Kreator is a thrash metal ban from Essen, Germany. They originally started under the name Tormentor. Starting their career in 1982, they played thrash metal with Venom influences. The band is also influenced by Slayer, Metallica, Mercyful Fate and Bathory. Their style of music is similar to their compatriots Destruction and Sodom, the other two big German thrash metal bands. All three of these bands are often credited with helping create death metal, by containing a few elements of what was to become death metal.