Slayer

"SLAYER!" It was the battle cry from the moment we set foot in San Bernadino. I can't tell you how many times I heard the demon cry spewing from the mouths of black T-shirt wearing, old people scaring type metal kidz of all ages. "Slayer" has managed to stick around for more than ten years, so now "Slayer" concerts display a cross section of generations. The dominant gender is most definitely male, garbed in traditional metal gear. Black T-shirts (displaying a myriad of images of evil and decay), jeans and blood shot eyes made the crowd take on a sort of religious-cult sameness in their dress. I fit in perfectly. Metal became so uncool for a while the 90's (I point the finger at Warrant), I'm glad so many people kept their faith in the loud.

The first out of hand behavior we saw was in the parking lot before the show, where some dude was doing wicked dough-nuts in the muddied lot. He was really moving and spraying mud all over - until three security guards circled him in their cars and escorted him off the property. So, he paid $5 to do dough-nuts and entertain us for a spell. Thanks!

The San Bernadino Orange Pavilion has only 1 entrance, and a small one at that, so the line was enormous. We kinda bypassed the line trying to get to will call to pick up tickets. My photo pass was MIA so no pics kids - sorry. Mass security, looking damn near cop-like with their batons and big black military boots, walked around scowling at the dementia. The frisk before we entered was the most intensive I've ever endured. Slayer seems to frighten the average folk, and from the Charles Manson Youth Camp looking kids yelling "SLAYER!" every two minutes, I almost can't blame them. All cigarettes, lighters, metal bracelets, chewing gum, guns & knives, whatever, were confiscated, or you could run the marathon back to your car and get back in line again. They had HUGE garbage cans quickly filling with confiscated items. If you know anything about smokers, they will have a full pack or two stocked up for the show, so they probably confiscated thousands of dollars in unopened cigarettes. I wonder who gets to claim all that? I think Ticketmaster and ticket outlets should warn people that these are not permitted. Print it on the ticket like they do the ban on cameras, drugs and weapons. Thieves.

The shouts of "SLAYER!" became more enthusiastic as we entered the grounds to the Pavilion. The place looks like a giant airplane hanger. Just one large arc about the size of a football field - all general admission.

Sweet. I hate seating.

Rock star spotting: Lauren (singer from Drown), the bass player from 20 Dead Flower Children and the guitarist from Teabag. Even those in the industry can appreciate a live "Slayer" show.

The first bludgeoning force came in the form of Swedish exports "Meshuggah." The crew I was with was all about "Meshuggah." I have heard their CD once. Euro-Thrash metal. Very precise and structured in very bizarre (but creative) ways. Most elements of "Meshuggah" encompass the traditional elements of grindier thrash - Drano drinkin' vocals, stutter jack hammer riffs and demon wail soloing. What makes them any different is the interplay between the two guitarists. At times it seemed as if they were playing two entirely different riffs on different time signatures, but somehow melded it together. Extremely tight, and "Meshuggah" proved to be the most energetic band of the evening.

One of their guitarists would get himself spinning in a circle so fast I could see him almost stumble to the side a couple of steps, all dizzy when he stopped, while continuing to play these challenging tunes. Apparently this was the first tour "Meshuggah" has played the U.S., and seemed sincere in their appreciation of such a warm reception. Apparently my friends were not the only ones who came to see "Meshuggah." Personally, I thought a lot of their material, although good, seemed very derivative of all things thrash. But there were definitely moments that had me in awe. I'm sure with some sort of recognition, "Meshuggah's" music would take on a higher level of appreciation. The crowd loved them.

The flow of the Pavilion works nicely and it was easy to get around and get a breath of fresh air between bands. Seems the cigarette confiscation only goes so far as there wasn't any real shortage of people smoking all sorts of stuff, but a definite shortage of lighters.

