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Slayer > Seasons in the Abyss > Reviews
Slayer - Seasons in the Abyss

Seasoned out of the abyss - 67%

Annable Courts, March 15th, 2024

Onward to the 90's and Slayer have taken on a production sound with more heft to it now and comparatively less narrow to the previous release. Notably, the guitar tone feels wider and more natural to the nosier, high-mid boosted tone of 'South of Heaven'. It also takes up more space and is arguably the first instance of the band promoting that big, aggressive guitar sound that many think of when Slayer is brought up.

The composition is more of a confrontational style (with 'War Ensemble' as its spearhead) to the insidious riffing on 'South'. It's deliberately "dumbed down" in places and definitely too obvious in its obstinacy to present itself as a massive chunk of metal, almost as if it were concerned with simply being loud (as well demonstrated on its aforementioned opener). A bit of a worn out mid-paced Slayer sound. In that sense it's less obsessively dark than the eighties incarnation of the band and seems to turn outward now rather than the more introspective and arcane ritualistic works from the past decade. Some riffs might be described as a bit on the silly side even: the jumpy 'Blood Red', the far too obvious 'Spirit in Black', or the lackluster 'Expendable Youth'. And quite frankly the title-track is as boring as one could imagine it in each of its articulations from the primitive doomy intro and clean guitar picking to the stupid-basic verse, all the way down to the lethargy of that chorus.

Compared with 'South' though, the hooks globally seem to have been sorted here - no longer feeling like experimental jobs and generally more convincing and settled. Although this is hardly on the subtle side of things, there are riffs that stick out with usually at least one such moment in each song: 'War Ensemble' post chorus, 'Spirit in Black' post solo riff, 'Hallowed Point' ending riff, or 'Temptation' killer breakdown riff (past the solo) for some of perhaps the lesser known and more delectable passages. These may catch the audience off-guard making unannounced appearances in the midst of a general flatness.

Comparing old to new Slayer, there's surely an element of bias as the older material came with an aura that this stuff obviously doesn't generate; this having more to do with headbanging than anything else, really - albeit to some quality sequences now and then. Some bands get better with time as maturity serves the purpose of their music in refining a raw diamond into a gem. With other bands like Slayer it seems that raw, untamed energy of youth produced the most interesting result. A steadier and more seasoned Slayer, in this case, isn't better. This is the Slayer album you play in the background and casually bob your head to.

Slayer VI: SPORT THE WAR - 90%

DanielG06, February 24th, 2024
Written based on this version: 2011, CD, American Recordings

Probably my first experience with a full Slayer album and by far their most commercial up to this point, Seasons In The Abyss is full of hits. It's also probably their most varied records, with a lot of fast thrashy songs, some middle-paced tracks with great grooves, and slower ones that bring back the eerie groove that was prominent on South of Heaven and really brings out Slayer in their prime songwriting. Despite this, I was shocked to see how many people hate this record, claiming it's dull and far too commercial. Honestly, this would be my favourite Slayer album if I didn't like rough production, it's just so consistent and manages to spread its content out to be the first Slayer album to reach over 40 minutes, and it never feels boring or stagnant. Instead, Slayer pack lots of memorable riffs into these fairly short songs, and I can't really name a weak link, aside from the pretty forgettable Born of Fire.

The opener, War Ensemble, is everything a Slayer song should be. It's intense and seems to get more unhinged as the song goes on. The vocals are strong and the songwriting has definitely developed, with a great middle section that shows how Slayer can discern between fast and slow but keep the memorability of the song going. War Ensemble is a ripping thrash metal anthem, and everything from the name to the blazing solos should have most metalheads running in circles. While Seasons contains some of the band's biggest hits, especially the title track which is generally considered to be their masterpiece, my personal favourite tracks are some of the lesser known ones, with Hallowed Point being the fastest on the record and having some seriously visceral lyrics with some of Tom Araya's best delivery "instant death, regression, with intent to kill," fits so well with the riffs, and the spontaneous solos are some of Slayer's most chaotic. Blood Red is another track with a great groove that keeps things to the point while staying mid-paced.

The production isn't exactly amazing, and I prefer the darker, more decrepit sound of Divine Intervention, but there isn't much to complain about here. It's probably their clearest up to this point, so it's easy to see why this is Slayer at their most accessible. Dead Skin Mask is another highlight for its creepy, unique passages with a theme centred around the serial killer Ed Gein, and it gets very personal in parts, with Tom's voice pitched up to sound like a child begging for their life (it sounds really funny now, years after first hearing it). This track also stands as an example for the catchy choruses on here, this is really the first time Slayer locks in on their strong hook-writing and this makes the whole album more memorable.

Another essential talking point is the title track, with its eastern-sounding riffs and a pretty simple verse riff that lead into a great chorus, but the best part of this song is the middle section again, with Jeff and Kerry playing actual solos which work really well with the song. As a whole, this record kicks ass from front to back, and I haven't even mentioned Spirit In Black, Expendable Youth or Skeletons of Society, which are classics in their own right with enough riffs and strong choruses to justify their own single releases. Seasons In The Abyss is a real gift to metal, it blends intense thrash metal with slower, more general heavy metal that appeals to more people, and consequently it's one of their best.

A classic Slayer album - 92%

Gemesion89, January 28th, 2024

Slayer needs no introduction. Not only are they a band that, alongside Metallica, pioneered thrash metal, but they also paved the way for extreme metal bands in various genres: death, black, hardcore—you name it. Their groundbreaking debut album, 'Show No Mercy', shocked the world upon release with its unparalleled extremity in both music and lyrics. This intensity reached even greater heights in subsequent records, culminating in the monumental 'Reign In Blood', arguably one of the most important albums in the history of metal.

Slayer's fifth album, 'Seasons in the Abyss', emerged in 1990, marking the end of an era for thrash metal. While many exceptional albums were released that year, a shift occurred in the following years. On one hand, death metal had already established itself in the other side of the US, and the new bands that emerged opted for a more brutal sound, which, although rooted in thrash metal, started to develop as a distinct genre. On the other hand, most thrash bands began experimenting with different musical styles or a softer, mainstream sound, like Metallica. That being said, 'Seasons in the Abyss' is one of the last great records that predates the decline of thrash metal and the final classic Slayer album before the tumultuous decade of the '90s.

Contrary to popular belief, I find the previous album, 'South of Heaven', somewhat peculiar. Despite its classic status, it lacks the intensity and aggression of its predecessors. It's as if Slayer decided to take a break and slow down to explore different sounds, and evidently, they regretted it. 'Seasons in the Abyss' adheres to the formula, demolishing everything in its path, though not as intense as 'Reign in Blood', but with fewer softer parts compared to 'South of Heaven'. The opening track, 'War Ensemble', sets the tone for what follows. Most songs on this album embody fast, ferocious thrash metal, but there are frequent shifts in speed and melodic parts throughout the album.

Tom Araya's vocals are solid, resembling a beast ready to be unleashed, and his screams, although less high-pitched this time, carry a 'Reign in Blood' vibe. In tracks like the title track, Tom's vocals are softer, creating a more eerie atmosphere. Dave Lombardo is arguably one of the greatest drummers of all time; he delivers with absolute perfection—his signature double bass drumming, relentless thrash attacks, and well-placed breaks and fills prove once again how invaluable his contribution is. The guitar duo, Kerry King and Jeff Hanneman, prove to be a deadly combination, delivering typical Slayer riffing—super-fast in songs like 'Hallowed Point' and mid-paced with a twisted sense of melody in 'Dead Skin Mask'. The solos, while miles away from anything harmonious or technical, perfectly match the album's eerie atmosphere, sounding sick and evil, characteristic of Slayer since the first album. Rick Rubin, their longtime producer since 'Reign in Blood', does a decent job, though I believe a heavier and cleaner production, similar to 'Reign', particularly in the guitars, would have better suited the album.

In conclusion, 'Seasons in the Abyss' is a solid effort by Slayer, combining high-speed aggression with heavy, slow, and mid-tempo sections, along with haunting melodic passages. It stands as a unique yet typical Slayer offering, not reaching the heights of their first three albums but undoubtedly ranking high among other classic thrash metal albums.

The end of an era - 90%

dfry, May 16th, 2018
Written based on this version: 1996, CD, American Recordings (Reissue, Remastered)

Slayer burst into the 1990s exactly the way one would expect: with aggressive speed, murderous lyrics, and an album cover that looks like it was finger-painted by Manson and Bundy.

