Slayer

Has anything significant happened in heavy metal in the ten years between the releases of 'Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap' (1976) by AC/DC and 'Reign In Blood' by Slayer? Perhaps noteworthy is how Black Sabbath was absorbed by US hardcore via 'My War' by Black Flag. But that, in turn, is not considered metal in the strict sense. Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, and Metallica? For those who appreciate control and operatic pathos, and guys who sound like their so-called elders are serving them coffee in a mug that says 'Boss'... 'Reign In Blood,' on the other hand, is something special and also something new: even though only one song is played at varying speeds during this brief half hour, hardly anyone can resist it. Each track starts at one tempo, and at some point, the other tempo comes in. And Rick Rubin is the producer. And there are guitars galore and growling and drums. And I became aware of the band in the cinema: in 'River's Edge' (1986), a not-very-well-lit guy murders a girl from his gang, and the others then try to cover up the crime. Layne, the leader, constantly drives his beetle through this bleak landscape while listening to Slayer. And somehow, you can't get to know their music any better or more impressively: the world is a crappy place at the last exit three kilometers before hell, and alienation and amorality are somehow understandable reactions, and this cruel metal from Slayer as well. If Laibach makes the emotional coldness of a mass murderer audible before falling asleep, then Slayer set to music the red-hot anger at the actual crime. All prejudices about the satanic violence of metal are justified: it sounds pretty serious, but burning records won't help. File under: Music, evil.