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SLAYER – Killer Instinct
K.J. Doughton
Metal Forces, Issue 6 (1984)

Slayer (l-r): Kerry King, Dave Lombardo, Jeff Hanneman and Tom Araya
Pic: Lowell Katz


Because of the groundbreaking success granted to Metallica after the release of their Kill ’Em All opus, a swill of imitators have hastily invaded the ‘death metal’ spectrum made fashionable by Ulrich and co in an effort to gain their own slice of recognition. Some succeeded, but most met with miserable fates. Anthrax and Exciter, who also pioneered this spectrum to some extent and started out strong, as well as such lesser talents as Hellhammer, Sodom and Atomkraft, have all failed to contribute anything more than another variation on the ‘chuka-chuka’ rifferama, and the entire death metal boot camp has currently hit an artistic rock bottom due to such uncompromisingly dull units failing to improve or expand on what’s already been done.

Well, if that’s where these bands want to stay, more power to ’em – I’ve always admired a bands refusal to compromise in the name of hardcore metal and thrashus maximus, but the sad truth is that this stubborn loyalty to the realms of speed and open E chords cannot be utilized successfully on a mass level. While most death metal bands couldn’t probably care less whether or not they’re successful in international terms, I’d think that it would get awfully boring to play to the same club crowds time and time again.

However, if a band simply refuses to progress or sell out to any degree, preferring instead to thrash it out ’til oblivion, they might as well do it right. And by right I mean by pulling all the stops to be the fastest, dirtiest, heaviest, loudest and most obnoxious band in the world, at all costs and without exception. LA’s Slayer go by such a philosophy.

Their debut LP of last year, Show No Mercy (Metal Blade), attested to their extreme direction with brilliant effect, full of blur-fast, Satanically-tinged thrash metal and a totally uncompromising attitude. Every cut exceeds the 100mph mark, with not a melody or vocal harmony within earshot – just an onslaught of pure, unadulterated, wonderful noise!

Their recently released Haunting The Chapel EP further proved that Slayer are bound and determined to do nothing but push the boundaries of death metal beyond the sound barrier, with such cuts as the gloriously fast ‘Chemical Warfare’ setting a new standard in audio-brain impalement.

After talking with Slayer founder and guitarist Kerry King, I’m further convinced that such terms as “progression” and “commercialism” have no part in the Slayer vocabulary.

“We’ll always be the way we are now,” insists King. “However, I’m not criticising bands just because they want to go in a different direction as long as it’s truly what they want to do. When they start doing it for the sake of money alone, I think that’s a cop-out. As for myself, I’ve always been a thrasher at heart and I can’t see that changing.”

Kerry King
Pic: Lowell Katz

After forming Slayer roughly three years ago by recruiting bandmates Jeff Hanneman (guitar), Tom Araya (vocals / bass) and Dave Lombardo (drums), King and co cut ‘Aggressive Perfector’ for the Metal Massacre II compilation. At that time, Slayer had initially been following the direction of many LA heavy metal bands by wearing some embarrassingly out of place make-up that was soon removed permanently after the band’s first appearance in San Francisco last January, to coincide with the release of Show No Mercy; the rabid Bay Area crowds had apparently convinced the mascara-laden foursome that they were best without cosmetics!

One thing the band haven’t abandoned is their explicit Satanic imagery. During the band’s live appearance, the amplification stacks are adorned with two inverted-cross light fixtures, and their wardrobes, full of stud-encrusted leather and porcupine-like spikes, is so downright excessive it makes them appear almost reptilian (especially King, whose costume looks like it would critically maim any punters who dare get too close!).

“I guess the main reason we’ve chosen the Satanic direction is because it’s easy for me to write Satanic lyrics. No, seriously it’s because such an image contrasts most of the so-called heavy metal bands here in LA. We’re the only true ‘thrash metal’ band around here! The other LA bands sound exactly the same. I mean, if you heard songs by Quiet Riot, Ratt and Great White all side by side on the radio, you’d probably think they were all the same band. Soon, people will get tired of such bands and will come to see us instead.

“People are always telling me that you don’t need the Satanic black metal aspects of heavy metal in your music to be heavy. However, if we didn’t use them we’d end up sounding dangerously close to other bands, like Metallica.”

Believe it or not, Slayer have recently written a piece that actually has no mention of Satan!

“It’s true,” insists King. “It’s called ‘Kill Again’, and while it doesn’t have any demonic lyrics, it does mention a priest getting his only son murdered by a homicidal maniac!”

Well, it’s a start I guess….

‘Kill Again’ will appear on the band’s second LP, entitled Hell Awaits. The disc is due out in January, again on Metal Blade Records in the US, with Roadrunner releasing the album in Europe.

Other featured cuts include ‘Necrophiliac’ (most disgusting lyrics ever!), ‘Praise Of Death’, ‘At Dawn They Sleep’, ‘Hardening Of The Arteries’ and ‘Altar Sacrifice’, which King claims is their fastest song ever!

If you didn’t catch Slayer during their recent North West jaunt and Bay Area appearances, or their Country Club triumph of early September, be on the lookout for them in the future – the band hope to open some Bay Area Mercyful Fate shows in San Francisco, and play the October 12th Aardschok Festival, not to mention do a five-date Canadian tour. Also, East Coast appearances are tentative, but nothing’s been clarified at this point in time. All I can say is that Slayer are definitely one of the heaviest onstage experiences going, so prepare to indulge in some heavy ‘Chemical Warfare’ when they lurk your way!

Interview taken from Metal Forces, Issue 6 (1984)

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