"Extreme Aggression," the fourth full length KREATOR album, and thus the fourth of the new remastered releases of their classic albums, is the first full length album from the band to not feature drummer Ventor on any lead vocals.  This enables Petrozza to really focus on his own voice and find his signature raspy shout.  In fact, focus seems to the whole center piece of the album as the whole band is as tight and professional as they ever sounded by this point.  If their first three albums were a shotgun blast to the head, then "Extreme Aggression" is a high caliber round rifle going straight to the heart. Although the band greatly experimented with their sound later on, this album is an experiment of sorts.

First, the production is quite a bit different, with the original release featuring a more polished sound, although it was a bit thin in some places, especially the guitar which was surprising because so much focus is on the riffs.   This remaster does give it some extra kick although the difference in the two releases are not as great as the ones between the first three original albums and their remasters.  Still, it sounds great and that is all that matters. The song writing itself is evolved here, even if ever so slightly.  The songs, although still great thrash, do often incorporate a little more complicated structures and some very precise riffing. "Stream of Consciousness," is a great example of the progressed thrash sound as the song goes through a lot of twists and turns, including a beginning that is boosted by surgical drum strikes and duel guitar riffs and a mid-section that thrashes like a wounded beast.

Tracks like "Betrayer," and "Bringer of Torture," bring back more of the sound of the first three albums but the riffs are played with such ferocity and determination that they are head and shoulders above anything prior. Indeed, this album allows older fans of thrash to find something to enjoy and would probably make naysayers stand up and take notice. It's just a smart, well played, well composed, release that flows well with the right balance of just about everything thrash can bring to the table. For my money, and this is coming from a fan who pretty much likes all their releases and every period of the band, this is their best album of their classic period, which for the sake of clarity I am including their first five albums.  A Thrash Metal masterpiece.