I bought the album, and I think it's pretty good. A couple of weak songs, but overall I think it is proof that Slayer is still very relavent in the current heavy music climate. They managed to strike a good balance between the old and new sound. Tom doesn't sound quite as convincing these days, but his performance is still pretty intense.

Regarding Bostaph vs. Lombardo, I think Kerry King summed it up pretty well when he said that Paul worked his whole life to get good, whereas Dave is just naturally good.

It was a good record when I was drunk.


Kerry King is a dumbass and he should let Jeff write the albums on his own. Think of any classic Slayer track and check who wrote it...

As for the drummers, both are great and Lombardo is beter now than he was but I think that within the limiting context of Slayer, Paul Bostaph did better shit. Plus his drumming on what I think is the best Slayer record, Divine Intervention, is fucking revelatory. His first album with them too and he was already brilliant... Lombardo took a long time to get this good.

[EphelDuath666]

I love it when Albums get re-released as a digipack AFTER I bought the regular version....yep, looks like that will happen with Christ Illusion too

I love it when Albums get re-released as a digipack AFTER I bought the regular version....yep, looks like that will happen with Christ Illusion too

Yup, and that's exactly what I am waiting for.

Kerry King is a dumbass and he should let Jeff write the albums on his own. Think of any classic Slayer track and check who wrote it

Stain Of Mind.

I think both sucked on the last couple of albums prior Christ Ilusion. And Divine Intervention sucked, too. A total songwriting mess that lacks any catchy part or coherent song structure. It's a patchwork of ideas. And produced in a shitty manner. It sounds horrible. Compare it to Power Of Inner Strength by Grip Inc. - now THAT'S a kick-ass metal album with outstanding production. And drumming.

As for the drummers, both are great and Lombardo is beter now than he was but I think that within the limiting context of Slayer, Paul Bostaph did better shit. Plus his drumming on what I think is the best Slayer record, Divine Intervention, is fucking revelatory. His first album with them too and he was already brilliant...

Dave Lombardo - The Gathering >>> Paul Bostaph - Divine Intervention

Bostaph in Slayer was very sloppy on the douplekicks, even on the studio releases, it's not funny. He totally overdid his doublebass parts and fucked up. Lombardo only fucked up on Decade Of Aggression (due to a higher seat adjustment) and nailed everything ever since.

I liked Bostaph much better in Testament and Forbidden than in Slayer and he's not that "technical" of a metal drummer, unlike Tomas Haake, Bobby Jarzombek, Flou Mournier or Mike Mangini.

Lombardo took a long time to get this good.

And Bostaph didn't? He played on several Forbidden and Testament outputs before he got the spot in Slayer. Lombardo has a totally unique style and presence behind the kit, I'd say since Hell Awaits. No-one sounds like Dave Lombardo. He is no technical player either, au contraire - no, even not with Fantômas or John Zorn. He's no Terry Bozzio, Marco Minnemann or Virgil Donati, but he has got what counts: a recognizable style.



NP: Grip Inc. - Solidify \m/

Dave Lombardo is all speed and not really much else.

Can't comment on that other guy.

And Divine Intervention sucked, too. A total songwriting mess that lacks any catchy part or coherent song structure.

Yeah damn, I totally listen to Slayer for those catchy parts.

Dave Lombardo is all speed and not really much else.

Can't comment on that other guy.

He plays in a speed metal band. What do you expect, for him to play slow and jazzy?

And Divine Intervention sucked, too. A total songwriting mess that lacks any catchy part or coherent song structure.

Yeah damn, I totally listen to Slayer for those catchy parts.

Uhm dude, don't you think that on Slayer's holy trinity of RIB/SOH/SITA there are plenty memorable, repeating and therefore somewhat catchy parts? This is an integral part of Slayer's best and classic albums, at least for me. And that's the reason why I think Divine Intervention is a songwriting patchwork. I guess you are a bit younger than me and got into Slayer after Lombardo's departure and I can relate to that; often times I think the best albums are those that got me into a band.

Anyway, if I want un-catchy quasi-chaos, I listen to Meshuggah's "I", not Slayer's horribly produced and somewhat sloppy Divine Intervention.

Dave Lombardo is all speed and not really much else.

Can't comment on that other guy.

He plays in a speed metal band. What do you expect, for him to play slow and jazzy?

No, I don't. But people overrate his abilities so much.

And hey, he's recorded with Zorn has he not? That alone would suggest to me that he has at least had the opportunity to show some variety.

It was a good record when I was drunk.


Kerry King is a dumbass and he should let Jeff write the albums on his own. Think of any classic Slayer track and check who wrote it...

As for the drummers, both are great and Lombardo is beter now than he was but I think that within the limiting context of Slayer, Paul Bostaph did better shit. Plus his drumming on what I think is the best Slayer record, Divine Intervention, is fucking revelatory. His first album with them too and he was already brilliant... Lombardo took a long time to get this good.

Hah, I dug it while drunk too.

Jeff is clearly the better songwriter, i agree.

I'm not a huge Slayer fan to begn with, but i think the album is OK. Nothing new for them, that's for sure. "Reign In blood" and "Seasons In The Abyss" will still be the albums I'll reach for when i want my Slayer fix though.

It's 50/50 for me, some of the songs are great, some suck the ol' one. And I'm not that found of the production, the guitars are weeeeak! I want to hear Slayer with massive Darkane-ish walls of guitar!