In a new interview with Jorge Botas of Portugal's Metal Global, Mille Petrozza of German/Finnish/French thrash metal veterans KREATOR spoke about the band's sixteenth studio album, "Krushers Of The World", which came out 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 album cover artwork was created by Polish genius Zbigniew Bielak (GHOST).
Petrozza revealed that he began collecting ideas for the album in 2024, with demos being completed in April 2025.
He described his songwriting process as "collecting ideas" and not wanting to force a particular sound or style, opting instead for a balance of old-school thrash metal influences with modern elements.
Petrozza acknowledged that some fans might want their favorite bands to rehash the sound material from their "golden" years, but emphasized that trying to recapture past glories can be limiting.
He cited his love of music and his desire to keep things fresh, rather than simply relying on old formulas.
KREATOR released several singles from the album, including "Seven Serpents", "Tränenpalast" and "Satanic Anarchy".
The track "Tränenpalast" features guest vocals by vocal coach Britta Görtz of extreme metal band HIRAES.
To promote the album, KREATOR will embark on a massive European tour across 20 countries with fellow metal powerhouses CARCASS, EXODUS and NAILS.
The trek kicks off on March 20, 2026 in Lisbon, Portugal at MEO Arena and wraps up on April 25, 2026 in Copenhagen, Denmark at Poolen.
Highlights include shows in London, Manchester, Glasgow, Paris, Milan, Berlin, Stockholm and more.
The band will also embark on a U.S.
tour this spring, which kicks off on May 7 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and runs through May 23 in Huntington, New York.
This marks their second major tour of the United States since releasing their 2024 album "Hate Über Alles".
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 band will also be touring in support of their latest album, "Krushers Of The World".
Mille Petrozza's autobiography, "Your Heaven, My Hell", was published in August 2025 via Ullstein Verlag.