“Seasons” was a reassuring album and it needed to be, as the climate of metal was changing significantly in the late 80s . The rise of funk and alternative metal had already corrupted a few hallowed artists at this point (Mordred and Death Angel had both begun to flirt with it). Death metal was still a few years away from taking hold internationally. From the very first cut, the punishing double-bass and machine-gun riffing of “War Ensemble” was a call to arms – Slayer were back, still the leading titans of metal, and the idea that they would ever release a weak album? Unthinkable! This band was an incorruptible, unstoppable force or, so it seemed at the time.

As the album plays out, it becomes obvious that the band is truly firing on all cylinders, thrashing cuts like “Spirit in Black” and “Born of Fire” blasting away with trademark intensity, Hanneman and King trading crazed solos over the speeding din. Even slow burners like the chugging “Skeletons of Society” find the band clearly in their element; riffing simple and effective, Araya belting out verse after twisted verse, the chorus doubled with eerie spoken accompaniment. Sure, “Dead Skin Mask” sounded like a creepy rewrite of “South of Heaven”, so what? It’s not like Slayer are running out of ideas! The 6+ minute title track is one of their greatest accomplishments, moving from Sabbathy crawl to clean melody to slashing riff crunch, all executed flawlessly, Lombardo pounding and pattering like a freak of nature. Overall, a collection of strong material, speed and power delivered in abundance. The band is obviously sticking with a winning formula as fans expected. If this lineup had stayed intact, who knows how many more quality releases could have been sustained.

The Clash of the Titans tour and world domination would continue for the next few years (I’m glad I bit the bullet and paid the outrageous 1991 price of $25 to see the Anthrax, Slayer, Megadeth, and Alice in Chains on the same bill. I almost passed on it!) At any rate, the unsuspecting metal hordes had no idea this was the end of the band’s strongest era.

Show No Mercy 2: Electric Boogaloo - 82%

TrooperEd, February 11th, 2017
Written based on this version: 1990, CD, American Recordings

Upon further research I had an epiphany: while most see this as a second South of Heaven (or an attempt at a second Reign In Blood), the truth is this album, palette wise, has much more in common with the debut album than anything else. Unfortunately, Slayer seemed to have forgotten/shed most of the songwriting NWOBHM tendencies that made Show No Mercy such a shredding satanic monster. There's more varied material for sure, but the quality....Temptations is no Face The Slayer, and Dead Skin Mask damn sure is no Crionics.

There's also the problem of the fast songs starting to feel kind of derivative. I love both Hallowed Point and Born of Fire, but they feel almost interchangeable at times. Unfortunately, either Dave's drumming, (or the band's songwriting) seems to have fallen into a one rote fast tempo. Whilst I have some issues with Reign In Blood, repetitive fastness was certainly not one of them. I never felt at any point that I was listening to one long drum machine fast rhythm with assorted riffs. On Reign In Blood, the band was subtly able to make each fast song feel different. Darkness Descends managed to do it even better and make each song even more distinctive, but I digress.

It's also not a particularly good sign when the first riff on the first song of the album sounds like it was recycled from the first riff of the first song on your seminal album. Make whatever death threats you will, but War Ensemble just isn't a perfect song in my eyes because of this Angel of Death plagiarism. It's a damn shame, because the rest of the song is absolutely fantastic. The mind-bending verse riff (why the hell wasn't that the intro?! Don't want to run it into the ground I guess); Dave Lombardo's career defining solo; "IT'S HOW MANY PEOPLE I CAN KILL"; Kerry's nightmarish tapping guitar solo around the 3:35 mark....goddamit couldn't they have chosen another root note or something to start the whole thing off with? No, instead we get an almost pandering riff begging the fans that were alienated with South of Heaven to come back. See kids? We still love Reign In Blood. Reign In Blood! Reign in Blood!

There are some genuine classics here and not 90% ones like War Ensemble. Those songs are Blood Red, Hallowed Point, Spirit In Black, and the malevolent title track. Goddamn I fucking love the title track. Very rarely do I listen to songs on repeat when I first pick up an album but that was one of them. Sometimes I would get super impatient and skip right to the end of the album just to hear it. Anyone who dislikes this pandemic piece of pyramid pageantry is a hipster, a cunt, an asshole, a dweebie, or some miserable tumblr feltching combination of all four. You want dynamics in your Slayer? Behold the middle eastern clean guitar lick that makes you cringe as the hot desert sands slice through your face. You want a chorus? Close your eyes and forget your name. You want a monster of a guitar solo? As much as I love my beloved Crionics, I can't disagree too much with anyone who wants to say this was Jeff and Kerry's finest lead moment. Rumor has it that Kerry took some guitar lessons before recording Seasons, and good on him because it shows.

It's so strange to me that South Of Heaven was seen as experimental and Seasons In The Abyss is seen as a return to thrash roots. So much so when talking to metal veterans they would recommend I get this album first. If anything I think these folks have it backwards. Seasons feels the overall slower of the two with a much smaller thrash-to-non-thrash ratio. Which isn't to say the non-thrash parts are bad, though they definitely yield mixed results. On certain days Dead Skin Mask is alright, and other days its every bit as bad it's harshest critics says it is. Skeletons of Society, everyone says this one is underrated but I think the word they actually mean is interminable. The song is only the 4th longest track on the album yet it feels 7 minutes too long, especially with that outro. And then there's Temptation. Piece. of. Shit. If Slayer, for you, died in a horrible gardening accident after 1991, then this is by far their worst song. I can't hit the skip button fast enough when this turd starts. They kept this in the setlist after their American Carnage tour where they played Seasons In The Abyss front to back live. Talk about a need to exit piece by piece. From the anus.

Seasons In The Abyss is the last attempt at what was once the most brutal band in the land trying and ultimately failing to retain that title amongst the oncoming storm of black and death metal. It's not a failure, and can very much be seen as one of the best metal albums of 1990, but hindsight is a harsh mistress. For better or worse, it has dictated that when this was when the cracks in the armor revealed themselves.

Recommended tracks:
Seasons In The Abyss
Blood Red

Signs of fatigue - 75%

Felix 1666, March 22nd, 2016
Written based on this version: 1990, CD, Def American Recordings

Let's come directly to the point: "War Ensemble", the first detonation of the fifth full-length of Slayer, is massively inspired by their greatest classic. A relentless neckbreaker with a length of almost five minutes, frightening guitars at the beginning, a combination of furious eruptions and mid-paced parts and an atmosphere of martial brutality - all these traits seem to be derived from "Angel of Death". But who has the power to resist his own success formula? Anyway, "War Ensemble" presents itself as a vehement opener and it comes close to the murderous quintessence of Slayer's early works. No doubt, the originators of three of the best thrash albums of all times are still able to compose and implement fanatic tracks. Yet it is also a fact that the divine aura of their signature song remains unrivalled. "Angel of Death" is the original, "War Ensemble" appears as the little brother with similar facial features. Thankfully, I like little brothers very much (my big sister takes a more differentiated view).

However, the most impressive artwork of "Seasons in the Abyss" is the title track which finishes the album. The riffing commutes between desperation and devastation, an unholy aura is omnipresent and despite or exactly because of the rather leisurely rocking mid-tempo rhythm, the song possesses the right amount of heaviness. The oriental opening, the fairly catchy chorus and the general structure of the track leave a major impact. I recommend to watch the official video on YouTube, because the pyramids, the Sphinx, the desert and the "strange" people intensify the atmosphere of the song in a significant manner. Just as "South of Heaven", the title track does not reveal the typical features of Slayer's first albums. However, this closer takes the album on a good level. Only a "good" level? Unfortunately, the answer is yes. I hate to say it, but not much happens between the opener and the title track.

Without question, the thrash kings of the eighties can rely on their huge potential and they are not yet infected with modern ideas. Therefore, "Seasons in the Abyss" does not insult the listener with half-baked songs. Yet one cannot ignore that a certain number of pieces lacks of captivating details. Too many mid-paced parts show up. Of course, the title track provides evidence that Slayer have more to offer than merciless velocity. Nevertheless, the raging speed attacks have established the reputation of the band. It is therefore slightly annoying that Araya and the rest of the gang don't give a damn about their past. The result is that tracks like "Expendable Youth" or the anti-communistic "Blood Red" fail to make my blood boil. Speed eruptions such as "Hallowed Point" or "Born of Fire" are better, but it becomes clear that the adequate level of fury cannot be reached in view of the high number of mid-tempo breathers. The intensity of the first three albums has an intoxicating effect, but the here reviewed work spits on intensity, due to whatever reason. I don't say that the rather slow-moving creations lack of interesting riffs. In particular "Skeletons of Society" reveals a constantly rasping guitar work which constitutes the fundament for the good emergence of the song. But generally speaking, Hanneman's and King's compositions show unexpected variations in quality. In a nutshell, the eight songs between the opener and the closer are solid. No four-course menu, but also no cheap fast food. Some people say that "Dead Skin Mask" stands out due to its gloomy aura and the concise main riff, but I don't share this point of view. It is just another good song.

