Phantom Antichrist

Phantom Antichrist
Cover art by Wes Benscoter
Studio album by
Kreator
Released1 June 2012 (2012-06-01)
StudiosFascination Street Studios, Sweden
GenresThrash metal, melodic death metal
Length45:26
LabelNuclear Blast
ProducerJens Bogren
Kreator chronology
Hordes of Chaos
(2009)		 Phantom Antichrist
(2012)		 Dying Alive
(2013)
Alternative cover
Deluxe edition artwork
Singles from Phantom Antichrist
  1. "Phantom Antichrist"
    Released: 3 May 2012
  2. "Civilization Collapse"
    Released: 9 November 2012

Phantom Antichrist is the 13th studio album by German thrash metal band Kreator, released through Nuclear Blast on 1 June 2012.

The album entered the US Billboard 200 at No. 130, selling 3,900 copies in the first week.

Release and promotion

The album's title track was released as a limited edition 7" vinyl single, which sold out very quickly. It has since been released digitally. The B-side is a cover of "The Number of the Beast" by Iron Maiden.

Kreator released a music video for "Civilization Collapse" on 28 November 2012.

Packaging

The digipak edition includes a bonus CD containing a documentary about the making of the album and a live set compiled from Kreator's performances at the Wacken Open Air festivals in 2008 and 2011.

A very limited edition version of the album is available through the Nuclear Blast online store, which comes in a metal box containing the CD+DVD version of the album, an exclusive live album called Harvesting the Grapes of Horror which contains the audio from the live portion of the DVD, a red T-shirt bearing the band's logo and the album title, a photocard signed by Mille Petrozza, an A1 poster of the album artwork, and a numbered certificate of authenticity.

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
About.comStarStarStarStar
AllMusicStarStarStarHalf star
Exclaim!favorable
Metal Forces9/10
Metal Storm8.4/10

The album has a more progressive and melodic sound than previously explored by the band and was generally well received by critics. It won a 2012 Metal Storm Award for "Best Thrash Metal Album". According to Metal Injection, the sound on the album can be described as melodic death metal. "As is the case through most of Phantom AntiChrist, the title track feels like a shot of melodic death metal chased with a glass of dissonant thrash. Actually, through much of the album, it felt like Kreator decided to collaborate with Amon Amarth. This results in a heroic and catchy blend of sounds that I was not expecting, but was more than pleased to hear. From Flood to Fire is almost a perfect amalgamation, with a brilliantly constructed solo-bridge with a chugging rhythm section from hell. Civilization Collapse does one even better with a flurry of riffs and solos, ending with the sound of a mighty explosion." It won a 2012 Metal Storm Award for "Best Thrash Metal Album".

Track listing

All tracks are written by Mille Petrozza.

No.TitleLength
1."Mars Mantra" (Instrumental)1:18
2."Phantom Antichrist"4:31
3."Death to the World"4:53
4."From Flood into Fire"5:26
5."Civilization Collapse"4:13
6."United in Hate"4:31
7."The Few, the Proud, the Broken"4:37
8."Your Heaven, My Hell"5:53
9."Victory Will Come"4:14
10."Until Our Paths Cross Again"5:49
Total length:45:26
Japanese edition hidden bonus track
No.TitleLength
11."Iron Destiny"4:31
Bonus DVD
No.TitleLength
1."Conquerers of the Ice - The Making of Phantom Antichrist" (Directed by Matthias Kollek)20:00
2."Harvesting the Grapes of Horror" (Live at Wacken Open Air 2008 / 2011)55:00
Harvesting the Grapes of Horror - limited boxed set edition bonus CD
No.TitleLength
1."Choir of the Damned" (Live at Wacken Open Air 2011)0:40
2."Hordes of Chaos" (Live at Wacken Open Air 2011)5:21
3."War Curse" (Live at Wacken Open Air 2011)5:01
4."Coma of Souls / Endless Pain" (Live at Wacken Open Air 2011)4:09
5."Pleasure to Kill" (Live at Wacken Open Air 2011)3:15
6."Destroy What Destroys You" (Live at Wacken Open Air 2011)3:26
7."The Patriarch" (Live at Wacken Open Air 2008)0:52
8."Violent Revolution" (Live at Wacken Open Air 2008)5:17
9."People of the Lie" (Live at Wacken Open Air 2008)4:49
10."Europe After the Rain" (Live at Wacken Open Air 2008)3:50
11."Phobia" (Live at Wacken Open Air 2011)3:32
12."Terrible Certainty / Reconquering the Throne" (Live at Wacken Open Air 2011)6:04
13."Flag of Hate / Tormentor" (Live at Wacken Open Air 2011)7:35

Personnel

Phantom Antichrist album personnel adapted from the CD liner notes.

