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There’s no such thing as the perfect Slayer set list. That being said, there are a few of their songs I wish they would take out of hibernation and play live. Unfortunately, they can’t play them all. This is a list of the 19 songs they played on the first leg of their final tour. On the left is what they play now. On the right is the song I would change it to, and the reason why. All changes, if any, keep with the spirit of their current setlist.

1. Repentless

I would keep this song the same. It’s only been out a few years, and it rose to instant-classic. I like when they open with this song

2. Blood Red

Not my favorite song off the Seasons album, but they haven’t played it live in awhile, that’s why I’m keeping it the same.

3. Disciple / Altar of Sacrifice

Disciple is a good song, but they’ve been playing it live, solid, ever since the song was released. I would switch it with a Reign In Blood classic that I haven’t seen them play in years

4. Mandatory Suicide / Live Undead

As much as I like Mandatory Suicide, I would switch it with another South of Heaven song that I can’t remember ever seeing them play live

5. Hate Worldwide / Evil Has No Boundaries

This being their final tour, I’m sticking with the classics. This is the perfect opportunity to see them play a song off of Show No Mercy

6. War Ensemble

Wouldn’t change a thing

7. Jihad

I would rather them play Cult off of Christ Illusion, but this one works for me too

8. When the Stillness Comes / Playing With Dolls

Both are “slower” Slayer songs, but I would prefer to see Playing With Dolls, a song I’ve never seen them play live

9. Postmortem

What I am, What I want, I’m only after death!

10. Black Magic

It’s always nice to see them play this classic off the Show No Mercy album

11. Payback

Payback’s a bitch motherfucker!!!

12. Seasons in the Abyss / Captor of Sin

They like to stack their set with Seasons songs as of late. I would rather switch out this one for an early song they hardly ever play

13. Dittohead

One of my favorite songs from Divine Intervention

14. Dead Skin Mask / Kill Again

As much as I like Dead Skin Mask, I would rather hear an additional song from the Hell Awaits album

15. Hell Awaits / At Dawn They Sleep

Now hear me out. I normally would never take Hell Awaits off their setlist. If I were going to though, I would switch it with a song from the same album that they rarely play

16. South of Heaven

I’m good with this. It’s a slower tempo song, and it gives Tom the chance to rest his voice a little

17. Raining Blood / Can’t Stand You

I would play Can’t Stand You as a tribute to Jeff. It also warms them up a little for their final 2 songs

18. Chemical Warfare

I would never change this one “Fuck it up! \m/

19. Angel of Death

The perfect ending for the relentless assault on our senses. No Slayer show is complete without the Heavyweight Champion of the World.

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The Hell Over North America tour featuring Aborted, Cryptopsy, Benighted and Hideous Divinity took place at the Highline Bar in Seattle on March 26, 2019

It’s rare to see such a good metal show on a Tuesday night. The flier dubs it a “Blastbeat Party.” That’s due to the machine gun sounding drumming style that’s associated with this type of music. That’s one reason this was such an intense show.

From thunderous drums, to gut-wrenching vocals, to sick breakdowns, this was a high energy night enjoyed by all. In direct support for Aborted was Cryptopsy. Benighted and Hideous Divinity opened the night. This was the first time those two bands toured the states.

Be sure to catch them when they play your city. I promise, you’ll be glad you did!

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Have you ever heard a song over time that you believed was the original version, later to find out it wasn’t the original version at all? You may have listened to the song for years before finding out. If you’re a fan of these artists, you probably know most, if not all of these already, even if you’ve never heard the original version of the song before. There may be 1 or 2 of these that may surprise you.

6. Blitzkrieg / Metallica:

This is common knowledge for any fan of Metallica, but when is the last time you heard the original version by the band Blitzkrieg? Released in 1981 as a B-Side to the single “Buried Alive” , Blitzkrieg is a raw, chunky, classic heavy metal song with higher vocals and a slightly slower tempo than the thrash version, released by Metallica in 1984 as the B-Side of Creeping Death and later appearing on the Kill ‘Em All album.

5. Metro / System of a Down:

If you grew up in the 80’s like myself, you may be more familiar with the original Berlin version of the song “The Metro”, released in 1981, than you are with System of a Down’s interpretation “Metro”, that was on the Dracula 2000 soundtrack, among other places. If you grew up in the 90’s or later, you may never have heard of the band Berlin.

4. Antisocial / Anthrax:

This is a song you heard was a cover, but weren’t exactly sure who did the original. The number of times I’ve seen Anthrax live, singing along with them and the rest of the crowd, “You’re anti, you’re antisocial.” Then you hear the original version done by the band “Trust.” It starts out with an acoustic guitar, goes into an 80’s European vibe, building itself into a rock song. The vocals begin, and you realize the whole song is in French. It’s different on so many levels, but it’s pretty much the same song. Trust’s version even has an “antisocial” chant at the end of the song.