Finally, the production cannot compete with those of the two predecessors. It goes without saying that it cannot be blamed for being blurred, thin or paltry. Yet the amazing degree of pressure and transparency is missing. This is a shame, because exactly this detail has ennobled both "Reign in Blood" and "South of Heaven", quite irrespective of the fact that their gargantuan third full-length has thousands of further advantages. With that said, let's face it. At the end of the day, it is sad but true: "South of Heaven" has shown the first cracks - and after this initial sign of dilapidation, right here and right now the monument of Slayer begins to crumble at an alarming pace. Well, the band still does not drop below an acceptable level. Despite the absence of a diabolic aura, "Seasons in the Abyss" is - I repeat: it definitely is - a good record, but it hovers light years away from the quality of Slayer's Holy Trinity which began with "Evil Has No Boundaries" and ended with "Raining Blood".

Diversified, mostly satisfying - 75%

gasmask_colostomy, July 5th, 2015

As a general rule, I don't like Slayer all that much. For me, their music does sound like it is dominated by a few main elements, which are usually strong and exciting, yet don't reward a long listening time. In other words, I rarely listen to Slayer by deliberate choice and there are many thrash bands that I would choose to experience ahead of them. There's something dry or predictable about them, and for a band who want to sound crazed and out of control, that can be a problem. That said, I sometimes find it a little difficult to agree with people about which Slayer album I like best.

'Seasons in the Abyss' has one distinct advantage and one obvious disadvantage over most of Slayer's other work. The advantage is that it is generally more varied and boasts a less repetitive attack than 'Reign in Blood' and its like, though the disadvantage is that it can't hope to live up to the intensity and fury of that kind of album. For me, the mid-paced songs here work very well and actually remain more memorable to me than the quick ones, which just sound generally like Slayer and not much else, even if some of them are pretty exciting. The reason why they blur is because I'm not a sucker for pure speed, I actually prefer a sure momentum with some element of hook or groove or movement: I can actually see Kerry King stand still as he blasts out some of those razor-sharp riffs, just like he does when he plays live, and I would prefer riffs that make me run around and lose my head. That's why 'Diabolus in Musica' wasn't a terrible album for me and also why this album has its charms over something more straight-ahead, in the stylistic sense at least. Here, the band straddle the divide between fast and medium pace about 50/50 and it gives me a lot more chance to work my way into the album and appreciate the musicianship, rather than just being brushed off by unwelcoming music.

I have a little problem with the tone on this album, though the production and mix are pretty good. The guitar tone is too rounded and not trebly enough for the kind of vicious music that Slayer plays, so that the faster songs actually end up blurring and not sounding as cut-throat as they should, while the groovier numbers don't suffer so much. The opening of 'Skeletons of Society', for example, simply sounds flat and lifeless because its riff remains at a very low intensity, where it should be livelier and sharper. The number of riffs is not a problem, coming thick and fast in most songs and adding enough variety and detail to songs, including the shorter numbers. I prefer the leads here to some of the purely extreme effects from the past, since I need that melodic presence to hollow out a song and create a space for serotonin to flourish, not only adrenaline. Those bursts of noise from Kerry King crop up, but aren't overused in the same way as on 'Reign in Blood', and the leads seem generally to have been thought about for longer and had care spent on them. Unfortunately, something keeps the drums from sounding sharp as well, so that Dave Lombardo can't accelerate or drive the songs up a notch with any real force, only maintain the position that the rest of the band have come to. I have a problem with Tom Araya's vocals in general, and this album hardly represents a high point for them: in the fast songs, he tends to let out a stream of words with one kind of phrasing and little change in intonation, so that the monotony of some of the quicker songs is hard to bear, since the vocals have a much more concentrated sound than the guitar.

For all my criticisms, there are certainly some good songs on this record, and Slayer were never slouches in terms of pure musicianship or creating excitement. Almost all of the pure thrash songs rule, although I do wonder a little about 'Blood Red' - perhaps it wasn't necessary to be included. Some people have stated problems with 'Dead Skin Mask' and 'Expendable Youth', but the slightly repetitive and downbeat nature of those songs strikes me differently in different moods, usually satisfying me and occasionally pissing me off. The title track is not quite what it's cracked up to be and I personally don't find it the best song here, which I would say is either 'War Ensemble' or 'Hallowed Point', one for being viciously direct and striking and the other...for exactly the same reason. That's what Slayer do best. 'Seasons in the Abyss' isn't a great Slayer album, but it isn't boring or the same as the last one, which is good enough for most.

Let me out of here, Mr. Gein! - 78%

Brainded Binky, December 13th, 2014

Whether you're really into Slayer to the point of carving the band's logo into your arm or not, there's no arguing in the fact that Slayer has had quite a huge influence in the world of metal as we know it. Their dark and sinister, yet aggressive work has paved the way for more thrash metal bands, as well as the birth of death metal. The band decided to change their sound a little bit when 1990 rolled around, however, toning it down a notch with the release of "Seasons in the Abyss". We have some songs that are crowd favorites, but others don't quite make the cut.

"Seasons in the Abyss" is what many consider to be Slayer's equivalent of Metallica's "black album", and not without good reason. Slayer seems to have slowed down the tempos of their songs quite a bit, resulting in songs like "Expendable Youth" being slower, and some fans put off. Like with the black album, however, the songs still maintain their crunch and sinister tone, so that the only thing really needed to change those songs in any way is to simply speed them up. Unlike Metallica's black album, however, we do get some of what Slayer does best; speedy tempos. They appear in each verse of "War Ensemble", and although the song's tempo gets cut in half during the chorus and afterwords, it's evidence that Slayer hasn't completely deleted its roots. It's why if I was given the choice between "Seasons in the Abyss" or the black album, I would go with the former, cos at least Slayer's album has some fast ones on it.

Even the ones that aren't fast seem to carry the haunting message that Slayer conveys. "Dead Skin Mask" has a sinister and foreboding hook at the beginning and during the chorus, something I would expect them to do, even if the song was about serial killer Ed Gein instead of their usual topic of Satanism. The band also has their signature chugging riff in other parts of the song, like during each verse. The song really isn't much in terms of fast tempos, as it is pretty mid-paced, but I can see why that particular song can be a crowd favorite. It's still got the characteristics that make up a classic Slayer song, except the speedy tempos. Again, if the song was to be changed in order to appease any nitpicky thrasher, all that would need to happen is to speed up the tempo, and it would be set. Personally, I like it the way it is, 'cos the forbidding nature of the opening riff really sets the atmosphere of Mr. Gein's Wisconsin cabin full of dead body parts and items made from human skin.

Another dramatic change Slayer has made is in the lyrics. Up until this album, the band focused more on Satanism, the topic that many of the uninitiated often associate with metal in general. It seems that Slayer wanted to break away from that common stereotype, as the subject matters seem to be a little less about the devil and more about other things. Instead, we get more of war-related lyrics as well as serial killers and insanity. Those lyrical themes were covered in Slayer songs on previous albums, so it shouldn't really come as any surprise. What does come as a surprise, however is the lack of Satan on "Seasons in the Abyss". I'd have to admit that the whole "Satan" thing is really cliched, but in Slayer's case, it's part of their charm. That charm still remains in songs like "Spirit in Black" and "Born of Fire", showing that even when changing their style a little bit, they still hold true to what got them the most attention in the first place. It's what pushed the rage buttons of moral guardians across the globe. It's good that Slayer still has it, for if the band were to get rid of their Satanic style, it would be like Metallica going country (look how well that turned out!).

There's one thing that I seem to find annoying that makes this album at a lower level than what many consider to be Slayer's greatest effort, "Reign in Blood", and that's the fact that Tom Araya tries to sing melodies in the songs rather than belting them out. Although he's sang melodies before, the melodies in "Seasons in the Abyss" all sound the same. Just listen to "Blood Red", "Expendable Youth" and the title track, and you'd hear pretty much the same melody. For this reason, I don't really listen to the songs that sound more generic, like "Blood Red", 'cos they sound like the exact same song as "Skeletons of Society", even thought the tempos are different. The riffs of those two songs sound eerily similar as well, thus adding to their clone factor. Even the songs that I would consider "good" suffer this, including "Dead Skin Mask", for it features a similar hook during the verses.

