When Reign in Blood (Def Jam) catapulted Californian thrashers Slayer into the big leagues, the 1986 (or 1987 if you lived in the UK) seminal release also created a problem for the band. How exactly do you follow perfection?
Tag Archives: Kerry King
PODCAST: Episode 99: Adam Dubin Talks “Murder In The Front Row” Documentary
Filmmaker Adam Dubin chatted with Ghost Cult recently about the wide release of his acclaimed documentary, Murder In The Front Row, documenting the birth of Bay Area Thrash Metal scene, which birthed several genres. We chatted about the impetus to making the film, all the thrash metal stars he interviewed such as Metallica, Megadeth, Slayer, Anthrax, Exodus, Testament, and Death Angel (53 all told) his history in the business, making films and music videos in 1980’s such as Beastie Boys “Fight For Your Right To Party” and “No Sleep ‘Til Brooklyn”, his long history of interactions with Kerry King, the lasting impact the genre has had on all heavy music, and what he learned most during the project. You can purchase the deluxe version of Murder In The Front Row at this link, stream it on VOD, and check out our chat with Adam here: Continue reading
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Jeff Hanneman of Slayer Died Seven Years Ago (January 31, 1964 – May 2, 2013)
Ghost Cult continues to fly the flag of Slayer high, and customarily we celebrate the life of Jeff Hanneman, who passed away on May 2nd, 2013. Jeff left an indelible mark on all of metal through the music and performances he created with Slayer. His legacy as a riff maker, songwriter, soloist, and metal personality has not been dampened since his death. In the time since he passed, Ghost Cult observed Slayer as they released a final studio album with Jeff’s contributions (Repentless), had a legend take his spot live (Gary Holt of Exodus), released a comic book with Jeff’s likeness, completed their final world tour ever of two years, released an incredible film/music video trilogy (The Repentless Killogy), former bandmate DaveLombardo wrote a loving tribute to his fallen friend, and we have written two career-spanning retrospectives (read them here and here) on the end of the band. Every night on that final world tour, Slayer honored Jeff during ‘Raining Blood’ with the still reigning banner. Hail Jeff and Hail Slayer!
CLASSIC ALBUMS REVISITED: Pantera’s “Reinventing The Steel” Turns 20
What happens when a band hits maturity? It’s bound to happen to all the bands you love. It’s definitely hard for some fans to accept when their favorite band, was once new and youthful have become the elder statesmen of the scene. Some bands also struggle to come to terms with aging and changing. Others try and recapture their earlier sounds, while others strive to evolve. This is what happened to Pantera twenty years ago when they created their album Reinventing The Steel (East/West). Continue reading
Slipknot’s Jim Root and Mick Thomson Named “Best Metal Guitarists In The World.”
According to a poll on the Music Radar website, Slipknot’s Jim Root and Mick Thomson have been named “Best Metal Guitarists In The World.” The pair received over 17,000 votes, beating out such names as James Hetfield (Metallica); James “Munky” Shaffer and Brian “Head” Welch (Korn); Olavi Mikkonen and Johan Söderberg (Amon Amarth); Richard Z.Kruspe and Paul Landers (Rammstein); Phil Sgrosso and Nick Hipa, Sean Long and Mat Welsh (While She Sleeps); Kerry King and Gary Holt (Slayer); Adam Dutkiewicz and Joel Stroetzel (Killswitch Engage); and Alexi Laiho and Daniel Freyberg (Children Of Bodom) in a vote by fans of the site. Slipknot’s new album We Are Not Your Kind released on August 9th via Roadrunner Records/Elecktra. Continue reading
FEATURE: Facing Life Without Slayer
From the first day of December 2019, we enter a dark, horrifying new era. Life without Slayer.
Sorry. Life without SLAAAAAYYYERRR!!!
There, that’s better.
From the moment I discovered Slayer on a compilation album called Speed Kills back in 1985, my life was changed forever. Just the sound of their name was enough. Everything you needed to know about the band encapsulated in two perfect syllables, especially when screamed at an ear-splitting volume or when chanted with thousands of other like-minded blood-hungry psychopaths. Continue reading
Remembering Jeff Hanneman Of Slayer – January 31, 1964 – May 2, 2013
Six years ago today Jeff Hanneman of Slayer died. It still feels unreal that he is gone. Although Slayer has soldiered on without their fallen brother, Slayer is on their final world tour, a definite eventuality once Jeff passed away. Ghost Cult has written a lot of words about the importance of Slayer and Jeff as a composer and guitarist to the thrash metal genre, but also what he has meant to the scene as a personality, in both life and death. What follows is a collection of Jeff’s greatest Slayer hits as well as our original obituary, written at the time of his passing. Rest In Power Jeff!
Inter Arma – Sulphur English
Despite third album Paradise Gallows (Relapse Records) establishing Virginian quintet Inter Arma as one of the World’s premier exponents of Harsh Progressive Metal, it’s nevertheless arguable as to whether or not the band remains in the shadow of 2014’s staggering opus The Cavern (Relapse Records). Fourth full-length Sulphur English (also Relapse), surely their most brutal yet, will lay such doubts to rest. Continue reading
Former Slayer Drummer Dave Lombardo Pays Tribute To Jeff Hanneman
In a wide-ranging interview over at Metal Hammer, drummer Dave Lombardo (Suicidal Tendencies, Dead Cross) penned a lengthy tribute to his late Slayer bandmate Jeff Hanneman. Hanneman passed away in 2013, and Lomardo exited Slayer for the final time as well in 2013. All of metal misses Jeff’s spirit and talent. We’ve been covering the coming end to Slayer’s career for some time, so catch up on our retrospectives, live reviews and other news about the thrash legends. Continue reading
Slayer’s “South Of Heaven” Was Released Thirty Years Ago
What do you do for an encore when you have released arguably the greatest album in metal history, at the zenith point for the genre? Well if you are Slayer, you blow people’s minds and release South Of Heaven (Def Jam) as the follow-up to Reign In Blood (also Def Jam). Although some of its slower mid-tempo jams threw fans for a loop, Slayer’s fourth album is full of gritty, true to life bangers and classic tracks. Let’s revisit this masterpiece which turned thirty years old today. Continue reading