SLAYER/ZOMBIE/EXODUS – “HELL ON EARTH”…Heavenly For Fans

Three steadfast musical forces, each powered by a distinct legion of fans & a tremendous amount of touring experience – ALL add up for one “HELL ON EARTH” rampage of speeding rock-metal versus moshpit madness! That’s exactly what Saskatoon reaped on July 29^th when megaforces EXODUS, ROB ZOMBIE, & “BIG FOUR” giants SLAYER entered the realms of Credit Union Centre. “We don’t get up here often enough,” remarked Zombie at one point, “but when we do, YOU GUYS (referring to the crazed northern Canuck community)…ROCK F#%KIN’ BALLS!” Wondering where in the hell we actually live, & why it takes over fourteen hours to drive anywhere in Canada, Zombie & the rest of the line-up were impressed by the disciple-like reception of their current tour…stating that although Saskatoon was one of the smaller events on the bill, it most definitely was one of the LOUDEST. Exodus hammered into exceptional presence, promptly at 7:00 PM, & had the crowd eating outta’ their thrash-callused fingers. Rob Dukes scourged the audience with growling bellows & head-bashing assault – as Holt, Altus, Gibson, & Hunting brigaded through six songs of even tighter acumen than the last time they passed through the region. Only a short year ago, Exodus opened for Megadeth on the 20^th Anniversary “Rust In Peace” Tour, & they haven’t lost their edge for prodding the crowd into excitement or prompting a harrowing WALL OF DEATH. With songs like “War Is My Shepherd”, “Blacklist”, & “Bonded By Blood” on the toxic musical roster…the hysteria was over before the Bay-Area bombardment could make the arena collapse.

An epic cloud of smoke engulfed the first five rows of screaming spectators & Zombie’s curtain fell to a “HORROR CIRCUS” of pyro, iron-clad robots, mutating monsters, witches, & the demonic skeletonized band that towered in it’s wake. It’s a media-infused frenzy during a ROB ZOMBIE attack, backed by insane grooves & tremendous virility that make all Zombie Girls wanna’ GO WILD (the bras sprang through the air early into evening & t-shirts were generously lifted). He continues to push the bounds of audio & visual conception, showing why he is a SEVEN-TIME Grammy Award Winner – selling over 15 MILLION albums worldwide. His departure from White Zombie, in 1998, awarded the freedom to challenge his own super-creative tendencies & the commercialized acceptance of his “shock rock” manifestations. Remaining SUPREME through all the nightmarish “SUPERBEAST” insanity, his captivating presence falls second only to the legendary ALICE COOPER…whom he has collaborated & toured with on a number of occasions. It’s been said that Zombie is one of the toughest acts to follow on stage, as proven at this spellbinding ritual…he’s even gave Metallica a run for their money, once or twice. Draping booming sonic multitude with some of the most interesting LIVE production the entertainment industry has ever witnessed, Zombie’s show isn’t a “grand illusion scam” – it takes a dedicated amount of time (& MONEY) to deliver this kind of insightful menagerie. Rolling through tracks “Jesus Frankenstein”, “Scum of the Earth”, “Living Dead Girl”, “Mars Needs Women”, & a current serving of “Sick Bubblegum”…the act possesses even those who would never claim to be a follower – for the striking, unlimited vision that prevails.

JOHN 5 burst from his lair “strings screaming” through a psychedelic-terror time machine that lasted for just over an hour, before closing out with an unprecedented solo, while Rob ghoulishly scoured the crowd (flashlight in hand). Piggy D. was well-synced with newcomer Ginger Fish (longtime drummer for Marilyn Manson), as the rhythm section bled constant fiendish gallops & monster-piercing pounds. Pitting both sides of the arena against one another, during an outcry of “ROCK” versus “MOTHERF#%KER”, Zombie & his metal occult kept the hedonistic party swingin’ with bubbles, beach balls, & a downpour of confetti at different portions of the night. The “Call of the Zombies” ended when the band saluted the RED-&-WHITE nation, adorned in maple leaf frocks, with a guitar-driven version of “O CANADA” & two of Zombie’s earlier masterpieces Thunder Kiss ’65 followed by Dragula.

