In a new interview with Jai That Aussie Metal Guy, bassist Frédéric Leclercq of German/Finnish/French thrash metal veterans KREATOR was asked how his role in the band has evolved since he joined the group six years ago. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): “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 [Petrozza, KREATOR guitarist/vocalist] 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.”
“Krushers Of The World” 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).
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.
The “Krushers Of The World” cover sees Zbigniew Bielak, renowned for his work for GHOST, art and design, offer an interesting twist to KREATOR’s history. Transforming classic visual trademarks dedicated fans will recognize from “Coma Of Souls” (1990),”Out Of The Dark… Into The Light” (1988) and “Pleasure To Kill” (the font!) into a highly detailed tapestry garnered with occult symbolism, Bielak crafted an outstanding piece paying homage to a band he loves since his teenager days yet with a daring and unique flair. The cover of “Krushers Of The World” rewards everyone willing to analyze the grandiose sleeve design.
KREATOR’s upcoming effort will be the follow-up to 2022’s “Hate Über Alles”, which was recorded at Hansa Tonstudio in Berlin, Germany. Helming the sessions for that LP was Arthur Rizk, who has previously worked with CAVALERA CONSPIRACY, CODE ORANGE, POWER TRIP and SOULFLY, among others.
“Hate Über Alles” marked KREATOR’s first album with Leclercq.
The official KREATOR documentary, “Hate & Hope”, was shown on July 2 at the 42nd Munich International Film Festival and received a theatrical premiere on September 4. 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 via Ullstein Verlag.
Photo credit: Robert Eikelpoth