Studio in Berlin under a watchful eye of producer Horst Hoddie Muller, the guy who was very skillful at producing this kind of music, and the bands such as IRON ANGEL`s Hellish Crossfire” or RUNNING WILD`s “Gates To Purgatory” tell us a lot about this chap`s competences. 
The KREATOR from their first two albums is absolutely unique. I get really unhappy when I think about their later doings when they became a more thrash-oriented band, and thus easier to listen to for an average listener. They`d lost their character that became replaced by the American style of thrash. Ok, all the instruments are more distinctive on their later albums, the production is better etc., but this band`s lost their uniqueness.
Well, so, I will always stress that the real power of KREATOR are their first two albums and “Flag of Hate” mlp. All their later doings are just not as good as those at all. Well, if you don’t know what I’m talking about - just listen to these tracks: “Total death”, “Son of Evil”, “Cry War”, “Endless Pain” or any track from “Pleasure to Kill”!
“Endless Pain” contains no weak songs. It’s just total destruction and annihilation. Ok, “Terrible Certainty”, “Extreme Aggression” or “Coma of Souls” are good albums, so what? It’s different KREATOR we deal with, alright. The same goes with SLAYER, and their immortal first two studio albums.
It was the real SLAYER back then! Although everyone says “Reign in Blood” is SLAYER`s most important album, it is easy to notice that it was this album when the band decided to get rid of their initial nature and follow their new aims. Alas, the same happened to KREATOR, and a number of other bands. Luckily, these bands have left a number of records we can always get back to, and keep the flame burning forever.
This is the reason whyI more and more often listen to dust-covered metal treasures instead of joining this pointless race where the aim is to listen to as manyas possible, often worthless, new records.
Leszek Wojnicz-Sianożęcki