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Slayer - Christ Illusion

Slayer’s 10th studio album has just been release in the US with a UK release date set to the 21st August. The release was planned for the 6th June to make a reference to the number of the devil, but delays in recording prevented this. Instead, an EP featuring one new track "Cult" (along with a live track of "War Ensemble" and a video of the recording of "Cult") was released.

This latest album sees original member Dave Lombardo back on drums. The album follows the usual themes of war, and politics, but this time focusing on the current state of world affairs, as opposed to the prophets of death and destruction. The album title "Christ Illusion" is another attack on war in the name of religion; "Flesh Storm" (the opening track) features the lines "Here the only law / Is men killing men / For someone else’s cause".

Jihad is one track that immediatly stands out from the rest. It starts with a strange slow guitar riff played high on the neck leading into a lower melody riff that picks up the tempo before launching into a typical breakneck slayer riff with (Tom) Araya screaming the lyrics "This is God’s war!  God’s war!". The track ends with a spoken section that lends itself to a propaganda speach justifying the holy killings.

Catalyst, is another all out assault with a trem picked solo just 40 second into the track. Skeleton Christ is a slower chugging track that is made especially powerful with Lombardo’s hammering drums matching the guitar patterns.

Cult, (from the earlier release EP) starts with a semi clean quiet riff, that leads into this half time pounding riff, that again breaks way for another onslaught of killer riffs, pummeling drumming, and anti-religion lyrics.

The album finishes up with a killer track from (Kerry) King. The riff is (trem) picked speed and leads up to the solo that turns up the speed to overdrive. The slower breakdown then features a combination of wailing guitars and plummeting pick slides.

Christ illusion doesn’t top the likes of Reign in Blood or Seasons in the Abyss - but is still a powerful, tight, 38 minutes of unrelenting thrash that demands your attention.

Buy this now from: amazon.co.uk