Phantom Antichrist

Phantom Antichrist
Cover art by Wes Benscoter
Studio album by
Kreator
Released1 June 2012 (2012-06-01)
StudioFascination Street Studios, Sweden
GenreThrash 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.[1]

The album entered the US Billboard 200 at No. 130,[2] selling 3,900 copies in the first week.[3]

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.[4]

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.com[5]
AllMusic[6]
Exclaim!favorable[7]
Metal Forces9/10[8]
Metal Storm8.4/10[9]

The album has a more progressive and melodic sound than previously explored by the band and was generally well received by critics.[10] It won a 2012 Metal Storm Award for "Best Thrash Metal Album".[11]

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.[12]

Kreator
Production
  • Jens Bogren – mixing, recording, producing at Fascination Street Studios, Sweden
  • Ted Jensen – mastering at Sterling Sound, New York City
  • Johan Örnborg – additional recording
Art
  • Wes Benscoter – cover artwork
  • Jan Meininghaus – additional cover artwork, booklet design
  • Heile for Heilemania – band photos

Chart performance

Chart Peak
position
Austrian Albums (Ö3 Austria)[13] 31
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders)[14] 75
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Wallonia)[15] 84
Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)[16] 87
Finnish Albums (Suomen virallinen lista)[17] 11
French Albums (SNEP)[18] 87
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)[19] 5
Hungarian Albums (MAHASZ)[20] 13
Japanese Albums (Oricon)[21] 63
South Korean International Albums (Circle)[22] 35
Norwegian Albums (VG-lista)[23] 39
Spanish Albums (PROMUSICAE)[24] 89
Swedish Albums (Sverigetopplistan)[25] 30
Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)[26] 31
UK Independent Albums (OCC)[27] 37
UK Rock & Metal Albums (OCC)[28] 14
US Billboard 200[2] 130
US Top Hard Rock Albums (Billboard)[29] 8
US Heatseekers Albums (Billboard)[30] 1
US Top Rock Albums (Billboard)[31] 47

References

  1. ^ Staff writer(s). "Phantom Antichrist by KREATOR - info and shop at Nuclear Blast - Nuclear Blast". nuclearblast.de. Nuclear Blast. Retrieved 6 January 2015.
  2. ^ a b "Kreator Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved 4 August 2014.
  3. ^ 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.
  4. ^ Merlin. "Kreator 'Civilization Collapse' Video Premiere". metalhammer.co.uk. Archived from the original on 1 December 2012. Retrieved 30 November 2012.
  5. ^ Zed, Natalie. "Kreator - Phantom Antichrist Review". heavymetal.about.com. About.com. Archived from the original on 17 June 2012. Retrieved 6 January 2015.
  6. ^ Phantom Antichrist at AllMusic
  7. ^ Pratt, Greg (6 June 2012). "Kreator Phantom Antichrist". exclaim.ca. Retrieved 6 January 2015.
  8. ^ Not, Neil. "KREATOR – Phantom Antichrist (2012) - Album / EP Reviews @ Metal Forces Magazine". metalforcesmagazine.com. Metal Forces. Retrieved 6 January 2015.
  9. ^ Demonic Tutor (16 June 2013). "Kreator - Phantom Antichrist review - Metal Storm". metalstorm.net. Metal Storm. Retrieved 6 January 2015.
  10. ^ "Album Review: KREATOR - Phantom AntiChrist". 6 June 2012.
  11. ^ "Metal Storm Awards 2012".
  12. ^ Phantom Antichrist (CD liner). Kreator. Nuclear Blast Records. 2012.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  13. ^ "Austriancharts.at – Kreator – Phantom Antichrist" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved 4 August 2014.
  14. ^ "Ultratop.be – Kreator – Phantom Antichrist" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 4 August 2014.
  15. ^ "Ultratop.be – Kreator – Phantom Antichrist" (in French). Hung Medien. Retrieved 4 August 2014.
  16. ^ "Dutchcharts.nl – Kreator – Phantom Antichrist" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 4 August 2014.
  17. ^ "Kreator: Phantom Antichrist" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland. Retrieved 4 August 2014.
  18. ^ "Lescharts.com – Kreator – Phantom Antichrist". Hung Medien. Retrieved 4 August 2014.
  19. ^ "Longplay-Chartverfolgung at Musicline" (in German). Musicline.de. Phononet GmbH. Retrieved 4 August 2014.
  20. ^ "Album Top 40 slágerlista – 2012. 23. hét" (in Hungarian). MAHASZ. Retrieved 6 January 2015.
  21. ^ "ファントム・アンティクライスト". Retrieved 4 August 2014.
  22. ^ "South Korea Circle International Album Chart". On the page, select "2012.06.10~2012.06.16" to obtain the corresponding chart. Circle Chart Retrieved 6 January 2015.
  23. ^ "Norwegiancharts.com – Kreator – Phantom Antichrist". Hung Medien. Retrieved 4 August 2014.
  24. ^ "Spanishcharts.com – Kreator – Phantom Antichrist". Hung Medien. Retrieved 4 August 2014.
  25. ^ "Swedishcharts.com – Kreator – Phantom Antichrist". Hung Medien. Retrieved 4 August 2014.
  26. ^ "Swisscharts.com – Kreator – Phantom Antichrist". Hung Medien. Retrieved 4 August 2014.
  27. ^ June 2012/131/ "Official Independent Albums Chart Top 50". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 6 January 2015.
  28. ^ "Official Rock & Metal Albums Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company.
  29. ^ "Kreator Chart History (Top Hard Rock Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved 4 August 2014.
  30. ^ "Kreator Chart History (Heatseekers Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved 4 August 2014.
  31. ^ "Kreator Chart History (Top Rock Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved 4 August 2014.