Slayer Albums (14)
What The Critics Say
There will no doubt be a lot of hoopla concerning the name Slayer have chosen for World Painted Blood. In many ways, it could have been called Reign in Blood Revisited. But the word "revisited " is the key. Some compositions on this new recording have more of the band's early-style melody in them, with lightning flare-up riffs between verses; quick, unexpected guitar pyrotechnics; and blastbeat power drumming from Dave Lombardo (the band's original drummer who returned to the lineup for 2006's Christ Illusion) pushing it all into the red. But there are mannerisms and strategies from the band's later albums at work as well -- even if they are unconsciously employed. Christ Illusion reached deep into Slayer's old bag of tricks to reorient themselves to more speed-based playing after the midtempo records of the late '90s, and there was a fantastic concentration on riffs and call and response between the guitars and rhythm section. On World Painted Blood the focus is more on songs, and therefore the return of the "melodic" aspect of the band's past -- and let's face it, during the classic years Slayer were peerless in that department. The riffs make sense in the context of Tom Araya's sung verses, and so do the considerable beats. Check the opener with its intricate instrumental intro bracing the listener for the eruption of power that follows -- Araya's spoken word interludes notwithstanding. "Americon" combines wah-wah riff heaviness with thundercrack drumming and Araya's downtuned bassline. Check the speed and intense guitar exchanges in "Public Display of Dismemberment" and "Psychopathy Red" for the best evidence of Slayer at their most powerful on this set. Despite great songs and great playing, there are more midtempo tracks here than on Christ Illusion, and Greg Fidelman's production style takes a different tack altogether for this guitar-manic crew. Lombardo's drums are WAAAAAAAY up in the mix, as are Araya's vocals -- you can understand every word, even on the thrashers; the guitars are simply further down in the mix and sometimes it becomes difficult to discern Araya's bass. Therefore, the first listen or two to World Painted Blood might be a bit confusing for the seasoned Slayer fan, but that changes quickly, and the sound of those drums blasting in one's head will become a more than welcome presence in the mix. [There are two other editions of World Painted Blood: the Deluxe Edition comes with a bonus DVD containing a thematic narrative (and disturbing) animated video, and the other one is on vinyl with a copy of the CD enclosed in the sleeve.] ~ Thom Jurek, All Music Guide
'God Hates Us All'
Release Date 1/1/2001
Tracks 13
Label Wea Inc./Wmi
See Album Tracklist and Review
What The Critics Say
Incredibly brutal, God Hates Us All is Slayer's most effective album since Seasons in the Abyss (1990), thanks in large part to Matt Hyde's raw production and a handful of killer songs. The previous few Slayer albums -- Divine Intervention (1994), Undisputed Attitude (1996), and Diabolus in Musica (1998) -- were relatively disappointing, at least for anyone familiar with the band's defining triptych of Reign in Blood (1986), South of Heaven (1988), and Seasons in the Abyss (1990). While God Hates Us All isn't on a par with those classics, without much argument one could call it a return to form for Slayer. A couple "War Ensemble"-style thrashers, "Disciple" and "New Death," get the album off to vicious start; "Payback" concludes the album likewise. On the other hand, "Bloodline" is a slower-paced, evocative song in the style of "Reign in Blood" and "South of Heaven," including a melodic chorus. These are the highlights of God Hates Us All, and while there are some passable songs sequenced throughout the 13-track album, it's solid and well-balanced overall. Especially since it arrived after a long absence, God Hates Us All should be a relief for long-time Slayer fans who were afraid the band had fallen off during the '90s, and it well may surprise newcomers unfamiliar with the band's prime recordings from the mid- to late '80s. ~ Jason Birchmeier, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
By 1998, it seems that Slayer has fully explored the possible variations on their signature style; they've had all the influence and impact they're going to, which means that in order to keep their fans' reverence and critics' respect, it's much more advisable for new Slayer material to offer competent retrenchments rather than experimentation with current trends. And they do indeed follow the former approach on Diabolus in Musica (Latin for "the devil in music"), an album that will certainly please fans while offering little that hasn't been heard before. If Divine Intervention tried (perhaps too hard) to re-create the full-on rush of the classic Reign in Blood, then Diabolus in Musica employs more of the in-between feel of Seasons in the Abyss, albeit with a thicker-sounding production and slightly more emphasis on texture than the formerly almighty riff. It may lack some of the spark and vitality of their 1980s recordings, but it's nothing to be ashamed of either. Even if their liner art keeps getting more and more graphic, the music is still the same old Slayer, and that's pretty much what sellout-wary diehards want to hear. ~ Steve Huey, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Slayer's Undisputed Attitude feels more like a stopgap than an actual Slayer record. Rather than another set of blasting, disturbing originals like 1994's Divine Intervention or 1995's Serenity in Murder EP, this album is a collection of