World Painted Blood

Slayer

American, 2009

http://www.slayer.net

REVIEW BY: Paul Hanson

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED: 01/11/2010

A war erupted on various websites that reported the “Big 4” (Metallica, Slayer, Anthrax, Megadeth) of thrash metal would play some festival dates in Europe together. Heavy metal fans immediately started bickering about who should open for whom. Some declared that Anthrax didn’t need to be on the bill because “they can’t even keep a lead singer,” while others claimed Metallica didn’t belong because Lars Ulrich was the one that sued fans. Still others declared that Machine Head and other metal bands belonged in the “Big 4” category. Someone even mischievously declared that any concert of the “Big 4” that omitted Slipknot and Korn would be totally wrong. Even I had to chuckle at that last suggestion.

For me, I don’t want to be involved in the decision about who opens for whom. You can go multiple ways and find justification. If you look at commercial success, which I doubt many metal fans would go with as valid reasoning, you’d end up with Anthrax, Slayer, Megadeth, and then Metallica. If you wanted to go with “Which band has found their sound and rarely moves away from it” as the main criterion, Slayer could go last. Their latest release my_heart_sings_the_harmony_web_ad_alt_250 World Painted Blood is spectacular, but doesn’t venture into unfamiliar territory. As with most bands, Slayer claims this is their favorite Slayer release.

And they have a strong case. Vocalist/bassist Tom Araya sounds like evil personified when he concludes “Beauty Through Order” with the ominous lyrics “My birthright is murder.” The next track “Hate Worldwide” takes on religions: “Religious doubt I instigate / From what the bible demonstrates / Does it document creation? / Or just hopelessness of fiction /…Not a God fearing lunatic / I deny, defy / I spread a little hate worldwide.” So this is a warning: if lyrics like that make you uncomfortable, you won’t want to partake in Slayer. Only drummer Dave Lombardo is not credited with being responsible for a single lyric.

Speaking of drumming legend Dave Lombardo, he shows no signs of slowing down. Playing his drums fast, furiously, and with taste, his drums are just one weapon in this band. In fact, “Snuff” could be the band’s best song I’ve ever heard. Yes, I like it better than “War Ensemble” or “South Of Heaven.” Lombardo’s drumming is excellent, fast blast beats intermixed with a slower section during which he grooves with the guitars. There’s also plenty of double bass to enjoy. Guitarists Kerry King and Jeff Hamneman also shine during this track constructing scorching solos that are interesting.

While Slayer claims to have changed the way they approached the recording of this record – writing more in the studio instead of having songs prepared through rehearsal before entering the studio – it doesn’t appear to have negatively impacted the band that some place on a pedestal higher than Metallica, Anthrax, and Megadeth. And while I don’t want to be involved in the “real” decision as to who opens for whom, my personal order for these four bands would be Anthrax, Megadeth, Slayer, and Metallica.

Rating: A

User Rating: Not Yet Rated


Comments

 








© 2010 Paul Hanson and The Daily Vault. All rights reserved. Review or any portion may not be reproduced without written permission. Cover art is the intellectual property of American, and is used for informational purposes only.