Home / Releases / Review /
Slayer: Christ Illusion
by Mike Diver
_ “I’ve seen the ways of God
I’ll take the devil any day
HAIL SATAN!”_
On paper, 'traditional' metal is pretty amusing – a cursory flick through the booklet that accompanies Slayer’s latest long-player provides a good few giggles, the above quote from track three of ten ‘Skeleton Christ’ just one of many humorous lyrical passages. But that 'on paper' is an important qualifier: although the veteran Californian quartet pen words as fall-about-funny as the idea that their name stands for ‘Satan Laughs As You Eternally Rot’ (it doesn't, so stop it), when they’re spat by greying frontman Tom Araya – he’s the dad every metal fan wishes they had – they’re impossible to disbelieve. Yes, blood is raining downwards, you will see me burn alive, I will live in fear that death is back, and the shrapnel will burn when I pull the fuckin’ pin.
Slayer’s tenth studio album – their first since 2001’s God Hates Us All (hardly surprising when you’re screaming “Fuck your God, erase his name”; DiS review here) – has been met with mixed feelings by hardcore aficionados. Some have privately muttered that Christ Illusion isn’t a patch on its aforementioned predecessor, let alone the band’s much-revered 1986 effort Reign In Blood. What is universally welcomed is the presence of original drummer Dave Lombardo, who last appeared on 1990’s Seasons In The Abyss. It’s Lombardo that really drives these songs into the listener’s ear and out the other side, his kick drum work propelling Kerry King’s adventurous riffs (and Jeff Hanneman’s equally ridiculous(ly amazing) solos) forward at frightening velocities. In lesser hands, these songs would run the risk of blending into each other, homogenising into a 39-minute solid mass of repetitive riffs and chug-alike breakdowns. But Slayer, quite bleedingly obviously, know their shit: nobody does this sort of metal better.
Over-analysing each song would only lead to an article that contradicts its subject matter’s immediateness by running to a few thousand words – one could ponder over each instance of God-bashing and wonder if it isn’t just all show, but to think in such a sceptical fashion is to strip Slayer of the veil of supremacy they’ve established over the last decade-plus. They tower above many a peer in terms of technical ability, and so far as sheer power and aggression goes, no sprightly new kids on the block can match them pound for pound. Each crunch sounds as if it could level a skyscraper or cave in a subway, every cymbal crash like it could pop an ear drum like a pea pod from a thousand miles away. As ‘Supremist’ screeches, literally, to its conclusion, the average listener is likely to be rendered speechless, their tongue dry and senses scrambled.
This is the most brutal metal record to see a release in 2006. If Christ Illusion had made its hoped release date of 6/6/06, it’s absolutely probable that the Earth would have ripped open, allowing the Devil himself to push to the front of the record store queue. There are no parallels to be drawn – Mastodon have a great album ready for release, but it pales like a Belle And Sebastian fan at a Slipknot show in comparison to this untamed beast of a record. It’s a wonder the speakers don’t dribble blood from their cones throughout its punishing duration. (That's not to say Mastodon don't have their place in today's metal scene, nor that they're not compositional pioneers in comparison, but time will remember Slayer's hostility above their Thin Lizzy-loving wares.)
There’s no better way to conclude, to summarise this record, than with the words of Araya himself.
_“Bring on the competition…
…I am the culmination, the fucking standard that all will follow.”_
From the archive
-
I liked 'God Hates Us All'
despite it all sounding the same. The drumming is incredible, I might check this out.
-
Lombardo wasn't on God...
...he owns on this record.
-
so does that mean you'll be giving mastodon 7?
mmmmmmmminteresting
this album: cross between God... and ...Blood innit
perfect
-
so...
i know you said its irrelevant or something, but is all this satan stuff a gimmick or do they properly believe it? seriously can someone tell me..
-
seriously
so they don't actually worship satan or anything?
-
right,
that clears that up then.
-
These guys have the Satan on speed dial
We are become a nation of corp-metal fuckpods who worship the latest stale ploppings of a triassic era dinosaur band.
If that doesn't reveal the hand of the Dark One, I don't know what does.
RstJ
-
right
i'll stick to my belle and sebastian then.
-
Hell's Bells
If the satan schtick is supposed to be a (in-)joke or more preposterously clever or satirical or whatever then somebody ought to tell Slayer and their metal cohorts the joke went stale 25 years ago.
But I think you give these knuckleheads to much credit, Mike. The fact I find this metal style music boring at best and grating notwihstanding, the satanic lyrical themes says to me: We haven't anything to say that's thought provoking so how about we get drunk and fuck some biker chicks. Now, hedonism certainly has a time and a place but at least the likes of Led Zeppelin were able to take me on a semi-interesting journey to Middle Earth in the process. Slayer is just a one-trick pony whose admission isn't worth the price.
-
It's true
You can tell just by looking at Kerry King that he prefers to listen to Sigur Ros and twee indie over Metal any day.
-
thing is
it's overtly political and in these times when people are getting thrown off planes for being brown listening to this record makes a whole load more sense.
so basically you're wrong. it's a whole lot more thought provoking than getting drunk and fucking biker chicks.
-
sorry
they are anti organised religion
so no it's not a joke
and yes they really are metallers
-
So do I
But I rock. It's true.
-
Araya is catholic
true.
-
i love slayer
and i don't give a monkey's who disagrees - as someone on some other message board once said 'It's not that they're satanists, they represent an alternative to what is determined to be 'acceptable' by the powers that be'
'God' was a hell of an album ('Discaiple' is one of my all time fave tunes, like, ever), but this raises the bar just that bit higher - and it's all down to Lombardo - he just pulls them into the tightest, meanest mutherfudders on the planet
(and on the subject of Belle And Sebastian fans at Slipknot gigs, i di once see exactly that - one of the most random things i've ever seen
-
it's sad
that you're not supposed to say that Slayer are rubbish. But they are.
Reign In Blood sounds like an angry wasp in a tin can, and, to be frank, there's nothing heavy about double-bass drumming in and of itself. Slayer overuse it, rendering it dull.
The Abominable Iron Sloth is heavier than this, and cleverer than this and that came out this year.
stay metal
ignore slayer... -
^^^ Er... 1986 production values
Most metal bands sounded like angry wasps. Except WASP... who just sounded silly.
I agree that double-bass drumming isn't heavy but is employed constantly for that purpose (especially at the moment) and that the heaviest bands often don't use it (haven't heard TAIS yet but Will Haven were crushingly heavy live). Lombardo doesn't need a double pedal, anyway, as he's just a machine.
-
be amazed!
I've always found that Slayer are the type of band that I've always loved but just to listen/watch in complete amazement! They're not songs that you're supposed to sit around and enjoy, they're songs you're supposed to sit around with your mouth on the floor and your ears ripped open simply being amazed that 4 men can create music so fast, powerful, technical and aggressive that your stomach churns!
I've seen slayer twice now, both with Dave Lombardo back on the drums they were 2 of the best gigs I've ever been to in my life!
If only I'd seen Pantera my life would be nearly complete! =) -
that's why
iron sloth got 9/10
and this got 8/10the system works.
-
One for the 15 year olds I think
Very erudite review, though; enjoyed reading it.
Comments (24)
- Post a new comment on this article