KRATER are one of the most talented bands in the German Black Metal underground. Since their formation in 2003, and over the span of two demos, two splits and two previous full lengths, this ferocious foursome have been producing some of the most intriguing and exciting Black Metal to be found in the German underground. Their latest, third record, "Urere", sees the band trim their already substantial sound, leaving only lean, beguiling Atmospheric Black Metal behind for an eager audience to behold.

"Initiation", a very short, ambience orientated piece with a few sparse guitar lines, starts this album on a very atmospheric note, which immediately grabs the listeners attention and prepares them for the music that is about to come. This leads into the first full track, "Non Serviam", a relentlessly fast and aggressive piece of razor sharp, tightly performed Black Metal. The guitars are tinged with dissonant melody, the drumming is absolutely monstrous, and the vocals sound evil and foreboding. If the instrumental piece that opened this album didn't draw you in, this song does a great job of doing so. The third song on here, "Bury the Light", has some excellent, chilling hooks and powerful vocal lines that it's hard not to love. It's an incredibly impressive burst of speed and ferocious musicianship, utilising some really catchy lead guitar lines and precise, blisteringly fast rhythms that it's easy to get caught up in. "Flasmmen im Vakuum" continues in a very similar vein, and is driven at seemingly ceaseless, brisk pace. It has a vast, expansive sound and there's definitely not a dull moment on here, mainly down to the fact that different licks and ideas are used liberally throughout the whole song, from thick, confidently performed rhythm guitars through to slick, flawless and technical leads. It gradually fades away in a sea of buzz saw riffs and titanic drums. "Anti-Vist" is, if anything even more energetic and visceral than its predecessor. It has some really substantial, beefy guitar and rums work, and the vocals are the sort of savage, acidic howls that most Black Metal vocalists can only dream of. It's a short, sharp shock of focused, barbarous Black Metal fury that raises the bar significantly from hereon out.

     "Vexillum Luciferi", opening with a cold, eerie piece of inspired guitar work, is a much slower and deliberate in its approach. It's got a dark, primal air about it, with shrieking trills and impenetrable, solid performances. It makes great use of different guitar tones in order to make the music ebb and flow between softer, mysterious parts through to much more fierce and violent sounding sections. "Hunger of Ropes", the albums seventh offering, is marked my atmospheric flourishes and a monolithic sound that signifies the zenith of this record. It's one of the most concentrated songs on the whole record, and is so fast at points that it borders on the chaotic. It's incredibly tight and precise, with some incredible, eclectic guitar leads that belie the amount of musical prowess that this band possesses. "Nerven-Gift!" is perhaps one of the most imposing and ethereal songs on offer here; the guitar tones used are far more distorted than your average, and the music very slowly, and purposefully, gains momentum, getting faster and darker, until the music has a much more frenzied approach to it than the much more jarring and dirge-like motifs that it began on. It certainly stands out from the rest of the record, if only because it heads down a much more ambience focused and creepy path than the rest of the songs on here. The albums penultimate, and shortest, full length song, "Lust to Burn", is a whirlwind of macabre musical expression. It has some of the most inspired and impressive instrumentation on the whole record, making use of a few twin guitar lines and airy riffs that sound completely amazing. The only criticism that can be drawn from this song is that it is far too short, and it would have been nice to see this song be a minute or two longer. The final song on this record, "Dust- Still Alive In That Place", is an excellent closing number, built around an eerie, slow twin guitar line and plenty of solid, brilliant atmospherics. This creates a lot of expectations and tension for the listener, which eventually pays off when the main motif of the song finally kicks in. It's a fast and ferocious piece of music, with a few meagre, but effective, male and female vocals. This is a fitting swansong for an amazing record.

There is little, if any, criticism that could be levelled at this record. This could very well prove to be an early contender for album of the year. The musicianship and production are both astounding, and there's plenty of variety to keep the audience engaged. This is, of all their back catalogue, the absolute pinnacle of their creative output to date, and it will certainly be interesting to see how they top this immense album in the future. To put it succinctly, this a really, really good piece of callous, bestial Black Metal that will leave you blown away and eager for more.