Slayer - Seasons in theAbyss

Wed 31st May, 2006 in Music Reviews

Albums such as Slayer’s 1990 release – Seasons in the Abyss, often have their quality overlooked, by the simple fact that they have been conceived after a milestone release – with Slayer’s legacy usually being cited in terms of their 1986 masterpiece, Reign in Blood. Kerrang Magazine famously awarding Reign in Blood the ”#1 thrash metal album of all time” and a host of bands frequently refer to the importance of this album in the evolution of Metal. So it is not difficult to neglect the quality of Slayer’s other albums – most of which are of a unique sound and quality.

Seasons was Slayer’s third trip to the studio with mastermind producer Rick Rubin (Red Hot Chili Peppers, Beastie Boys, Run DMC, Jay – Z) and there are no surprises that Slayer’s trademark blend of brutal guitars, ultra-violent lyrics and pounding drums are the dominating force behind the audacity of this release. However, Seasons adds a diversity of lyrical content, heavier riffing and slower, more precise solos, into Slayer’s established formula, giving Seasons a unique quality, without compromising the essential elements to any extent.

The album opens with the blistering ‘War Ensemble’, a powerhouse Slayer classic, which takes us back to the guitar speed Kerry King & Jeff Hanneman were notorious for in Reign in Blood, as well as showcasing Slayer’s incorporation of socio-political issues into their songwriting. Along with the Gulf War, Slayer also wrote about issues such as Gang violence and inner-city murder in ‘Expendable Youth’ with the opening lyrics “gunned down cold on a raw deal, home turf my battle field” providing a new form of lyrical content for Slayer.

Seasons also includes a song about the insane American serial killer – Edward Gein. ‘Dead Skin Mask’ (so titled as police found a mask made out of Gein’s victims skin upon his arrest) begins with a chilling dub of Tom Araya (acting as Gein) prying over his next victim, and concludes with a young girl (acting as one of Gein’s prey) screaming with torment as she ‘doesn’t want to play anymore’. The intro riff, is relatively slow by Slayer’s previous standards, but serves only to accentuate the technical perfection of King and Hanneman’s interaction for the rest of the song.

‘Hallowed Point’ is one of the album’s strongest, with a progressive blend of melodies and the rotation of extremely fast rhythm and solos, with a slow heavy riff towards the end of the song, that again serves to show the technical superiority of Kerry King on guitar and Dave Lombardo on drums. ‘Temptation’ also favors the slower, heavier approach, giving headbangers a real treat with some of the most mosh-friendly music that had been produced at this stage in time.

Satanists need not be disappointed either, as tracks such as ‘Temptation’, ‘Born of Fire’ and ‘Spirit in Black’, fulfill Slayer’s requisite satanic allusions; although not as directly as they did in their first three albums: Show No Mercy and Hell Awaits (1985) and Reign in Blood (1986). Although Slayer can be seen to move away from being directly Satanic; themes of evil and morbidity are still the driving force in Seasons.

The title track, the last on the album, is again unique to Seasons, as it takes a more progressive approach; extending far beyond the three minute limit developed in Reign in Blood’s thrash songs, to close to seven minutes. Seasons in the Abyss is the perfect album closer, with a ‘typically Slayer’ blend of heavy riffs and outrageous solos and morbid lyrics regarding insanity.

Seasons in the Abyss as an album shows how far Slayer’s legacy extends beyond the thrash boundaries established in Reign in Blood, and sets an extremely high precedent for aspiring Metal bands to follow.