Heavy Metal Greats

Heavy Metal Greats:

Slayer

It is Malcolm, returning once again with another installment of Heavy Metal Greats. This week’s band of choice is the final member of the Big 4: Slayer. This band is widely considered the king of thrash metal, as they are extremely heavy in sound and blinding with their speed. Because of their dedication, album intensity, and timely formation, Slayer is one of the greatest heavy metal bands ever formed.

Bands’ levels of dedication are often determined by their physical stamina and ability to tolerate one another. Bands sometimes break up due to internal conflict and/or drug abuse; Slayer is one of the few that has managed to remain just as strong as it was 30 years ago. Until the year 2013, three of Slayer’s original four members were still in the band. Now, only bassist/vocalist Tom Araya and lead guitarist Kerry King remain the two original members. Slayer also has a great deal of dedication to its fans. While many bands may falter and “choke up” onstage, Slayer does not. The band performs just as (if not more) heavy than new, young bands. This dedication is hard to find, especially after 33 years of playing together.

Slayer has produced nine albums and is in the process of producing a tenth. Every one of their albums is as intense as the last, hitting its listeners with a barrage of shredding solos and riffs, combined with speedy drum beats, that are often too intense for some. These tracks, although only a few are everlasting metal hits, are relentless in energy and power. The band’s most successful album, Reign in Blood, features a track entitled Raining Blood, which begins with the sounds of light rain, accompanied by single guitar notes and the pounding of floor toms (on the drum set). The song then launches into a beefy guitar riff and a burst of double bass drums, making the song loud and hard to follow, yet highly enjoyable. This style, present in many of Slayer’s songs, set them apart from the slower, supposedly “heavier” bands.

Though heavy metal was first experimented with in the 70’s, it really only took off during the 80’s. This generation gave birth to Slayer and the other 3 members of the Big 4, thus inspiring new bands to take on the challenge that is heavy metal touring. Post-core and new-core metal fans will argue that Slayer is “old metal,” and they’re right; this is not an insult, however. The band is old because its speed and ferocity inspired three successive generations of metal heads to form bands of their own. Real metal heads know the band, recognize many of their famous tracks, and respect the band member for their ingenuity. This “founding father” mentality is what gives Slayer their wow factor and what helps define their legacy.

Slayer’s dedication, album intensity, and early founding are what make it one of the greatest heavy metal bands ever created. There is a reason as to why Slayer is one of the members of the Bid 4. Their intensity and speed in no way reflect their ages. For the moment, evident in their upcoming album and intent to continue playing, Slayer will remain a band for the future years ahead.

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