covers. Containing 14 tracks, the band covers everyone from Minor Threat to T.S.O.L., from D.I. to Iggy Pop. Given Slayer's Huntington Beach, CA, homeland, the hardcore roots are plain enough. But HB is also a big metal town, and these cats as youngsters were exposed to everything from Motörhead to Black Sabbath and the early L.A. metal scene. True to their course, however, they've never sounded like anyone but themselves. Even on a collection of covers (with a pair of originals thrown in to boot), the Slayer imprint is unmistakable, and while taking a breather from fresh ideas on their own projects, this disc sounds like the bandmembers were having a blast if not exactly breaking new ground. All but two of these cuts are less than three minutes long, with a number of them come in under two -- in keeping with true hardcore fashion. Even on the completely over-the-rail covers of Minor Threat's "Filler/I Don't Want To Hear It" and "Guilty of Being White," the guitar breaks are unmistakably their own. Paul Bostaph's thin drumming (as opposed to founding drummer Dave Lombardo's) is actually more suited to this material. The cover of the Stooges' "I Wanna Be Your Dog" contains the title "I'm Gonna Be Your God" -- it wouldn't do for Slayer to be thought of in any way submissive, would it? (Although none would have cared but them, which tells you where they're coming from.) The band basically improves upon T.S.O.L.'s "Spiritual Law," and the long reach into D.I.'s catalog for no less than five cuts -- four of them done in a pair of medleys -- offers a few more examples of where Slayer come from. They are extremely heavy and extremely brief cuts, but pack a wallop. For those looking toward Slayer's more direct roots, there are a pair of early experiments from a project Jeff Hanneman was in, "I Can't Stand You" and "Ddamn," and a Slayer newbie called "Gemini," clocking in just under five minutes and offering a glimpse into the future of sludge and doom metal before it twists and turns on a dime and becomes a more typically trademarked Slayer number. Undisputed Attitude is a curiosity; it's far from an essential collection by Slayer. The true faithful will want this and most likely really get off on it. For those who admire what the band had accomplished musically to this point, it feels like a bit of a letdown, really. ~ Thom Jurek, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Recorded and released as a follow-up to the Haunting the Chapel EP, specifically during the tour for that effort (though apparently actually in a studio with a few hypercharged fans in audible attendance), Live Undead shows the band still coming together in ways. Hell Awaits was around the corner and Reign in Blood further off yet, so the set relies on their earliest material, sometimes striking but formative nonetheless. But if nothing else Tom Araya's part snarling and part merry way around death, doom, and destruction was already nearly settled -- only one or two Rob Halford-level shrieks sneak through here and there ("The Antichrist" cartoonishly so) -- while the full quartet's Judas Priest/Iron Maiden in absolute overdrive approach was already paying off. Dave Lombardo's drumming handled the steadier stomp of songs like "Die by the Sword" solidly while going to town on "Captor of Sin" and particularly "Evil Has No Boundaries," the best performance of the seven songs. Jeff Hanneman and Kerry King -- the latter featuring a slightly unfortunate hairdo on the back cover -- strike just enough of a balance, however unexpectedly, between technical skill and flailing chaos. Hell Awaits eventually brought all the newer changes out in fuller force, even with subpar production, so Live Undead isn't really necessary except for the hardest of hardcore fans in the end, especially in comparison to Decade of Aggression. Still, it does have its "it could only be Slayer" moments -- including Araya's almost casual way of rudely introducing "Captor of Sin." [Some early CD versions include the original version of "Chemical Warfare" from Haunting the Chapel as a mighty fine bonus.] ~ Ned Raggett, All Music Guide
'Divine Intervention'
Release Date 1/1/1994
Tracks 10
Label Sony Legacy
See Album Tracklist and Review
What The Critics Say
The rock & roll landscape changed dramatically between Seasons in the Abyss in 1990 and Divine Intervention in 1994. With the rise of alternative rock, many metal and hard rock bands that had been enormously successful at the dawn of the '90s were struggling by the middle of the decade. Instead of doing something calculated like emulating Nirvana or Pearl Jam -- or for that matter, Nine Inch Nails or Ministry -- Slayer wisely refused to sound like anyone but Slayer. Tom Araya and co. responded to the new environment simply by striving to be the heaviest metal band they possibly could. Less accessible than Seasons but equally riveting, Divine Intervention marked drummer Paul Bostaph's studio debut with the band. Bostaph proved to be a positive, energizing influence on Slayer, which sounds better than ever on such dark triumphs as "Killing Fields," "Serenity in Murder," and "Circle of Beliefs." Characteristically grim and morbid, Slayer focus on the violently repressive nature of governments and the lengths to which they will go to wield power. And true to form, Slayer's music is as disturbing as their lyrics. ~ Alex Henderson, All Music Guide
'Decade of Aggression: Live'
Release Date 1/1/1991
Tracks 21
Label Wea/WMI
See Album Tracklist and Review
What The Critics Say