SLAYER steps into the spotlight & there’s hardly any production to ensue, but the intense execution of their audaciously-mastered craft DOMINATES THE GLOBE. Without offering more than the odd “thank you”, or small blurb for the crowd, Tom Araya bottles his energy for the tumultuous screams & bass sputterings that please their massive army of DIEHARDS. Araya has laid off the head-twirling these days – back surgery to fuse his vertebrae, & a titanium plate in his neck, have taken their headbanger’s toll…as did Jeff Hanneman’s infected spider bite which caused him to pull out of the tour & recent “BIG FOUR” gigs. Still…through all the battles this Huntington, California band has plundered against – they retain the ultimate “COOL FACTOR” & distribute an amazing 30+ YEAR catalog of death, destruction, chaos, & human atrocity while yielding thrash force that’s as METEORIC as the speed of light! KERRY KING intimidates with his mammoth look alone, never mind the fact that his wildly chaotic shreds match the enormity of the “Marshall Amp” stacks that reign directly behind him. Drummer, Dave Lombardo, is most definitely a “Godfather of the Double Bass” – never faltering once throughout his neck-breaking performance, influencing an array of young protégés & forever-changing the way heavy metal percussion will be idealized.

Pelting through crushing hits like “Dead Skin Mask”, “Mandatory Suicide”, “Seasons in the Abyss”, “South of Heaven”, & the catastrophic “Angel of Death” – there was no room for the MEEK amongst the MIGHTY…a pulsating moshpit, which (I’m sure) moved the barrier a good TWO-FEET by the end of the show. GARY HOLT (Exodus guitarist) should be highly commended for thwarting a double-bill; he’s been the current fill-in on Jeff Hanneman’s spot. Being a longtime friend & touring partner of the group, it “made sense” for this pairing to happen…& he has no trouble HOLDING HIS OWN amongst the extreme stampede of Araya, King, & Lombardo. Slayer only require a simple backdrop of black curtain with two eagle medallions on the sides…the music’s that vicious…you don’t look anywhere else!

Slayer has provided a soundtrack for many people’s lives, those that want to dispel their frustrations & aggression in a healthy, musical form…but it’s a soundtrack that’s often “misunderstood”. The lyrics preach the darker, more sinister, events of the world & the band’s graphic interpretations on visual imagery have sparked much controversial debate. Myself, I believe that the members of Slayer are shrewd businessmen (maybe just never knew it) & tapped into what the “METAL ENCLAVE” is really all about…going against the grain, uninhibited individuality, & triggering awareness for issues that often get overlooked. It was never about ACCEPTANCE – it was about looking for an innovative & rhetorical “outlet”…& little did they realize it would take them to CULT STATUS (I’m laughing now, cause those naysayers are gonna’ eat that line right up). Slayer’s unfettered stance on being “like no other” has revered them as the MOST POWERFUL, INFLUENTIAL group against the other “BIG THREE” combined…& like it, or not…they are here to REIGN!!!!

Since the early 2000’s, Slayer has been receiving their due-recognition & reward status, securing TWO Grammy Awards for “Best Metal Performance” & a number of appearances on major television networks. It’s nice that the rest of the world has finally “caught up” with what most of us knew all along…that SLAYER re-defined HEAVY METAL, gave birth to a number of new & powerful sub-genres, & are sonic PIONEERS of playing formations that most musicians don’t have the aptitude to attempt. Tearing through almost 90 MINUTES of brash, hardcore, focused instrumentation (they average about 220 beats per minute)…with only a brief, few-second water break right through the thick of it all…it’s a statement of unsurpassed standard.

It’s been a decade-long waiting period since these two musical geniuses have set foot into any arena together, & their stark performance contrasts would make one wonder if it’s really gonna’ work. A full-blown thunderstorm of “SIGHT” versus “SOUND”…“MAGIC” versus “MAYHEM”…& let’s not forget EXODUS, who remain as one of the most cyclonic openers to inspire a heavy metal “Hellfest” – it meshed beyond wicked comprehension. With the “HELL ON EARTH” Tour wrapping up on August 6^th in Seattle, Washington – I sure hope you got a chance to see this year’s premium extravaganza. A barrage of honed orchestration & aural destruction bathed in madness, blood, fire, & obscenity…it was a heavy metal ticketholder’s “PARADISE” – & nothing less.