Kreator
Production
Art

Chart performance

Chart Peak
position
Austrian Albums (Ö3 Austria)31
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders)75
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Wallonia)84
Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)87
Finnish Albums (Suomen virallinen lista)11
French Albums (SNEP)87
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)5
Hungarian Albums (MAHASZ)13
Japanese Albums (Oricon)63
South Korean International Albums (Circle)35
Norwegian Albums (VG-lista)39
Spanish Albums (Promusicae)89
Swedish Albums (Sverigetopplistan)30
Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)31
UK Independent Albums (Official Charts)37
UK Rock & Metal Albums (Official Charts)14
US Billboard 200130
US Top Hard Rock Albums (Billboard)8
US Heatseekers Albums (Billboard)1
US Top Rock Albums (Billboard)47

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Album Review: KREATOR - Phantom AntiChrist". 6 June 2012.
  2. ↑ Staff writer(s). "Phantom Antichrist by KREATOR - info and shop at Nuclear Blast - Nuclear Blast". nuclearblast.de. Nuclear Blast. Retrieved 6 January 2015.
  3. 1 2 "Kreator Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Archived from the original on 17 November 2021. Retrieved 4 August 2014.
  4. ↑ Metal Insider (13 June 2012). "Metal By Numbers 6/13: Rock Is Ageless As Fear Factory Has Great Debut - Metal Insider". metalinsider.net. Metal Insider. Retrieved 6 January 2015.
  5. ↑ Merlin. "Kreator 'Civilization Collapse' Video Premiere". metalhammer.co.uk. Archived from the original on 1 December 2012. Retrieved 30 November 2012.
  6. ↑ Zed, Natalie. "Kreator - Phantom Antichrist Review". heavymetal.about.com. About.com. Archived from the original on 17 June 2012. Retrieved 6 January 2015.
  7. ↑ Phantom Antichrist at AllMusic
  8. ↑ Pratt, Greg (6 June 2012). "Kreator Phantom Antichrist". exclaim.ca. Retrieved 6 January 2015.
  9. ↑ Not, Neil. "KREATOR – Phantom Antichrist (2012) - Album / EP Reviews @ Metal Forces Magazine". metalforcesmagazine.com. Metal Forces. Retrieved 6 January 2015.
  10. ↑ Demonic Tutor (16 June 2013). "Kreator - Phantom Antichrist review - Metal Storm". metalstorm.net. Metal Storm. Retrieved 6 January 2015.
  11. ↑ "Metal Storm Awards 2012".
  12. ↑ "Metal Storm Awards 2012".
  13. ↑ Phantom Antichrist (CD liner). Kreator. Nuclear Blast Records. 2012.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  14. ↑ "Austriancharts.at – Kreator – Phantom Antichrist" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved 4 August 2014.
  15. ↑ "Ultratop.be – Kreator – Phantom Antichrist" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 4 August 2014.
  16. ↑ "Ultratop.be – Kreator – Phantom Antichrist" (in French). Hung Medien. Retrieved 4 August 2014.
  17. ↑ "Dutchcharts.nl – Kreator – Phantom Antichrist" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 4 August 2014.
  18. ↑ "Kreator: Phantom Antichrist" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland. Retrieved 4 August 2014.
  19. ↑ "Lescharts.com – Kreator – Phantom Antichrist". Hung Medien. Retrieved 4 August 2014.
  20. ↑ "Offiziellecharts.de – Kreator – Phantom Antichrist" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved 4 August 2014.
  21. ↑ "Album Top 40 slágerlista – 2012. 23. hét" (in Hungarian). MAHASZ. Retrieved 6 January 2015.
  22. ↑ "ファントム・アンティクライスト". Retrieved 4 August 2014.
  23. ↑ "South Korea Circle International Album Chart". Circle Chart. Note: On the page, select "2012.06.10~2012.06.16" to obtain the corresponding chart. Retrieved 6 January 2015.
  24. ↑ "Norwegiancharts.com – Kreator – Phantom Antichrist". Hung Medien. Retrieved 4 August 2014.
  25. ↑ "Spanishcharts.com – Kreator – Phantom Antichrist". Hung Medien. Retrieved 4 August 2014.
  26. ↑ "Swedishcharts.com – Kreator – Phantom Antichrist". Hung Medien. Retrieved 4 August 2014.
  27. ↑ "Swisscharts.com – Kreator – Phantom Antichrist". Hung Medien. Retrieved 4 August 2014.
  28. ↑ "Official Independent Albums Chart on 10/6/2012 – Top 50". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 6 January 2015.
  29. ↑ "Official Rock & Metal Albums Chart on 16/6/2012 – Top 40". Official Charts Company.
  30. ↑ "Kreator Chart History (Top Hard Rock Albums)". Billboard. Archived from the original on 17 November 2021. Retrieved 4 August 2014.
  31. ↑ "Kreator Chart History (Heatseekers Albums)". Billboard. Archived from the original on 18 November 2021. Retrieved 4 August 2014.
  32. ↑ "Kreator Chart History (Top Rock Albums)". Billboard. Archived from the original on 18 November 2021. Retrieved 4 August 2014.