Slayer at The Academy, Dublin, on July 1st 2014
It seems an odd development that Slayer has become such an easy target for cynicism amongst the very fans that defended their honour for three decades. Rather than admiration for their intentions to carry on after the passing of guitarist Jeff Hanneman (coupled with the sacking of original drummer Dave Lombardo), the decision has been met with a backlash that is somewhat surprising and something the band are perhaps not used to.
This doesn’t seem to show as the band tear through an hour and a half set of fan favourites lightly seasoned with some newer offerings. They take little time to engage with the crowd, instead relying on quick-fire delivery of metal classics to entertain rather than mindless banter. The level of intensity from the band is impressive as they launch into Hell Awaits and is sustained right through until the frantic War Ensemble. That’s not to say things are perfect here. The band is hampered by a muddy sound in The Academy which blunts the precision attack of some sections of the set.
The truth is that every Slayer show has enough classic material to carry it over the finish line. Any set that includes Angel of Death, South of Heaven and Seasons in the Abyss is never going to struggle for momentum. However there’s a familiarity to proceedings that breeds complacency in the audience which was simply unthinkable even a decade ago. Slayer shows used to be the pinnacle of high intensity metal shows. A fearsome display of musical power that was a daunting experience for any support band.
The fact that they are now greeted as honourable defenders of the faith is perhaps a testimony of their waning relevance or merely an over familiarity with their admittedly classic back catalogue. That’s not to say the band themselves underperform. Tom Araya’s vocals are particularly impressive while the new additions of Gary Holt (Exodus) on guitar and Paul Bostaph (Slayer ’92 – ’01) on drums handle responsibilities well.
The reality is that the danger and unpredictable edge which Slayer possessed has been slowly blunting for many years even with the classic line-up. Anyone who witnessed their limp set in the old Point Depot headlining The Unholy Alliance tour as far back as 2006 will have seen that the levels of aggression had begun to drop below their usual standards.
The band finishes off with note perfect renditions of South of Heaven and Angel of Death, leaving on a high note which is noted by the packed Academy crowd. Despite everything Slayer is still the hottest metal ticket in town, which perhaps says more about the lack of progression within the metal scene rather than Slayer’s current standing within it.