Slayer Makes Music From Mayhem
When he talks about death, murder and war - and most other things on the creepy side of life - Jeff Hanneman speaks with the good-natured vibe of a man who loves what he does for a living.
And why shouldn’t he? He and his fellow co-workers have been at it for the last 15 years.
However, despite what some people might think, Hanneman and the other members of the band Slayer do not actually live a life of human sacrifice and goat worship.
They just like to sing about it.
With songs that delve into sadism, Satanism, serial killers and Nazi death camps, Slayer was to the ‘80s what Marilyn Manson is to the ‘90s. And now, after a four-year hiatus from writing music, they’ve returned with a new album and a new tour certain to please the religious right.
The cover of their latest CD - “Diabolus in Musica” (Latin for The Devil in Music) - pits images of a cross against that of dead man with a hole in his head. A gritty little ditty called “In The Name of God” goes something like this: “I take you/I play you/Invade you/Lacerate you/I scar your innocence … Antichrist is the name of God/Antichrist is the name of God.”
Not exactly “Mmmmbop.” Ah but it’s not as bad as it seems, says Hanneman.
“People think we’re maniacs, that we go around wishing that we were killing people,” he says with a laugh. “But in our spare time we’re just ordinary people. We watch sports, we hang out with our better halves.”
Slayer, a four-man speed metal outfit - blasted out of the Los Angeles head-banger scene in 1982. With monstrous guitar riffs and straight-from-the-depths-of-hell vocals, their songs turned the microscope to the ugly side of human behavior - much to the displeasure of some.
In 1986 Columbia Records refused to distribute “Reign In Blood” in part because of references to Joseph Mengele in the song “Angel of Death.” The Geraldo show “Kids Who Kill” pointed out that the five children on the show listed Slayer as their favorite band.
With a hint of glee in his voice, Hanneman admits, “When we’re thinking about the lyrics we’re like ‘How morbid can we get it?’ “
Serial killer Ed Gein inspired the song “Death Skin Mask” on the “Seasons in the Abyss” album. Killer Jeffrey Dahmer inspired the song “213.” That was the number of his apartment.
“Over the years I’ve read about wars. Terry likes horror movies. Tom’s really the serial killer guy, he likes murder and stuff like that,” Hanneman says, pausing for a second to consider what he just said. “He doesn’t actually do it or anything.”
But Hanneman insists their music isn’t about supporting murder or war. The members of Slayer see themselves in many ways as fiction writers - albeit with stomachs stronger than even Stephen King’s.
“You can sing about what’s going on in your life - you just met a girl or you just got dumped. But to me that stuff is boring,” Hanneman says. “The dark side is much more fun and more interesting and it’s a lot more exciting. It’s just the little dark side in all of us that we identify with.”
Slayer Slayer, Kilgore and Fear Factory play Tuesday at 8 p.m. the Spokane Convention Center. Tickets are $19.50, available through G&B Select-A-Seat.