No matter what they may do or say, for those who can remember the days of Reign in Blood, that legacy is always going to exist for Slayer. And so it persists. As much as I try to listen to new Slayer for what it is in its own right, I always find myself comparing it with RIB. Thats wrong of me, but thats just how it is.
But this is different Slayer. Its the same, but different. It always has been ever since the release of South of Heaven.
Bitter Peace starts things going and takes a while to really start, but then the riff comes in, Araya opens his gob, and theres no mistaking the retun of Slayer. Deaths Head sees the band trying to do some new things, while Stain of Mind has a groove that hasnt been present before and has caused panic amongst some that they are going down the Korn road. And if you think that sounds like Korn then youve got even stranger hearing than I have,
Overt Enemy starts differently aswell for the band, before half way through a refreshingly familiar riff enters.
Not convinced about a bunch of Americans writing a song called Scrum though. God, even theyll be beating Wales at the rugby if were not careful.
In the same way as has happened with every Slayer labmu since RIB, I began to loose interest in the latter stages of the album. But, point ends an album on another good note, and is all a damn sight better than the lacklustre Divine Intervention.
Its not Reign In Blood. Never will be. Itll mever be the same because the people who created it have moved on, and importantly, the people who listened back then have moved on as well. But we shouldnt expect it to be ether, and ultimately people like myself have to accept that and look past it. Instead Slayer are continuing to make music for them, and as such, its instantly recognisable, and still good. And how many bands are instantly recognisable these days? And besides, when they play live, you always get a nice dosage from the old days.