Slayer hasn't completely sold out, but "Seasons in the Abyss" shows some signs of faltering. Yes, I do enjoy some songs on here, like "War Ensemble" and "Dead Skin Mask", but then again, who wouldn't? They're the songs that redeem this album from being recognized as a total waste. It's definitely not anywhere near being as good as anything Slayer released before, but it does have its charms. Even with these changes made, it's nowhere near as bad as Metallica's black album, not by a long shot.

A Dry Hot Season In Hell - 97%

televiper11, May 10th, 2013

Seasons In The Abyss completes Slayer's triptych of albums for Def American with Rick Rubin at the helm. And like the previous South Of Heaven and Reign In Blood, Seasons consolidates gains made previously and has stood the weathering effects of time with ease. That it is not quite as good as those previous two albums is no real knock against it, though it does falter on the precipice of being Slayer's last truly great record.

Slayer truly flourished under Rick Rubin, trimming the fat, dialing back the effects and just going for the jugular with a bone-dry/air-tight production that has really stood the test of time. Whereas other late 80's thrash albums have a dated feel in their production, Seasons just rips from the first note of 'War Ensemble' onward. And 'War Ensemble' is a totally whiplash inducing evil thrash monster. Written (like all of Slayer's best tracks) by Jeff Hanneman, it blasts forth like artillery, harkening back to the nastiest tracks off Reign In Blood yet betraying a further depth of Hanneman refining his hardcore punk leanings into trickier metal territories. 'Blood Red' is a nice slowdown into atmospheric darkness, showing Slayer operating in Hegelian synthesis with their previous two records, though one could argue that the continuing alternations between brutal thrash and slower grooving numbers gets a little monotonous over a slightly padded 42min run time. I find that a minor quibble personally as the songwriting here is generally excellent.

To pick at the one minor scab that keeps Seasons from outright classic perfection, it would be the slightly dreary 'Skeletons Of Society,' with its relatively bland mid-tempo riffs extended past the point of redundancy -- a minimalist, low-brow groove that would sadly haunt this band for the rest of their career. Otherwise though, its all winners. True favorites over the years include 'Spirit In Black,' a galloping onslaught of thunderous thrash and primitive grooves. This tracks grows through several different iterations and is absolutely blazing by the finish. 'Dead Skin Mask' is as catchy as it is creepy, highlighting Slayer's bizarre fascination with the most disturbed mindsets. 'Temptation' is also killer, though different from the norm, focusing on heavily accentuated hardcore/crossover grooves of the NYHC variety. Written by King, 'Temptation' points the way toward a better incorporation of these influences than what actually came to pass from his pen.

The masterpiece though is the title track, six-minutes and thirty-six seconds of Stygian darkness culled from the depths of Hanneman's songwriting ability. This was the track that originally got me into Slayer with frightened baby-steps towards a band that in 1990 was still utterly terrifying to those of us unexposed to true metal. Perfectly coupled to Hanneman's morosely parched and dying sounds are Araya's lyrics of sanity lost amid ritual sacrifice. The lyrics throughout the album are particularly sharp and diverse, tackling everything from otherworldly horror to modern-day warfare to late-80's cultural alienation.

With Jeff Hanneman's passing fresh on the mind, this record becomes even more poignant for as it stands, Seasons In The Abyss completes a three album run of excellence nearly unrivaled in all of metal. Despite later declines, inner-feuds and departures, and underwhelming returns, one truth remains: these early albums are utterly unfuckwithable. Slayer forever!

Slayer's Last Hurrah. - 84%

Metal_Jaw, September 17th, 2012

"Seasons In The Abyss" is an interesting album. It's often considered to be the last really decent Slayer record, yet it's also the one that divides the fandom in two, some considering it a classic, while others deride it as a lame, poorly-produced effort. I'm in the middle ground, as my dumb ass usually is. While it is certainly a big step down from "South of Heaven", it's not awful, but really not too great either.

The band is really just okay on this one. Araya's bass is now pretty much nonexistent, and he still won't scream; he mostly just depends on that yelling and shouting, not to mention a fair amount of clean growling going on too. Hanneman and King's guitar work is still really good; lots of riffs to go around, but here they sound like they're going through the motions a bit. Lombardo is still probably the only full-on ass-kicker here, again turning that kit into mush from his aggressive hammering and relentless cymbal-slaughtering.

The production is unusual, sounding loud, raw and often sounding a bit too clean, though I do dig the guitar tone. I guess they were going for a more modern production, which would explain the somewhat proto-groove tendencies of some of the songs. Take for example the lame and overrated "Dead Skin Mask", which would be total shit if it weren't for the guitar tone. But man does it sound like a Slipknot song at times, with those whispered vocals sometimes popping up, not to mention the limp dick solo and repetitive riffage. Other songs aren't as as bad, like "Blood Red" or "Born of Fire", but man oh man are they uninspired; very, very fillerish.
At least the better songs outweigh the weaker. "Skeletons of Society", while itself also being fairly groovish in nature, is at least much catchier than "Dead Skin Mask" and has a stronger solo. Speedier numbers like "Hallowed Point" with its killer solos or the particularly catchy "Spirit In Black" are quite good as well. Then the opener "War Ensemble". Oh boy, definitely a Slayer classic. Not "South of Heaven" or "Hell Awaits" great but still a very solid and awesomely aggressive number, complete with the immortal line "The final swing is not a drill, IT'S HOW MANY PEOPLE I CAN KILL!!!" Lastly, the epic title track and closer. Not my personal favorite, I do like it a lot less than most fans, but still the song has great mood, buildup and riffage.

Overall, "Seasons In The Abyss" is a mixed bag. Not a bad bag, but not top of the shelf either. Some of the songs kick a great amount of ass or are just lame or forgettable. I don't know what else to say except that while the album is worthwhile, don't expect "Hell Awaits" or "South of Heaven" here. Do try to appreciate as the last solid Slayer album, before the boys slipped down that hill into an abyss of mediocrity and total shit from which they have yet to escape...

Slayer - Seasons in the Abyss - 90%

Orbitball, July 30th, 2012

When I first heard this album, my first impression from the recording quality was the absolute pits. But then something happened that doesn't really do: it grew on me and I understood with Rick Rubin as the producer, he achieved that "raw" sound in the lurk vibe, which made the guitars, vocals and drums more life-like. Like the music flowed well with that audio, that production quality. Again, it took time before I realized that this is what made Slayer dominate during the 80-90's was their old school type of recordings.

There is no into to this one just fast guitar riffing right from the beginning. Of course there's so much variety in the tempos here, the guitar riffs are thick, heavily distorted, with leads that are wickedly fast. Every song you don't know what to expect speed-wise. It goes from fast to moderate to slow. All of the tempos vary depending on which song you choose to pick out. This album is entirely original from every aspect.

Musically the riffs are really catchy and well thought out. An experience here is a good one if your genre is thrash metal. Riff-wise Jeff and Kerry put together some bar chords that are thick sounding, fast tremolo picked outputs as well, and moderate to mild and I mean mild like on "Dead Skin Mask". That song is a great example of exploring the life of a murderer Ed Gein. A child's voice is featured on that one towards the end of the song. Really eerie.

The lead department on here is still good. Hard to hear the difference between which guitar player is which, either Jeff or Kerry. You'd have to look on the insert to finalize who plays which solo. The riffs here are incredible. Fast, furious, ferocious, aggressive, unrelenting, then for varieties purposes, a song about a serial killer like I mentioned. Pure ingenuity on here. Amazing riffs that astonish the listener. The riffs go well with the lyrics too!

There is less focus on Satanism and anti-Christianity lyric-wise on this album. The lyrics talk about more about war that anything else. It seems like they put in an extra effort than just mindless evil, brutal words. More of dealing with like I said war and somewhat to dealing with politics plus anti-Christianity, though not that much. War is what comes out of this abomination than anything else. Very aggressive album.

If you don't own this Slayer album, do yourself a favor: pick it up as soon as possible! Talk about aggression here, hate, and just an overall chilling experience to listen to. Not knowing what to expect here is key, but once you've heard the album a couple or more times, the more it will make sense to you. Slayer totally captivates thrash metal and plays it with vigor. All of the guitars, vocals and drums are an especially violent revolution. Own it now!

History repeats itself? Well, Slayer does anyway - 80%

morbert, October 20th, 2009

For the first time in their career Slayer released a copy of an earlier album. The growth of their first 5 years obviously stagnated and now the band focussed more on perfecting and crystallising everything they had tried earlier. The result is called “Seasons in the Abyss”.

