never thought i’d read a piece on slayer in the august globe and mail, but here it is – by J.D. Considine, no less.
really, Slayer are the ultimate indie band. they’ve never compromised (can you imagine a Slayer ballad!?!), they’ve put out heavy as f**k albums forever, they’ve toured to maniacs year after year, they’ve received zero radio play and they’ve sold a gazillion albums. whether one appreciates their razor-sharp riffs and medieval world-view - or not (but how couldn’t you, really – i mean, can anyone with a proper set of ears resist “angel of death,” ”raining blood,” “south of heaven” or a fistful of other tracks), their impact remains undeniable. slayer are the band that all proper parents, adults, musos and other well-adjusted types love to hate, and yet they remain untouchable.
and considine is also way off target when he says that tony iommi sounds quaint compared to today’s riff merchants. prime sabbath still sounds like the apocalypse, and iommi’s guitar is the blackened engine that’s driving the mayhem. just look at sabbath’s offspring – black flag, sunn o))), boris, queens of the stone age et al. iommi and cohorts weren’t just the stepping stone – they were, and are, the foundation.
Jeez. I remember when Mr. Considine was writing for Guitar magazines — back in the day.