Since they started raising hell in 1981, Slayer’s name has become synonymous with outrageous, intense and pants-wetting speed. Such legendary ragers as Angel Of Death, War Ensemble and Chemical Warfare helped the L.A. rabble gain their reputation as one of the ugliest and most aggressive forces to ever scratch its way out of thrash metal’s womb. But the band aren’t always like that.
In between the speed-limit-shattering rampages, Slayer aren’t afraid of the odd slow-paced detour. In fact, most of their albums contain one or two trudges that let the listener catch their breath, and today we’re celebrating the best of the best. These are the essential times Slayer dared to lift their foot off of the accelerator.
South Of Heaven (South Of Heaven, 1988)
On their landmark laceration Reign In Blood, Slayer sprinted for 28 minutes and offered no give in their thrash metal onslaught. Rather than trying to outdo what quickly became their most successful album, the band chose to side-step, proving they can also bring the groove on follow-up South Of Heaven. The opening title track laid the gauntlet, favouring ominous atmosphere over breakneck aggression while still sounding scary as fuck.
Mandatory Suicide (South Of Heaven, 1988)
Where South Of Heaven opened its titular album on a woozy note, Mandatory Suicide kept the same speed but tightened things up. It felt like the Slayer of old, just with the metronome slightly slower, beginning with tightly constructed riffs that gave way to needle-pointed lead guitar. The fierce, chugging verses and screeching solo offered more evidence that, despite experimenting with different tempos, Slayer were still in full control of themselves.
Dead Skin Mask (Seasons In The Abyss, 1990)
The most complete album of Slayer’s career, Seasons In The Abyss combined the ferocity of Reign… and the groove of South… into a dynamic whole. The foreboding crawl of Dead Skin Mask perfectly suited the dread conveyed in its lyrics, as a serial killer’s victim is lured into his domain and awaits what will be a very painful death. The haunting riff and twisted yet catchy chorus have made this an enduring setlist regular.
Seasons In The Abyss (Seasons In The Abyss, 1990)
No list about Slayer at their most sluggish would be complete without Seasons In The Abyss’ title track. Inspired by a spiritual concept from legendary occultist Aleister Crowley, the song found the band at their most cerebral (“Step outside yourself and let your mind go”) and melodic. Everything from its thudding riff to the music video, filmed in front of the Pyramids Of Giza, has become iconic for longtime fans.
Bloodline (Dracula 2000: Music From The Dimension Motion Picture, 2000 / God Hates Us All, 2001)
When the producers of Dracula 2000 asked Slayer to contribute to the blockbuster’s soundtrack, the band understood the assignment. No strangers to writing about nosferatu (the vampiric At Dawn They Sleep was frontman Tom Araya’s first-ever lyrical contribution), they penned a creeping anthem about sucking life to sustain life. The movie was dogshit in the end, but the song was so good it earned a place on 2001 album God Hates Us All.
When The Stillness Comes (Repentless, 2015)
Initially, Repentless went down like a fart in a Satanic church, but later years have been kinder to what will likely be Slayer’s final album. In the case of When The Stillness Comes, that re-examination is well-deserved, as the song pushed the boat out while retaining the band’s fear factor. After those early, unsettling arpeggios, Tom Araya slowly worked his way from a whisper to full-throated bellows. Arresting and refreshing in equal measure.