Whereas South of Heaven did have a few faster songs, they increased the amount a bit here to achieve a better balance. The best example of the slow-fast approach the band attempted on South Of Heaven and perfects right here would be ‘Spirit In Black’.
As far as slow material goes, ‘Dead Skin Mask’ and ‘Seasons in the Abyss’ simply continue the slow eerie slow thrash approach the band experimented with on South Of Heaven. Both these songs have good melodies and keep up the tension throughout. The band, especially Araya, sound a lot more at ease this time on this kind of material making the songs sound convincing as hell.

Next improvement was that the faster songs on ‘Seasons in the Abyss’ were much better than the ones on South Of Heaven. Okay, they’re not on par with their best efforts from Hell Awaits nor Reign In Blood, but especially ‘War Ensemble’ and ‘Born Of Fire’ are simply superb well composed furious thrashers with a high level of catchiness.

And of course there were the groovy mid paced songs. Remember how Araya almost single-handedly killed ‘Behind The Crooked Cross’’ on South Of Heaven? Well, he has learned much, found his strength again and really adds something to ‘Blood Red’, ‘Expendable Youth’ and ‘Skeletons Of Society’ this time. I wish he had given a performance like this two years earlier.

Now what is it that makes this album still not good enough to be called an excellent slayer album? Simply two things. Lack of true character and production. The lack of character lies in the fact that the band only uses old tricks here and mainly focuses on three key types of songs, strategically placed upon the album. A very contrived album to be honest and of course playing very safe.
The production, though better than South Of Heaven as far as drums and vocals go, still falls a bit short concerning the guitars. King & Hanneman both have a ‘fluffy’ sound which suits the mid- and slow paced material better than the really fast songs. As far as the guitars go I still prefer the much sharper Reign In Blood or even Divine Intervention approach. Thrash guitars should have more definition than here on Seasons in the Abyss.

“Seasons in the Abyss” is just good. Nothing more, nothing less.

Yeah, we know "Reign in Blood" is brutal, but... - 90%

TheCallOfTheAethyrs, February 8th, 2009

Throughout the 1980s, Slayer had been perhaps THE leading force in extreme thrash metal. While their contemporaries like Metallica and Megadeth were gradually streamlining their sound and appealing to major audiences, Slayer seemed to be doing anything to make sure they stood alone. And indeed, they did. While "Show No Mercy" and "Hell Awaits" were definitely feral, unrelenting, brutal examples of no-frills thrash, "Reign in Blood" took those elements into then-unchartered territory. It was a half-hour slab of flesh-ripping sonic torture, dragging you in and pummeling you with a psychotic, bloodthirsty frenzy, clearing out just as fast as it had arrived. Perhaps the band themselves realized they couldn't possibly top the speed and mayhem on "Reign in Blood", so 1988's "South of Heaven" was confusing to many fans because the songs were, for the most part, slower and more doomy in approach. It's a criminally underrated album, but in my opinion it's one of their highlights. Then came "Seasons in the Abyss" in 1990, which was their highest charting album at the time and their best-selling. Many fans have remarked it's kind of a middle ground between the speed of "Reign" and the slower, more sinister atmosphere of "South of Heaven". That's about as good a description as any.

"War Ensemble" starts things off in fine form, with perhaps their most recognized guitar riff next to "Angel of Death". This is one of the fastest songs on the album, and one of the longest. Dave Lombardo proves once again why he's regarded as one of the best metal drummers of all time, while Tom Araya shouts and screams over the racket like a demented Gen. Patton barking orders. The soloing by Jeff Hannemann and Kerry King is still plenty atonal and shrieky, but there's also a subtle sense of melody seldom heard before, or after, this album. "Blood Red" is a more mid-paced number with some catchy riffs during the chorus. The song concerns the Tiananmen Square massacre in Bejing in 1989, where over a thousand protestors were slaughtered. This album is really where Slayer's current lyrical fixation of tyrannical governments, social decay, and criminal insanity came into full focus, abandoning the Satanism of past albums. "Spirit in Black", though, makes a brief return to their early lyrical musings, and this song is also a fast, ripping example of their style of thrash. Tom's vocals are actually intelligible throughout most of the album, making the lyrics easy to follow. "Expendable Youth" weaves a tale of adolescents wasting away in inner-city gang violence. Tempo-wise, this is one of their "slow" songs although "slow" and "Slayer" put together really shouldn't mean such a bad thing like a lot of these reviewers seem to think. This isn't surprising for the band, since Los Angeles was pretty much a war zone at the start of the 1990s. It's a stark, blunt depiction of the cruelty and the waste of gang violence, the pointlessness and futility. Next up is "Dead Skin Mask", a chilling soliloquy about Ed Gein, the "Plainsfield Butcher" of the early 1950s. Tom's vocals take on a detached, ghostly, droning quality which fits the song VERY well... perhaps TOO well. The voiceover at the end of one of Gein's captives lends the song a gruesome, ghastly ambience. A sickening, deathly dirge, and then "Hallowed Point" rips wide open, hammering you from all directions. The lyrics are pretty graphic, seemingly a demented tale of a mass murderer, and it's one of those classic Slayer songs you just need to thrash around to.

The last half of the album to me, for some reason, seems to lose some momentum, but still provide a nice, stiff kick in the teeth. "Skeletons of Society" is a post-apocalyptic tale of a world falling to pieces, which at the time, I'm sure, was very appropriate and could easily be set to a montage of news footage of some recent events of today. "Temptation" is not exactly a blindingly fast scorcher, but at the same time, not a "South..." type funeral march. It juggles the two styles, and due to a studio mistake, Tom tracked two different vocal takes for this song. The first take was supposed to be erased because Kerry had his own idea for how Tom should sing the song, but the first take remained along with Tom's re-recorded vocals and the double-tracked vocal lines create a spooky vibe. "Born of Fire" is a short, to-the-point thrasher, marking another return to the Satanic lyrics of Slayer's past. To be honest, this song is forgettable compared to the closing cut, the monstrous, overpowering title track. A doom-laden, foreboding opening section with some haunting, well-played clean guitar lines, conjuring a picture of a deranged killer sitting in his hideout, surrounded by the dismembered bodies of his victims, ripping his own face to shreds and screaming at nothing but the dead audience spread around him. The song is one of Slayer's longest, and definitely their darkest, ever. I read somewhere it was inspired by the crimes of Ted Bundy (who, prior to the album's release, had been executed for the savage murders of some thirty women) but whatever the inspiration was, it's perhaps Slayer's most intricate. haunting song.

There is a lot of dissention over this album. Some fans love it; others despise it, citing the seeming "commercial" edge. I've never been caught up in silly purist bullshit, and I strongly suggest this album for all Slayer fans who are perhaps a bit more open-minded, and for thrash fans in general.

Slowing the winds of oblivion. - 84%

hells_unicorn, July 22nd, 2008

If there is one position that a thrash fan would never like to be put in, it is a state of cognitive dissonance between what he personally enjoys and what the scene may see as inferior material. Although not quite as strict in its limited stylistic evolution as black metal, there are certain avenues that tend to be unacceptable in thrash metal quarters, and slowing down and utilizing groove more often than in a few sporadic changeup sections tends to fall into that. But there is a fine line between what constitutes all out groove metal in all of its dim witted majesty, it’s mostly poor panhandling half-thrash predecessor, and what is instead a better fit of catchiness and aggression than what is normally accepted as standard.

There’s this bandwagon mentality that tends to accompany either absolutely loving or loathing this release, because there isn’t really anything on here that is offensive or boring, nor is there any fits of unfettered speed and rage. The production, the riff collection, the vocal delivery, and every thing else is an even match of the fast paced Slayer that pushed the boundaries in the mid-80s and the seasoned discipline of a soldier. The mixing quality is just a tiny bit short of the extremely polished sound of Metallica’s self-titled, while the lead guitar tracking is as crystal clear as the glass door of an unused shower, and the bass being about an inaudible as was the case on Metallica’s “And Justice For All”.

The solos themselves are the overall highlight if you’re looking for something that breaks out of the solid arrangement category and represents the more out-of-control side that Slayer was better known from earlier in their career. Hanneman and King dish out the usual neo-tonal smatterings of rapid scale ascensions and 3 and 4 note clusters and sequenced patterns, which negotiate this cleaner cut version of the band well when considering how their style was originally crafted for a much more extreme sound. Even when things slow down the leads somehow manage to maintain their extreme edge, serving up a better version of the half-thrash atmosphere than what was encountered a couple years later.

