Slayer, Live At The Riviera: There Are No Half-Measures

Feb 24, 2016 James Currie Features, Music News, Reviews 0

By Christopher David

When it comes to truly great metal bands, to quote one of the finest TV shows of our time, there are no half-measures.

So it is with Slayer.

Slayer are, arguably, the last band standing when it comes to truly uncompromising, unwavering thrash metal from the glory days of the genre; while there are certainly bands out there now taking up that challenge – and many are promising – Slayer remain the one example of what you get when a band simply refuses to bend on the core elements and themes of what made them the band they are. Consistency and dedication beget loyalty, which is exactly what the crowds at the Riviera Theater displayed at Slayer’s two-night tour opener in our fair city.

The first proper North American jaunt in support of 2015’s Repentless began with a bang, from the title track show-opener to closer “Angel of Death,” to every fan favorite and deep cut in between. In terms of setlist, there was everything to please both new and old fans alike: those who wanted the ‘hits’ (“War Ensemble,” “South of Heaven”) and the more obscure but no-less-punishing tunes (the vastly underrated “Hallowed Point” and “God Send Death”) had no reason to leave unsatisfied. Playing in front of a backdrop blacklighting the weeping Christ from their most recent album cover and flanked by inverted crosses, the new material blended beautifully with the old; indeed for the uninitiated, it would have been hard to tell exactly where the songs fell in Slayer’s 35-year catalog, a testament to their consistency and part of the secret to their longevity.

Another part of that secret is recruiting long-time thrash stalwarts Paul Bostaph and Gary Holt for drums and lead guitar, respectively. Bostaph’s history with Slayer now extends further than founding drummer Dave Lombardo, and there’s a reason for that. While Lombardo remains one of the most technically proficient drummers in all of rock and metal, Bostaph is one of the most versatile, and Slayer were right to go back to him when Lombardo left in 2013 – Repentless is a career highpoint, and the new material translated perfectly to the stage with an authority and brutality that came across to the crowd. To that end, the new material was not lost on the fans, solidifying the fact that Slayer are not a legacy act – their new material is clearly resonating with their fanbase as deeply as ever.

And of course, no discussion of a new album and tour would be complete without addressing the absence of founding guitarist Jeff Hanneman, who passed away in 2013 from liver failure. Hanneman’s death was a shockwave through the music industry and left many long-time fans wondering if Slayer would even continue. True, Gary Holt of Exodus fame (and one of Jeff’s best friends) had been filling in since 2011, but there was certainly a standing question in the minds of many as to how the band’s future would be affected by the loss of two founders.

For as deeply as this writer loved Jeff Hanneman, rest assured that Slayer’s future is secure. Gary Holt is the best thing that could have happened to this band in the post Hanneman-era, bringing a fury and vitality to all-time classics like “Chemical Warfare,” “Black Magic,” and “Die By the Sword,” as well as a renewed sense of purpose to the solos on new tracks like “Take Control” and current single “You Against You.” Holt blends elements of stage presence, balls-out frenzy, and technical prowess to everything he touches and makes it look easy while doing it. He’s Slayer’s secret weapon in 2016, and he brought a renewed vigor to the material that fed frontman Tom Araya (who still possesses a throat full of rage after 30+ years) and guitarist Kerry King, stalwarts in their own right, bringing the sledgehammer riffs and lyrics to frightening life as they always have.

Major changes in a band with a long history always give pause to even the most die-hard fan; perhaps that’s inevitable when so much of a fan’s experience lies in the identity of a revered lineup. This is Slayer 2.0, in many ways – and it’s as good as it’s ever been. They took no prisoners and they showed no mercy. Who would have asked for anything less?

Slayer – Riviera Theater, Chicago, IL, February 19th, 2016 (Night 1)

Repentless

Postmortem

Born of Fire

Mandatory Suicide

Hate Worldwide

War Ensemble

When the Stillness Comes

Take Control

Disciple

God Send Death

Die by the Sword