Christ Illusion by Slayer
January 30, 2007 by Jo Minor
The latest release by the Thrash Metal legends, Christ Illusion marked the return of original drummer Dave Lombardo from a decade-long hiatus from the band. As with any Slayer release, the hype for this album was unrivalled and its launch was met with intense anticipation from fans.
Everything about the album spelled “successful comeback” - right down to the cover artwork by artist Larry Carroll. The no-holds-barred cover, which depicts a drawing of a disfigured Jesus Christ, was gracefully accepted by fans as it resembled earlier Slayer covers from classic albums Reign In Blood, South Of Heaven and Seasons In The Abyss.
Artwork aside, the songs in Christ Illusion pack quite a punch - it’s great to see that the aging members of the band have actually produced an album which is even faster and heavier than the past few releases. Drummer Dave Lombardo performs the best drum work in the band’s twenty-plus year career, and has actually improved from his time away from Slayer.
Frontman Araya did mention his dislike for the band’s previous outing God Hates Us All - in which Kerry King, once again, took full creative control and direction - thus leaving the other members of the band out in the cold. Araya, however, must be a bit more pleased with this album since he and Hanneman contributed a lot more to this latest effort, with positive effects overall.
The ten songs present on Christ Illusion are almost single-handedly written by guitarist Kerry King - thus explaining the overabundance of anti-religion and anti-establishment elements in the lyrics. Only 3 songs feature contributions from the other members of Slayer: Eyes Of The Insane, Jihad and Black Serenade was written by Jeff Hanneman with lyrical contributions from Tom Araya, and feature far more complex lyrical representations.
Songs like the opening Flesh Storm and the controversial Jihad (which takes the listener into a journey deep into the mind of a terrorist) are pure Thrash Metal, while Eyes Of The Insane takes us back to the more groove-laden tracks like Stain Of Mind. The first single of the album, Cult, is a worthy listen but the best track is saved for last. Supremist is the last, and arguably the best track in the album - it’s probably the best showcase of Lombardo’s lightning-fast drumming. His concrete-smashing blast beats take up the entire chorus parts of the song, and is a great listening pleasure.
The best Thrash Metal album of the year.
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