When the songs are faster and closer to the Reign in Blood/Hell Awaits sound, everything manages to maintain a solidly good to exciting ratio. If there is a best of the fast paced thrashers it’s “War Ensemble”, which is almost a more compact and controlled version of “Hell Awaits” meets a more discernable version of “Angel of Death”. The structure is a little more of a methodical fast to slow and back to fast thrasher than the epic riff machines it sounds similar to, but it gets the job done nicely. “Hollowed Point” and “Born of Fire” reach the closest to the bash your best friend’s head in with a shovel, vomit on the masses brand of speedy thrash that most in the scene eat up, but are constructed much more symmetrical riff and lead break wise than the pre-South of Heaven material. Everything else in the fast category tends to fall into a middle ground between these two extremes, and consequently don’t stick out quite as much.

The slower material gets a little bit mixed, but nothing really crosses over into being the brain killing, chug-a-chug tribal groove that dominated the mid to late 90s. “Dead Skin Mask” and “Expendable Youth” are a little too slow and not quite as interesting as the bulk of South of Heaven’s parallel material. The vocal delivery on the former is a little bit awkward, and the spoken section is more silly than scary, but the music itself stays interesting. “Skeletons of Society” is probably the simplest and most groove-like of all the individual songs on here, but it also proves to be the most fun and head nod worthy. If you don’t like simplistic riff work and a catchy chorus, it will obviously not appeal to you, but if we have nothing but thrashers from start to finish the intended effect tends to diminish quickly.

As is usually the case on a good Slayer album, most of the greatest ideas are reserved for the title track. Instead of a fairly repetitive doom riff that sounds like a slow version of “Reign in Blood” (South of Heaven), the intro has this dark atmospheric quality that sounds middle-eastern, but with this almost Southern sounding slow riff superimposed upon it. When it kicks into the main riff it takes on a heavier mid-tempo character but with an underlying epic feel. The chorus is extremely memorable and occurs with the same regularity as your typically structured song. What it may lack in total numbers of riffs it makes up for with a perfect execution, as Tom Araya gets about as close to melodic singing as he has ever gotten. The lyrics are also extremely progressive and intellectual in comparison to past work, taking a sort of philosophical approach that matches up with similar progressive death/thrash albums of the time such as Death’s “Human” and Darkthrone’s “Soulside Journey”.

As far as the reputation that this album has gotten over the past 18 years or so, everyone opining on it tends to sound like a seasoned critic yet misses the mark entirely on this album. It isn’t the poison groove pill that many think it is, nor is it quite a classic in the same vein as “South of Heaven” or “Hell Awaits”. It’s sort of a compromise between those two contrasting eras of Slayer with some very limited modern elements. There comes a time where you either let a collective misconception of this album’s nature based on the time of it’s release and what was going on around it prevent you from enjoying it, or you simply tune out all the chatter and let your own ears be the judge of things. If you choose the latter, you will likely find yourself enjoying this as much as most other top tier thrash metal releases.

whatever - 41%

Noktorn, February 17th, 2008

For such a loud and fast album with so many riffs, 'Seasons In The Abyss' sure is a boring one. This is the first time I've had an entire album full of songs I remember very well, not because they're actually good, but just because they're designed to be memorable. I actually find the benighted later albums of Slayer to be more interesting than this; at least they're less middle-of-the-road. I hate mediocre things much more than I do genuinely bad ones, so this album gets a lot of ire from me.

So there's two songs on this album: fast, thrashy ones, and slower, more melodic ones. Neither category is very exciting, particularly when the latter ones are so openly groove-laden and overtly accessible. 'Dead Skin Mask' is the most typically scorned for its fairly dumb main riff and silly vocal performance, but I think 'Skeletons Of Society' is even more fundamentally awkward and openly unnecessary. The title track is probably the best song on here, probably because it sounds like it came from earlier in the band's career, to some degree. It's at least moderately entertaining, most of all in the enjoyable if somewhat cheesy chorus.

The fast songs all just run together. 'War Ensemble' is a kind of Slayer classic, though I'm not sure why: it's just a collection of fast riffs and drumming and vocals with no real substance to it. It's just a list of thrash conventions, really. I like 'Spirit In Black', 'Hallowed Point', and 'Born Of Fire'; they more or less sound aggressive and convincing. But then there's tracks like 'Expendable Youth' which are just complete abortions from top to bottom, or 'Temptation' which isn't offensive but just fizzles out lamely. 'Blood Red' is filler. Oh wait, it looks like that's all the tracks. There's little content here. Four out of ten tracks are worth listening to. Not a very good ratio by Slayer standards.

Production and playing are adequate if unexceptional, as you would expect.

Honestly, I just expect more from the band, and if they can't deliver more, I expect much, much less. This is an inoffensive album which occasionally gets my head nodding, but apart from that, doesn't really move me in any way. It's still Slayer; there's a lot of atonal solos, 'classic' thrash riffing (though it seems more by-the-numbers and uneventful than ever), and Araya screams and shouts a lot and supposedly plays bass though you couldn't tell it from the mix. If you particularly care a great deal about Slayer, get it, otherwise, Slayer is dead, 'Reign In Blood' is the best album ever because it's the fastest, Slaaaaayeeeer, 'Hell Awaits' was better, etc.

South of Reign - 50%

Thulsa_Doom, July 12th, 2007

What Metalhead doesn’t know Slayer? Slayer remain one of the most popular, recognized and influential (for better or worse) bands in the history of the Metal. A typical discussion of fans’ favourite albums almost inevitably brings up this album. Many consider it as a classic album worthy enough to be placed alongside Reign In Blood. This was among the first albums of this band that I ever bought and throughout my teens always considered it to be among the best albums Slayer had to offer. Now, with the benefits of age and many more years experience of metal and other forms of music, I’ve come to a different conclusion.

After releasing the hyper-fast and aggressive Reign in Blood, Slayer countered by going slower (in a relative sense) with South of Heaven. As a follow up to the latter, Slayer sought to combine these two elements in this album. The results, as often is the case when one tries to reconcile two antithetical elements, is middling at best.

The album opens furiously with War Ensemble, a wonderful thrash fest of a song that is justifiably considered a classic song nowadays. This track just sears with intensity and compositionally speaking, is a very well written song and has always been one my favourite songs by this band.

Blood Red is next, and to be honest, I never grasped what the hype about this song was. The intro riff is mildly interesting and the main riff is typical of Slayer’s use of melody, but this song has never gelled with me. This song never really develops into anything interesting and its only redeeming quality is that it’s the shortest song on the disc. Spirit in Black also suffers from this: a somewhat interesting intro riff is lost in an abyss of indifferent and unoriginal riffing. I’ve always felt Born of Fire and Spirit in Black should’ve been fused together and the result would’ve been one awesome song, as opposed to two mediocre ones.

Expendable Youth is one of the mid-tempo songs and to be honest, its one of the most boring songs this band has ever written. This song makes Gemini sound like a Cryptopsy song. On South of Heaven, when Slayer somewhat slowed things down, they at least had great riffs to compensate for the relative lack of speed. The riffs in this song are dull and uninteresting. There is nothing to make this song compelling. How and why people rave about it is beyond me. Skeletons of Society is another mid-tempo song that is completely forgettable.

Hallowed Point is a pretty good song, but I’ve always had the impression that Slayer ran out of ideas for this one after the two minute mark and so Kerry King and Jeff Henneman decided to fill-out the time by trading solos. Temptation, despite making a cat headbang in one briefly popular internet video, is another mediocre song that isn’t memorable outside its intro.

Dead Skin Mask and the title track are songs that I still enjoy today but this album has little to offer me nowadays. This album is too self-conscious and deliberate for its own good. By attempting to reach a compromise between the dominant, and in Slayer’s case contradictory, aesthetics of South of Heaven and Reign in Blood, they compromised the quality of their music. Previous albums had their hiccups and small flaws, but all were still excellent albums that are justifiably heavily praised to this day. This album has some great ideas, but many of them are squandered by this band’s insistence on providing some sort of a balance. Essentially, Slayer are intentionally watering themselves down and lowering their standards. Would you expect to find any sub-standard elements on any of this band’s previous albums? Of course not. But this album is filled to gills with mediocre riffs and boring songs. Needless to say, this is a betrayal of what this band once stood for. This album is but the first step in Slayer’s steady and ongoing decline and sadly, things have only gotten worse.

Fragments of What Used to Be. - 22%

Cheeses_Priced, May 12th, 2007

Opinions vary on the subject, but if you ask me, this is when Slayer started to suck. The ferocious attack of their early material has been softened up and even their powers of heavy metal songwriting have failed them.

