Slayer’s “Christ Illusion”
THE CD: “Christ Illusion”
PERFORMER: Slayer
WEBSITE: http://www.slayer.net/
LABEL: American
CHOICE TRACKS: Flesh Storm; Eyes Of The Insane; Jihad; Supremacist
YOU’LL LIKE IT IF YOU LIKE: Some anti-dogmatic attitude in your hardcore thrash…
Ahhh, good ‘ol Slayer. With so many things in the world going to hell right now, it’s good to know they haven’t…yet. The Los Angeles-based four-piece is back with Christ Illusion to let you know, 20 years after Reign In Blood put them on the map, their version of hardcore thrash still rocks.
The band (Tom Araya: vox/bass; Kerry King: lead guitar; Jeff Hanneman: guitar; Dave Lombardo: drums) delivers a short, sweet, 10-song encapsulation of their sound (and of the self-fulfulling influence of deviant organized religion in all our lives). Sometimes punk-tinged thrash, sometimes slogging hardcore metal… always rockin’.
The CD picks up where God Hates Us All (release date: 9/11/2001…maybe it WAS God!) left off. Slayer still has Araya howling at the altar, and King’s force-of-nature riffage to grab your attention. Not to mention the breakneck speed, which is what drew me in at first, when I heard “War Ensemble” on 1990’s Seasons In The Abyss. And then, the devil seduced me. (Haha, just playing. I slapped that b—- up!)
“Jihad” starts with one of the more quirky guitar intros you’ll hear on a Slayer song, and finds Araya stating what by now should be obvious: religious fundamentalism leads to death. Take these towers from the world…slit the throat of heathens…war of holy principles…this is God’s war!
On “Cult,” you don’t have to listen too hard to get the jist of Araya’s message: Religion is hate/religion is fear/religion is war. Religion is rape/religion is obscene/religion’s a whore. Roger that, good buddy!
If you’ve heard one or more Slayer CDs, you will not be surprised with Illusion. Araya’s tortured lyrics (which carry on the proud American tradition of moral freedom); King’s wind-up solo parts; and the machine gun march that defines their sound are all here. So, you get what you expect out of a Slayer CD. I support that. Now, bring on the Millerites!
~ By Nick Harrah
August 8th, 2006 at 8:35 am
*bangs head*
August 14th, 2006 at 4:51 pm
Dude, you know what’s more pathetic than listening to Slayer in 2006?
Leaving comments on your own reviews.
August 14th, 2006 at 5:26 pm
You know how you can tell a real friend…people who answer their own questions.
Let us know what music you listen to.
Then, we can call you pathetic.
You are awesome!!
Oh, is it wrong to say awesome in 2006?
Let me know, and I’ll go from there.
August 15th, 2006 at 7:33 am
Yes, it’s pathetic to say “awesome” in 2006. Not as sad as leaving comments on your own posts, but still pretty lame.
You need to quit while you’re behind.
As for what I listen to….the good stuff. Stuff I like. I don’t put myself out there as a critic, so it doesn’t really matter.
August 15th, 2006 at 8:50 am
This post has been removed by the author.
August 15th, 2006 at 4:05 pm
Im not into slayer but nick2 and his music crew rocks.
To- “anonymous” you are putting yourself out there as a critic. You are not that smart are you. What is funnier than your lame comments is that you are not even signing your name. Your so cool– not!
August 15th, 2006 at 4:06 pm
PS nick2 you are doing a great service to the music lover community. It seems that someone is jealous of you and your work. That is a sign of success.
August 15th, 2006 at 4:07 pm
You know what is more lame then negative comments, anonymous negitive comments. LAME
August 15th, 2006 at 4:24 pm
I’m banging my head right witch a nick2. Let the haters hate.
August 17th, 2006 at 4:00 pm
Slayers not my style but nick2 reviews are always refreshing. Ahhhhhhh gotta give props to ya! Pimpn on the local scene u know what I mean.