bloodymadness's Full Review: World Painted Blood [PA] * by Slayer
In the metal community, when a new Slayer record is released the heavy metal world stands still. All guitars are dropped, screaming vocals abruptly end and drums comes to a halt. Slayer is one of only a handful of bands that has so much prominence in the metal genre that a release from them carries much relevance. That speaks ahem... volumes in a world of music downloading and leaking that a band can still put out a record that's "eagerly anticipated." World Painted Blood is a Slayer album that features a few twists and turns that will either delight or offend their dedicated fanbase. The album is dark, gritty and violent with over the top solos and riffs that pummel the listener into submission. At the same time, the record is a bit more restrained than previous Slayer records, making the music that much more exciting as the band could detour into thrash territory at any moment.
The best thing about World Painted Blood is that guitarists Jeff Hanneman and Kerry King split the songwriting on this record. Prior Slayer albums had Kerry King penning most of the songs, a trend going back to God Hates Us All. This time it seems as though Jeff got a burst of music creativity and wrote some of the most exiciting songs in Slayer's illustrious career. Take "Beauty Through Order" for instance, a song about the Hungarian Blood Countess Elizabeth Bathory. The song starts off slow with dissonant riffs before speeding up and taking a more punk direction. Kerry King shows he still has the power to shock with the song "Snuff" which not surprisingly is about the world of snuff films, or murders caught on camera and sold to perverse viewers. Gone are the anti religious and beat down lyrics that plagued Christ Illusion and in my opinion hindered an otherwise great album. Slayer instead touch upon other dark subjects solidifying their status as a band that will take on topics other bands avoid.
The production will be a point of contention as some will praise the slightly muddled production while others will complain that the guitars are not loud enough in the mix. In some ways the production seres as a way to protray the gritty subject matter of the songs as the semi low production values have an underground qaulity about them. On the other hand, fans accustomed to the heavy guitar sound heard on past albums such as God Hates Us All or South of Heaven will be disappointed.
In the end, World Painted Blood shows Slayer still have some gas left in the 27 year old tank. This album is not a throwback to Reign In Blood and it should not be. Slayer do not need to make another Reign In Blood, South of Heaven or Seasons in the Abyss. hy go bak to the past when the future is so promising? This album is more along the lines of Divine Intervention as that album too had great songs but some felt the production was a little too light. In the end, this record has some solid tracks that will certainly become staples at future concerts and will keep (most) fans happy until the next Slayer release makes the metal community stand still once more.
Top Tracks Unit 731 Snuff Beauty Through Order Psychopathy Red
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