The best song on the album is in fact the worst one, and that would be “Dead Skin Mask”. Predictable, chorus-driven, and centered around a distinctive riff, it’s what gets played on the radio in Hell. If it’s a pop song by the standards Slayer set on earlier albums, give it credit for being a really good one.

Taking a close second is the title track. This is the only song on the album that actually has a tune, and then only during the chorus. Araya’s attempts at proper singing on South of Heaven are missed. This is Slayer-pop too, but it’s faster so people tend not to notice so much.

The other songs are terrible. Many of them are the most-liked, too – “War Ensemble” seems particularly popular – though I will not pretend to fathom why, other than their being more angry and “more thrash” (not exactly a demanding standard). Boring, monotonous, predictable… oh, I already used the word “predictable” once in this review. Perhaps I should consult a thesaurus. I guess the aim for most of this album is to memorable but aggressive songs, but this only translates into simplistic, lengthy, monotonous, lazy, and otherwise quite aggravating choruses in nearly every song. Slayer decided that melody’s for fags and complexity’s for nerds, and so delivered an album of paint-by-numbers sub-Pantera metal retardation.

Plus the production bites: the guitars have buzz but no edge and the vocals are much too loud, particularly given their strained, atonal delivery.

All in all: this album’s so bad it’s scarcely ten times better than Divine Intervention. As for the band’s subsequent catalog: don’t ask.

Slayer's greatest creation - 95%

Darkwinterdweller, March 19th, 2007

Slayer has always been best known for creating the classic Reign In Blood album. Said to be a thrash masterpiece, some even go as far as to proclaim it as the greatest thrash release ever. While Reign In Blood was certainly memorable and classic, I would have to be one to argue that what we have here is even better. Seasons In The Abyss is in opinion, Slayer's greatest release, unmatched by anything they created before or after. This album is very varied when it comes to speed, some tracks are fast and vicious, while others are slow and haunting. Essentially it combines the fast and sinister nature of Reign In Blood with the slower, more sophisticated dark atmosphere of South Of Heaven.

The music here is straight forward thrash metal. The vocals here are nothing really different out of Tom Araya, which is certainly fine with me. Although they sound more like his performance on South Of Heaven, rather then his vocals on Reign In Blood. Kerry King and Jeff Hanneman once again put on a great performance on guitars, with some of the most catchy and memorable riffs that they have ever produced, my personal favorite performances being on the tracks Dead Skin Mask, Spirit In Black, Skeletons Of Society, and the title track. The drums are quite aggressive, Dave Lombardo manages to come up with inventive fills that never fail to satisfy.

As stated earlier, this album is very varied when it comes to speed and aggression. We have our ruthlessly fast songs, such as War Ensemble, Hallowed Point, Spirit In Black, and Born Of Fire. Then some mid paced tracks thrown in, those being Skeletons Of Society, Blood Red, and Temptation. Then we have songs of slower tempos, such as Expendable Youth, Dead Skin Mask, and the title track. All of this variation makes sure that the listener never becomes bored of the album, as each track brings something new to the table. Definately a good move on there part. Lyrically, this is nothing new really, not that it matters, the lyrics mainly focus on war, death, and corruption. And Dead Skin Mask is of course about Ed Gein's murders.

This is truly a masterpiece they have created here, not much else to be said.

Doesn't live up the hype - 70%

Uom, April 11th, 2006

Judging from the first few listens, this would probably be hailed as the best Slayer album ever recorded. Every song from start to finish, save one (“Temptation”), leaves a mark that makes you want to listen to it again. Never has a Slayer album been this infectious and catchy! Even mad thrashing songs like “War Ensemble” and “Born of Fire” emanate a singy-songy vibe that everybody will remember for a period of time (an ominous sign for a review).

Carrying with what South of Heaven left us, the songs are strategically paced, meaning there are no songs that rekindle the breakneck, frantic, frenetic frenzy of Reign In Blood (although “War Ensemble” comes damn close). In addition, the songs are more commercially viable, so it doesn’t come as a surprise that MTV included the melodic and epic title track in the regular playlist of Headbanger’s Ball.

It then becomes evident that Slayer has matured greatly from their speed metal heydays, evident from their subdued songs and the prominence of mood and atmosphere (“Dead Skin Mask”, the title track), and tuneful solos (!), all of which are a result of improved songwriting.

However, this thing ain’t a Merlot, folks, because at the same time, this is the easiest Slayer album to digest, which is in fact a bad thing. The songs, except again “War Ensemble”, don’t really age well. Part of the problem is the simplified, straightforward attack they supplied the album. Any amazing album challenges the listeners in determining the nuances and the skill of the music before they are able to unfold the greatness of the album. With this, however, almost all of the songs are upfront and naked, as they suffer from the same thrash-chugging riff template. “Blood Red” and “Skeletons of Society” are some of the songs which are nicely composed, memorable, and musically convincing, but after playing it back again and again, given their problems, they sound exhausted and eventually loses their power.

Granted that this album falls a little bit short from its conceived reputation, it still is a worthy listen. It’s just a bit overrated for its own good.

Waaaaaaaaar!!! - 93%

lonerider, February 3rd, 2006

OK, so maybe this album has a nostalgic value for me, being my initiation to the violent world of the (once) mighty Slayer. But even when all sentimental feelings are put aside, this is still objectively their finest release ever. I know all the albums from their classic period – you know, the one beginning with “Show No Mercy” and ending with “Divine Intervention” (yes, despite of what some people would make you believe, there was another worthwhile effort after “Seasons”) –, but none of them are quite as good as this one.

No, not even the much-revered “Reign in Blood.” It might be overall faster and more brutal than “Seasons,” but let’s be realistic here: “Reign” clocks in at under half an hour! I mean, if “Reign” were like fifteen minutes longer, wouldn’t it be rather boring? I like that album as much as anybody, but one major reason why it’s so good is that it’s over before it can get too repetitive, because there certainly isn’t much there in terms of variation. Sure, “Reign” is an undisputable classic, but what if Slayer had gone on to record a couple more thirty-minute-long albums in that vein? Wouldn’t everyone have accused them of copying themselves and being lazy songwriters? And besides, people who won’t acknowledge that “Seasons” has plenty of high-speed thrash assaults on its own should seriously have their ears checked – yeah sure, “War Ensemble” (including that infamous “Waaaaaaaaar!!!” shout by Tom Araya), “Spirit in Black,” “Hallowed Point,” and “Born of Fire” are all pretty lame, aren’t they…

I really think Slayer made the right decision in writing songs for “Seasons” that hearken back to the speed and brutality of “Reign” while retaining some of the better elements of “South of Heaven.” Because that’s exactly what “Seasons” is: a well-balanced blend between the musical directions of its two predecessors. However, thanks to the rediscovered aggression in Tom Araya’s vocals, it never has that slightly whiny undertone by which “South” was marred at times…

Moreover, the alleged lack of riffs on “Seasons” has never occurred to me. It may not exactly be up there with “Darkness Descends,” but believe me, it has all the riffs it needs to make each song effective. After all, while it sure is good to have a great variety of riffs, there’s absolutely no point in artificially stuffing songs chock-full of riffs just for the sake of demonstrating how good you are at playing your guitar. That may have worked on “Darkness Descends,” but it didn’t work all that well on “Time Does Not Heal”… I mean, some people apparently sit in front of their stereo with pen and notepad, meticulously counting every single riff, and god forbid there aren’t at least 200 different riffs played – that album MUST suck by definition…

Well, back to “Seasons”… Apart from the fast songs already mentioned, there are also a couple of rather slow, plodding ones, and they also work really well. “Dead Skin Mask” is very reminiscent of “South of Heaven,” and not one bit as gay as some people claim. On the contrary, with its smooth guitar leads it does a great job at evoking a sinister, menacing atmosphere, though I must say I could have done without that annoying kid screaming at the end… “Expendable Youth,” with its memorable chorus and overall “street gang feel,” is also pretty enjoyable, as are “Skeletons of Society” and the underrated “Temptation.”

Make no mistake, though, the best song on “Seasons” is of course the monumental title track, containing some of the best riffs Hanneman and King have ever penned down. Just thinking about the one that comes right before the main riff – you know, the one Beavis and Butthead used to headbang to – almost makes me drool all over my keyboard (ARRRGH, I think I just electrocuted myself). This song can best be described as epic Thrash, and needless to say, it rules for the entire length of more than six minutes.