"Sick Of It All" had the middle slot for tonight's show. All opinions of this band aside, this was a bill they probably shouldn't have been on. People were yelling "SLAYER!" between most every song, and I couldn't even count the number of raised middle finger salutes that were displayed throughout their set. "Sick Of It All" play a sort of harder edged punk with a core feel. I will give the band props for playing at 100%. They hit hard and loud and tore up the stage the best they could. Any lack of appreciation in crowd response came more from anticipation for the next band as opposed to dissatisfaction with the "Sick Of It All" set. The singer even commented on this toward the end of their set. "Slayer asked us to tour with them, so if you've got any problems with us being here, take it up with them." It was apparent they knew they weren't entirely wanted. Again, respect for throwing down hard in the face of a not-so-friendly crowd.

Musically, I thought they were decent, but very same-ish. All songs basically were the same, differentiated by a slightly different guitar line for the hook. ALL vocals were the same inaudible bark (well...I guess most metal in the live setting is an inaudible bark). Aside from the few faithful up front, "Sick Of It All" failed to get even a small pit happening. Not their fault. It's got to be hard opening for "Slayer."

People started getting antsy after the "Sick Of It All" set and the shouts of "SLAYER!" came more rapidly. I was outside when the first note was struck and we all scrambled inside. I think the first three songs were newer material (my "Slayer" library isn't 100% complete so forgive me for not knowing titles to all the songs), but the 4th song was "One some of you might remember...this is (3 octaves lower) WAR ENSEMBLE" and blast! - panic set in. The whole crowd broke apart in a thousand different directions at once.

"Slayer" pits are among some of the more wicked I've witnessed. Many of the people in attendance tonight must think along the same way because people were running past me away from the stage to avoid getting floored by a bald, pain-inducing, sweaty meathead. I have absolutely nothing against pits or rowdy maneuvers at shows, especially "Slayer" shows. I do have an aversion to getting shoved around a circle violently and getting trampled on when I'm blind-sided into the concrete. I kinda held my ground and watched the circles of madness form in a couple pockets. Intense.

Tommy Araya was light in the stage patter with minimum "Thank You. Thanks a lot." I was hoping for a little more in the theatrical evil speak I had gotten way back in the day when "Slayer" toured with the Clash of the Titans Tour (with Anthrax, Megadeth and then up-starts Alice in Chains). Guitarist Kerry King was more evil than ever. He's traded in the nail studded armband for one of the most extensive tribal body tattoos I've ever seen. It crawls up his entire right side and made an intimidating spectacle as he ripped out one demon-fueled solo after another. And speaking of demon-wail guitars, Jeff Hanneman is beyond words. His speed and style are unparalleled. The whole solo thing has pretty much been done into the ground, but I continually found myself in awe of Hanneman's prowess. The speed, the most evil tone, the precision...fucking metal.

"Slayer" may be well over a decade old, but they still stalk around the stage in gritted tooth smiles and do the bowed headbanging riff maneuvers. The whole set came off with a well-oiled consistency. Almost a little too even in it's delivery, seeming like one more show in a string of dates. Tommy Araya made some comment about San Bernadino being the closest to L.A. that they'd let them play (many cheers). Songs introduced as being off the new album "Diabolus In Musica" seemed to be introduced with a bit more enthusiasm by Araya, and as unfamiliar as I am with the new one (hey- I just picked up my $15 autographed copy at the show), it sure seemed like it ripped.

I knew the first single from "Diabolus...," called "Stain Of Mind," which they played early in the set. A great "Slayer" song that shows they haven't lost any edge, and continue to produce crushing metal in the vein of "Slayer," without repeating old ideas over and over. "Slayer" know how to please the fans. "Angel of Death," "South of Heaven" and "Mandatory Suicide" all got extreme reactions from the crowd, and even surprise older numbers like "Die By The Sword" (from "Show No Mercy") were intensely delivered.

They did the expected encore, returning to the stage with the creepy opening to "Dead Skin Mask" that pulled yet another swell of energy from the "Slayer" crowd. A truly evil set.

Huge props to "Slayer" for sticking true to their sound. So many "metal" bands that have seen the longevity that "Slayer" has maintained have all seemed to "re-invent" their sound to stay "marketable" (Metallica...I'm looking in your general direction). "Slayer" says "fuck that." "Slayer" is still very "Slayer." I wouldn't want it any other way. "SLAYER!"