Slayer - Repentless

A lot has changed for Slayer since their last effort ‘World Painted Blood’ hit shelves six years ago. While drummer Dave Lombardo was replaced two years ago by previous member Paul Bostaph, the band’s Jeff Hanneman passed away later that same year, breaking the quartet in half. Their eleventh record, however, proves that it’s still business as usual for the newly-united four-piece.

‘Repentless’ is as dark and satisfyingly aggressive as any fan of the band could hope for, even with such line-up changes. Whether it be through the noodling guitar solo of the album’s title track, or the intensely powerful drumming of ‘Cast The First Stone’, this album is just another example of why they’re still such a revered force in the world of metal. Granted, some tracks feel a bit more by the book, but when you’ve spent over three decades writing it yourselves, it’s not really all that surprising.

Packed with powerful guitars and guttural vocals, the quartet may be over thirty years into their career, but they still know how to pack a devastating punch; with or without their original line-up. ‘Repentless’ may mark an end to one of the more tumultuous phases of their career, but there’s one thing it screams: Slayer are still – and will always be – Slayer.