An album like “Seasons” really makes me wish Slayer could still write songs like this. As we all know, the band took a turn for the worse (well, MUCH worse) with the Mall-influenced abomination that was “Diabolus in Musica.” Although “God Hates Us All” marked a slight improvement, at least containing a handful of decent songs, it seems very doubtful the guys can return to the glory of old with their next record – if it ever gets released, that is. I mean, are Slayer lazy songwriters or what?! Even dinosaurs like Iron Maiden manage to put out a new record every three years or so…

Choicest cuts: Seasons in the Abyss, War Ensemble, Spirit in Black, Dead Skin Mask, Expendable Youth, Born of Fire

Oh, Come ON, Guys! - 55%

corviderrant, April 21st, 2005

I saw so many reviews praising this release I just had to chip in and offer a dissenting opinion. And dissenting it is in that I find it the beginning of Slayer's weakening as a force to be reckoned with in metal.

Firstly, the production, while better than the tin can ambience of "South of Heaven" is not that good; the guitar sound is still a bit weaker and thinner than "RIB", the bass is as always nonexistent, and the drums still sound like Dave's beating on tin cans. Far from the first ingredient in a recipe for good metal, ya'll.

And secondly, the soloing isn't quite as insanely inspired as their earlier material, either, especially when King & Hannemann actually try and play more melodically. That comes off as forced and uninspired compared to their trademark whammy bar madness. The riffing is better on the thrashers, too, it flows more naturally and doesn't feel as dull as the riffs for the slower songs, which just kind of plod along. In fact, it sounds to me like they simply recycled the same main riff and feel for several of those slower songs--boooring.

Then there's Araya's vocals, which continue in the same semi-melodic vein as last album. Unfortunately he sounds whiny and weak about half the time--the slower songs, surprise, surprise.

In fact, only about half this album is worth listening to, and that would be the barnburners that show Slayer still had it on this album. Well, OK, "Blood Red" is pretty good--the opening riff is nice and dissonant and the riff right before the verse is pretty sweet too, slightly Sabbathy in its feel. And the title track is not half bad, especially that menacing intro and that galvanizing verse riff. Even the chorus, with its multitracked vocals, is more effective than elsewhere. But "Expendable Youth" especially...ick. Booooring!

Really, Slayer should've stuck with what they did best, the blazing thrash numbers with occasional dips into slower parts for dynamics and breathing room instead of making half an album and the rest of it forgettable shite. But how can I not love "Hallowed Point", the last half of "Spirit in Black" (the first half sounds entirely too cliched and awkward to my ear to really be effective), and of course "War Ensemble"--WAAAAAAARRRRRRR!!!!!! "Dead Skin Mask" has a pretty creepy atmosphere, especially at the end when the gremlin voice starts yelling and screaming under Araya's droning chorus vocal part--too bad the riffs are mostly not up to maintaining that atmosphere.

Not one of Slayer's better albums, this was, and most everything that followed got worse and worse. Download the faster songs if you must, and check out the slower songs at your own risk so as to avoid intense boredom.

A Well-balanced Album - 90%

alteredstate, October 13th, 2004

What can you say about Slayer? They are one of the most aggressive and long-lasting metal bands in the genre. They challenged people with their speed, and in 1988's South of Heaven, they challenged their fans with the amount of melody included in that album. Their 1990 release Seasons in the Abyss is probably their most well-rounded release ever. It takes everything from their previous decade of work and puts it into one album. It has the uncompromising aggression of Reign in Blood yet still keeps the melody on South of Heaven.

This album once again proves Jeff Hanneman and Kerry King to be a guitar-playing force to be reckoned with. The album kicks off with the musical blitzkrieg “War Ensemble” and beats you down from start to finish. Kerry’s solo with the low E finger tapping was very cool, and is a great idea that I haven’t heard from anyone else. Jeff Hanneman plays squealing, frightening, solos on songs like the incredibly fast and brutal “Hallowed Point”. “Dead Skin Mask” is an ode to everyone’s favorite hick/serial killer, Ed Gein and is probably the most eerie Slayer song ever. The riff, the spoken word introduction by singer Tom Araya, and the weird samples of a child screaming at the end put chills up your spine. The album ends with the epic title track, and it is quite atmospheric with the brooding riffs and lyrics. It is one of the best songs on the album.

Slayer’s Seasons in the Abyss was a great way to start the 90s and is one of the band’s best efforts. This is probably their most accessible and one of their most focused albums to date.

Slayer at their best. - 89%

MrSuicide, March 31st, 2004

Now, most people think of Reign In Blood as Slayer's best album, but I think it's their worst. Why? Because it's repetitive. it's basically the same riff over and over(Besides Raining Blood and Angel Of Death). This Album, is not. Seasons In The Abyss is my favorite Slayer album. The opener is great, there is no filler, and the last song is a great ending. The intensity is very high, especially on War Esemble, Hallowed Point and Born Of Fire.

The best part of SITA is the difference. It's way more orignal than the past two CD's they released (RIB and SOH) and has a better vibe. The production is top notch, you can hear everything. The drums sound great, the guitars have great tone, and Tom still has his voice. Dave Lombardo actually plays the drums! What I mean is, he doesn't stay to the simple Oompa Loompa beat like normal. He plays slower on some songs, and faster on others. He throws in more technical rolls, and uses more of his huge set.

Jeff and Kerry riff it up like always, but they do it a little better than normal. They seem to really put alot into this album.

Overall, it's a great CD, and a MUST have for any Thrash metal fans.

part of a well balanced breakfast - 88%

ironasinmaiden, April 19th, 2003

South of Heaven = too slow.
Reign in Blood = too fast.
Seasons in the Abyss = just right.

Ah yes, I recall those fuzzy days when Slayer was a force to be reckoned with, the heaviest fucking band in the world. The days when I scrawled Slayer on any nearby flat surface, the days when metal was new and Slayer was best. I've come a long way since then (4 years ago!) but Slayer still kicks ass, and Seasons in the Abyss is their most balanced and consistent album..... you have slow and grinding songs like Expendable Youth and Skeletons of Society side by side with pure thrashers.... it's a regular metal block party. There are so many classics on this bad boy it becomes ridiculous.

Messers Hanneman and King shred the fucker up... Seasons was perhaps their peak as far as riffage goes. Nothing drastic, just 3 or 4 killer riffs per song. Hollow Point is the exception... talk about thrash! Songs like Spirit in Black and War Ensemble SCREAM heavy fucking metal... who hasn't screamed FORWARD TO WARRRR at an unsuspecting stranger for no apparent reason? It's like a rite of passage

On with the "slow jams". Dead Skin Mask is Slayer's twisted ode to Ed Gein... talk about creepy. They really hit a nerve... especially when the little kid comes in with "mr. gein.... mr gein? MR GEIN?". Seasons in the Abyss is one of the songs that turned me onto this thing in the first place so I must appreciate.

Not exactly a blazing thrasher... solid nonetheless. Essential for fans of metal.

signs of the end - 80%

UltraBoris, August 10th, 2002

After releasing the godly South of Heaven, and being disappointed, Slayer decided to make "another Reign in Blood", reportedly. They failed, fortunately. The songs here are faster overall than South of Heaven, but there isn't the sense of incompleteness that RiB featured.

The album starts off with a riff that is pretty reminiscent of Evil Has no Boundaries and Angel of Death, and then the second riff is the one that is instantly memorable. "War Ensemble" overall is a pretty damn good song, as is the next one, "Blood Red". Then, "Spirits in Black" is very catchy, and a thrash demon at the same time. "Expendable Youth" is a bit average, and Dead Skin Mask is, frankly, quite horrible. It's midpaced, it's boring, it's only fun because the little kiddies like to hear about Ed! Who likes to sleep and dance with the DEAD! It's complete shit, and the worst Slayer song ever. (By "ever" I mean of the albums worth giving a fuck about, i.e. the first Lombardo era.)

Then, the album REALLY picks up. Hallowed Point is fast, and also has great riffs. Skeletons of Society is more midpaced, but has a nice catchy chorus, repeated a few times at the end. "Temptation" and "Born of Fire" are probably the most underrated songs on here - both have great catchy riffs that forbid you to do anything but headbang until you puke, especially the middle part of the latter..

The last song is a true classic. "Seasons in the Abyss" is evil, vicious, and has the best guitar solo Slayer had since Crionics. It's pretty much the logical successor to the song "South of Heaven" in terms of atmosphere, and closes the album on a great high note.

Overall, this is quite a good album - a bit sloppy in the beginning, but there is really only one total boner of a song, and quite a few good ones.