I know, I know. I’m very late on this post, but a rather particular condition made it kind of difficult to a) get my paws on the actual album, and b) get to listen to it attentively and write up this little blurb.

Every time I hear it, I go nuts. “There’s a new Slayer album out!” What? ANOTHER ONE? Not that I’d like those excellent records to be fewer and further and between, but every time, I’m surprise that those… let’s call them veterans, have been composing more stuff. This is the 11th studio album for Slayer. ELEVEN. You’ve churned out just under a dozen albums over the course of almost 30 years, you’ve won two Grammys, conquered millions of fan worldwide and you’re still rocking it out, pumping out tracks that never seem to lose their charm. You’ve got to give it to those guys, they are one bunch of passionate fellows.

This years release had much to live up to. Following up Christ Illusion, an album which was critically acclaimed by just about everybody out there is by no means a simple task, yet they pull it off beautifully. With every new album comes the fear that the band will grow old, and will release a total piece of garbage that will kill them off, and up to now, except for the slight disappointment that was Undisputed Attitude, my fears haven’t become reality.

You have to admit that the single for Hate Worldwide, the only single which I had the luck to stumble upon, was very promising. Fast paced, aggressive, with shredding solos, blasting drums, everything you’d expect from Slayer, it had. Well after listening to World Painted Blood two times from “cover to cover” in addition to the odd song pick, I can without a doubt confirm that this is truly a Slayer album worthy of it’s authors.

By the sounds of it, I have no trouble imaging that some fans might think of this album as simply an extension of Christ Illusion. Maybe it’s the order of the tracks, but the album kind of had this same feel as the previous. Everybody seems to agree that the 2006 album definitely had a new sound, this little special something that made it different enough compared to God Hates Us All, and in a way I think that the new record follows the trend that Christ Illusion set.

Is it merely a sequel? I don’t think I’m enough of either a musician or a fan to go through the details of the question. Is it good? Certainly. Is it worth buying? Absolutely. Probably the best 10$ you’ll spend on a thrash metal album this year.

Here’s my personal favorite, Snuff. Enjoy!

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=794iVYzqxW8&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0&color1=0x3a3a3a&color2=0x999999]