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Concert reviews Music

Evil business as Usual for Slayer

Slayer with American Head Charge and Chimaira at the Kool Haus, November 9. Tickets: $25. Attendance: 2,200 Rating: NN


good thing huntington beach, California-based Slayer have evolved from the Judas Priest/Iron Maiden cover band they started as in 1982, or they wouldn’t have been sharing their new views on death, religion and metal with the lucky duckies at the Kool Haus Friday night.There was enough purchasing power on hand to sign a new anti-Slayer. All you’d have needed was a fresh slant — call them Prayer and they could sing about ponies and Christ’s love.

The mixed audience — ranging from those who loved Slayer as angry pups and needed a nostalgic fix, to the new generation of kiddies who’ve embraced them as anti-spiritual gurus — was as happy as pigs in shit.

One new-generation drunken Slayer fan nearly split his head open at least a dozen times while doing Marx Brothers back flips off a railing. Yet every time he got up, he flashed his pearly whites genially to those laughing at him, and I couldn’t help but think, “Wow, that’s what a Slayer fan is all about!”

Although the light-and-smoke show was bang on, the sound stank. You couldn’t discern whether Kerry King and Jeff Hanneman were playing fridges or guitars, given the noise blaring through the EFX pedals. However, the jolly Slayer fans, including Slayer Marx, seemed unaffected by the muddled sound. They still mumbled along to the lyrics about evil Christ and bounced like pogo sticks in the mosh pit.

I guess the mantra is, “If it’s loud it’s good,” and that’s all they need, thank you.

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