Riff Police! Pull Over! #36: Kreator Vs Carcass!

German Thrash Metal titans Kreator brought the World to pain with their forth studio album “Extreme Aggression” in the summer of 1989. Recorded in Hollywood, California in the January-February of that year, the band took advantage of their growing fanbase and live reputation following a tour with D.R.I across the US the previous year. While “Betrayer” was getting heavy rotation on MTV’s Headbanger’s Ball, the album itself appeared on Loudwire’s “Top 10 Thrash albums not to be released by the Big 4”. “Bringer of Torture” is without a doubt one of the best songs on the album.

But wait. Moving forward just 4 years to 1993 and an album described as being a “mid-period masterpiece” by Hank Schteamer from Pitchfork Magazine. “Heartwork” by Carcass is without any doubt on of the finest metal cuts around from any Extreme Metal band. It’s H. R. Giger artwork being the perfect choice for the bands sound and his relationship with Sci-Fi and Horror films being of vital importance in that. However, the riff for album closer “Death Certificate” credited to axe wielding duo Michael Amott and Bill Steer is so close to “Bringer of Torture” in places that many have gone as far as to say it’s a carbon copy! Guilty as charged.