3. All Along the Watchtower / Jimi Hendrix

Featured in numerous movies and a staple in classic rock radio, (it always reminds me of Forrest Gump), I wasn’t aware until some years back that Jimi Hendrix’s version of “All Along the Watchtower” wasn’t the original. It was first recorded by Bob Dylan in November 1967 for the John Wesley Harding album. Before the album was released, Jimi obtained a copy of it. He liked the song so much that he started recording his own version of it just 2 months after Dylan first recorded it. Hendrix even recruited Brian Jones of the Rolling Stones to play the vibraslap, which helped provide a signature sound at the beginning of the song.

2. Disorder / Slayer, Ice-T:

I don’t remember much from the Judgement Night movie aside from the epic soundtrack. Pearl Jam/Cypress Hill, Mudhoney/Sir Mix A Lot, and of course Slayer/Ice-T. This was a much anticipated track for me because it was my first taste of Slayer since the “Seasons” album. I wasn’t aware until a few years later that this collaboration was a medley of 3 different Exploited songs: War, UK 82, and Disorder. As much as I enjoy all three of these Exploited songs separately, they happen to blend together well to form a single song. The aggressive vocals of Tom Araya, and the pissed off, no bull shit attitude of Ice-T mesh perfectly in this updated, 90’s version.

1. The Badge / Pantera:

To be honest, I had no idea until very recent, the song “The Badge” by Pantera, was a cover song originally recorded by Poison Idea. It was a track on the “Feel the Darkness” album, released in 1990. The Pantera version was recorded for The Crow soundtrack in 1994, and also appeared on a limited release of Far Beyond Driven. I liked the punk rock version by Poison Idea, but I thought the Pantera version took it to a new level. \m/

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I felt this would be a fitting first blog for me to post. I know that it’s easy to become complacent and set in your ways the older you get. I’m 45 years old, so I’m starting to figure that out in a hurry.

I can always remember music associated with my life. Some of my earliest memories was playing records I had. Disco Mickey Mouse, the soundtrack to Grease and Scooby Doo are the titles that come to mind now. When my family first got cable, I remember staying up all night in the tv room with my sister, watching MTV when it was the big new thing. I also liked making mixed tapes. I would sit next to the radio and wait for that perfect moment to push record.

I was probably in my early teens when I first recall hearing a particular rock song on the radio. For whatever reason, it clicked with me. It was Tom Sawyer by Rush. I would search for it on the radio, and that’s probably when I switched from pop to rock radio. That’s about the time I started listening to the hair metal bands of the time like Whitesnake, Motley Crue and GnR. My musical tastes would eventually grow heavier over the years. I probably first got into metal with Metallica and Anthrax. It took a little longer with Slayer, but when I first saw them on the South of Heaven tour back in ’88, it was on from there.

I was around 19 or 20 when I experienced a life changing event. My friend Peach introduced me to Pantera – Vulgar Display of Power. It was the finger of god pointing down from the heavens. That album was definitely a game changer. The first song Mouth of War played. My eyes got really big. I looked at my friend in amazement. She looked back at me and said “I know”. The next song came on and I’m like, alright, this is good. The next song played and my eyes got even bigger. Now we’re at Fucking Hostile. That’s when it blew my mind. I was hooked.

Around the same time, grunge started to become the next big thing, even though us locals hated that word. Having grown up in the Seattle area (Tacoma), it was a huge influence on my early 20’s. This is the time my wings started to sprout, and I moved away from the parental nest. I was working at Tower Records at the time. I was surrounded by music, and I had friends that shared the same passion for music that I have. My musical tastes were becoming much more diverse during that time.

I like the crossover music, with bands like The Accused and D.R.I., where thrash and punk unite beautifully. I’ve always appreciated classic rock legends such as Jimi, Beatles, Sabbath and Led Zeppelin. These musicians form the foundation for rock and metal we listen to today. Bands such as the Misfits and Bad Brains provide that punk edge and a different attitude that I find appealing. I’m also a big fan of 90’s rap and hip-hop. Ice Cube, Ice T, Cypress Hill, Tupac. These artists provide the stories and beats that I find fascinating. It was always fun discovering new music. Whether it’s hearing Iggy Pop on the Trainspotting soundtrack or driving around listening to the Stones. I would hear something I like and seek out similar artists to listen to in that genre.

Fast forward a bunch of years. I still go to concerts and I still love music, but I find myself becoming more set in my ways. I still venture out on a new artist once in a while, but it’s easier for me to listen to the wealth of music I’ve accumulated through the years. It seems like everything new is recycled garbage of the past. Most of the music today I find to be boring and unoriginal. I keep getting older, but I’m not getting that kick in the ass from music that I have in the past.

So much for all the build-up. I now go back to the original question, “Why should I give a shit about listening to new music?” It’s a simple answer; The joy I get for listening to something good for the first time. When I connect with that certain beat, riff, or vocal, my eyes widen and my ears perk up. It’s like a Dorito, I need more. Granted, I’ll probably never have another Pantera moment. Youth may be the perfect storm for my positive music connections until now, but it’s still possible to have that one moment that keeps the flame alive. Whether it’s hearing an old band for the first time like Terrorizer, a classic like AC/DC – Powerage, that I just bought on vinyl, or a newer, torch carrier like Power Trip, it’s still possible to experience joy from listening to something new.