Decade of Aggression is Slayer's live double disc. It was recorded in 1990 and 1991, with mobile units in Lakeland, FL, at Wembley Arena in London, and in San Bernardino. A live set from this band is risky business because it's Slayer live that gained an international reputation for taking on all comers and ripping them to shreds on a stage. The fear is simply that the audio recording alone -- without the subsequent live DVDs they've issued -- won't capture the sheer overblown intensity of the unit in a concert setting. The bad news is that it doesn't; the good news is that it comes a lot closer than one might imagine before hearing it. It's a double live album that approaches the league of Ted Nugent's Double Live Gonzo!, the Who's Live at Leeds, and the Allman Brothers' At Fillmore East when it comes to representing a band perfectly. This is the original incarnation of Slayer with blastbeat progenitor Dave Lombardo beating hell out of the drum kit, guitarists Kerry King and Jeff Hanneman, and vocalist/bassist Tom Araya. They run through the material on virtually all of their studio albums to that point, going all the way back to 1983's Show No Mercy with the tracks "The Anti-Christ" and "Black Magic." While it's true that the majority of the tunes here come from South of Heaven, Reign in Blood, and Seasons in the Abyss, that's as it should be, reflecting live the band's compositional and overdriven blend of thrash, hardcore, and classic death metal. Producer Rick Rubin stays out of the way; his production seems to be in terms of shaping the live sound to make it sound like this is all one gig. It's exhilarating ("South of Heaven") and exhausting ("Dead Skin Mask"), and by the time they get to "Angel of Death" closing the first disc, most listeners will be drained. That said, disc two is just as furious, with classic Slayer performances of "Born of Fire," "Spirit in Black," and the closer, "Chemical Warfare." Decade of Aggression is a record for any serious Slayer fan to own, and one that serves as a fine -- if excessive -- introduction to any late bloomers out there. ~ Thom Jurek, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
When it was released in 1985, Slayer's second full album, Hell Awaits, seemed to many a nearly impenetrable cacophony of sound. However, it proved to be incredibly ahead of its time instead, and has since been confirmed as a mandatory item in the band's remarkable discography. Why? Well, despite its many memorable tunes, the songwriting on Slayer's 1983 debut, Show No Mercy, was firmly entrenched in blues-based punk/metal, and it wasn't until the following year's more excessive Haunting the Chapel EP that the band began adding the unusual arrangements, varying tempos, and dissonant nuances that paved the way to a wholly distinctive sound all their own. These experiments (rooted in the at once ingenious and ingenuous innovations of Venom's early work) were fleshed out even further on Hell Awaits; starting with the terrifying title track, continuing through the mesmerizing "At Dawn They Sleep," and arguably pushed over the limit of reason by the corrosive "Hardening of the Arteries." Here, the listener is introduced to a far more technical, almost progressive, side of Slayer -- a side never heard before and rarely since, for that matter. Meanwhile, comparatively straightforward thrashers like "Kill Again" and "Necrophiliac" made it plain that the group's love of pure speed remained intact, even if here, their sharp-edged riffs were often buried in overwhelming distortion. And perhaps most crucial of all, the musical backdrops unleashed by all the above (as well as equally worthy entries "Praise of Death" and "Crypts of Eternity") actually managed to inflict a true sense of horror and fear on par with their lyrics -- therefore marking Hell Awaits as the first album unmistakable as coming from anyone else but Slayer. True, it was ultimately eclipsed by its peerless successor, Reign in Blood (still largely considered the greatest thrash metal album ever recorded), as an irresistible force, but one could still make a confident point that Hell Awaits' uniquely daunting compositions arguably proved just as influential to future extreme metal acts. ~ Eduardo Rivadavia, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
After staking out new territory with the underrated South of Heaven, Slayer brought back some of the pounding speed of Reign in Blood for their third major-label album, Seasons in the Abyss. Essentially, Seasons fuses its two predecessors, periodically kicking up the mid-tempo grooves of South of Heaven with manic bursts of aggression. "War Ensemble" and the title track each represented opposite sides of the coin, and they both earned Slayer their heaviest MTV airplay to date. In fact, Seasons in the Abyss is probably their most accessible album, displaying the full range of their abilities all in one place, with sharp, clean production. Since the band is refining rather than progressing or experimenting, Seasons doesn't have quite the freshness of its predecessors, but aside from that drawback, it's strong almost all the way from top to bottom (with perhaps one or two exceptions). Lyrically, the band rarely turns to demonic visions of the afterlife anymore, preferring instead to find tangible horror in real life -- war, murder, human weakness. There's even full-fledged social criticism, which should convince any doubters that Slayer aren't trying to promote the subjects they sing about. Like Metallica's Master of Puppets or Megadeth's Peace Sells...but Who's Buying, Seasons in the Abyss paints Reagan-era America as a cesspool of corruption and cruelty, and the music is as devilishly effective as ever. ~ Steve Huey, All Music Guide
