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Bacteria13
Hatross Overlord


Joined: 30 Jan 2003
Posts: 2465

PostPosted: Sat Aug 12, 2006 3:44 pm    Post subject: SLAYER - CHRIST ILLUSION Reply with quote

KERRY KING & THE SLAYER ALL-STARS, AKA, SLAYER – CHRIST ILLUSION

(American Recordings)

Short, stocky, bald, bearded and covered in tattoos. No, not a bouncer at your local biker bar (or your humble reviewer) this is Kerry King, and he plays guitar for a thrash metal band from California called Slayer. Perhaps you’ve heard of them? Or maybe you know them better as Kerry King & the Slayer All-Stars?

Not only does Kerry King play guitar for Slayer, but he also writes 90% of the music, and the lyrics, too. He’s also the spokesperson, not to mention the poster-boy, his formidable figure glaring menacingly at you from various metal magazine covers, proudly proclaiming that his band is the heaviest and fastest in the world, and that Metallica are pussies. He’s quite an angry fellow for someone who has made quite a successful career out of playing Heavy Metal, and at 42-years of age, that’s some feat.

Kerry King and the Slayer All-Stars’ last album was 2001’s God Hate Us All, another album mostly penned by Kerry King. The second guitarist, a little-known, blonde surfer-dude by the name of Jeff Hanneman is obviously having a quiet few years – I mean, it takes so much effort to write a song, right? This new record, Christ Illusion, sees Kerry King & the Slayer All-Stars following the same formula as 01’s GHUA, that is brash, teenage-friendly metal anthems guaranteed to swirl the mosh-pit into a frenzy whilst their current album, unfortunately, doesn’t hold much substance.

Y’see, this is Kerry King & the Slayer All-Stars, and when Kerry King writes a song then you don’t mess with it. Says returning drummer Dave Lombardo, who last played on a Slayer album way back in 1990’s Seasons in the Abyss, "I tried to input," he adds about his role on the 10-track opus, "but there is such a cage around the music that it's like, 'OK, fine, I'll just leave it the way it is. I'm not going to suggest anything.' Kerry likes his stuff the way he writes it, the way he wants it. Yeah, I'm OK with it. I've learned that there are musicians that want that to be that way. They don't want it any other way but the way they wrote it. Although my suggestions sometimes I feel would be better, some of the transitions would be smoothed out, but, you know, you just accept it. That's just the way he wants it, so... “(1)

And so he should! After all, Kerry King has his finger on the pulse of teenage America, and those kids are fucking angry, man! He knows what makes them tick, and what ticks off their Republican parents – songs about Satan! Death! Murder! So what if he’s 8-years away from being 50, Kerry King can relate to your average 15-year old through loud, noisy music and with repetitive rhetoric such as “We'll always be angry." (2) and "I think it's real important for bands like us to exist …” (3)

So therefore, it’s only natural that lyric-wise, Christ Illusion is a hate-filled slab of Satanic blasphemy, filled with the F-word and as many 666’s as you can throw an inverted crucifix at. Does it matter that there are far darker, heavier, faster and let’s face it, better bands then Slayer out there today? Does it matter that every single metalcore band from Trivium to As I Lay Dying cite Slayer as a huge influence, and then Slayer takes these no-talent 'metal' bands with them on tour whilst ignoring tried-and-tested bands from Exodus to Sodom? No, it does not! Kerry King & the Slayer All-Stars (completed by Chilean Catholic Tom Araya, who seems genuinely embarrassed by shouting Kerry King’s cartoonish lyrics) a band who refuse to experiment or change their style because that would make them gay, deserve your respect for their stubborn longevity in a scene where the metal world has moved on in leaps and bounds, yet, for all of Kerry King's efforts are floundering in their self-importance and drowning in their arrogance.

Hail Slayer!

Bacteria13.


(1) Report by "Metal" Tim Henderson, bravewords.com/news/47815

(2) Statesman Journal, Angela Yeager

(3) ultimat-guitar.com/news/interviews/slayers_kerry_king_the_art_of_writing_songs_that_nobody_else_can_write.html?200608041041
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Warriorof Ice
Helldriver


Joined: 20 Feb 2003
Posts: 210
Location: USA-PA-BOONDOCKS

PostPosted: Mon Aug 21, 2006 8:33 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Well written Baccy. I thought the same thing about lycrical content and contrived music, but didn't realize KK was a dictator about it.
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yuri
Who'sGOD Who'sDOG?


Joined: 04 Feb 2000
Posts: 5248
Location: South of Voivodland

PostPosted: Sun Aug 27, 2006 8:43 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Listening to "Christ Illusion" leaves me cold, not because of the anger and agression of the music in the new album, but because Slayer are playing it very safe here. You cannot blame Slayer for selling out, but you could blame them for being boring.

"Christ Illusion" is filled with short fast thrashy songs that will please most of their fans.. unfortunately, to the seasoned metal listener these songs sound like bad throways from the "Reign In Blood" sessions, songs that never approach greatness.. songs with the Slayer sound and lyrical content but without any real substance.

There is no need to buy this album.. if you have a few Slayer albums in your collection, you've heard it all before.
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"I believe the common character of the universe is not harmony, but hostility, chaos and murder." -Werner Herzog
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LSD



Joined: 03 Nov 2006
Posts: 8

PostPosted: Fri Nov 03, 2006 10:45 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

this album sounds like Slayer. Band created own style and it's soemthing in the vein of Reign In Blood really but... but just style, it's not enough. These songs don't get deep into my head. It's rather like playing in particular style.... just to play. But honestly I must admit that this is still better than two previous albums. At least it sounds like old Slayer.
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