 SLAYER
Seasons in the Abyss
Def American Records 1990
www.slayer.net
What’s the 4-1-1?
"Reign in Blood" may of been the album that put Slayer on the
map for some people. Some say it is the greatest, some say it can't be
topped, and so on an so forth. The next release "South of Heaven" was
not as hailed as "Reign in Blood" but it had that edge to it.
After putting out two great albums like that, the next one is sure to be
really difficult, so what do you do? You mix the two elements together
and the outcome is; "Seasons in the Abyss". This album right
here contains both mixtures from "Reign in Blood" and "South
of Heaven". Slow songs, fast songs..doesn't matter, the main fact
here is they are Slayer songs.
The ten track album is chaotic from start to finish and gives the listener
a true beating. Once the riff to the opening "War Ensemble" starts
you know your in for a ride to hell and back! The song stays on the thrashy
side and has the feel to it that the "Reign in Blood" album has. "Blood
Red" is somewhat in between the quick and slow pace, but it makes for
one rockin' song! Like all songs it has that "Slayer" guitar tone
to it and gives it that perfect balance.
"Expendable Youth" shows
off a catchy hook in the chorus to attact the listener into keeping it on
repeat. The classic song "Dead Skin Mask" contains one of the best
guitar riffs ever made, and it is sure to peek the listener's attention and
get them hooked on this song. The song is about the killer Ed Gein as you
can see tons of references made here and there about the mad man. The closing
track "Seasons in the Abyss" is one explosive song that puts the
finishing touches on a great album.
The Verdict
Hands down my favorite Slayer album. The music on this album is devistating
and since it contains both elements of the previous two killer albums,
it makes this album a weapon of mass destruction so to speak. Wether
other people have it as their favorite or not, they all have to like
it in some way. Albums like this are what keeps Slayer rising higher
and higher.
Did You Know?
The somewhat strange vocal arrangement on the track "Temptation" was unintentionally
done that way. If you listen to the track, you actually hear Tom Araya singing
the song twice: once the way he thought it fit and for the second time on
the insistence of Kerry King the way he thought it should be sung. The haunting
end result came to be because the first vocal track was not erased between
the takes. When the producer played the track and heard both vocal renditions
simultaneously on the instrumental background, he liked it so much that both
vocals were used on the album. Nobody is sure anymore which vocals are the
original ones.
Rating:  out
of 5
Related Reviews:
Slayer - Christ Illusion
--Derek Carey
|
