01.08.2014 Slayer

Wacken Open Air XXV

Wacken (Germany)

(Pentax K-5 with Sigma AF 70-200mm 2.8 EX DC APO HSM II)

Unfortunately the gig of Hell overlapped a little bit with the start of Slayer’s gig but luckily I was able to get quite quick from the Bullhead tent to the True Metal Stage where the sounds of “Hell Awaits“ and “The Antichrist“ were already blasting out towards me. Across the usual ways I was able to stand quite close to the stage in front of which it was extremely crowded which you could not tell of the stage itself. Anyhow it was quite impressive watching the men around singer Tom Araya displaying their fireworks and more of importance to hear them playing.
Terrific and fast riffs, an inferno painted in blood red by the stage lights and a huge cross built out of amplifiers out of which huge flames were belching: simply wicked! Guitarist Kerry King encouraged the people to follow them whereas there was absolutely no need to do so. After the openers of their first long players “Show No Mercy” and “Hell Awaits” the mass was already warmed up and latest during “Necrophiliac” of the same album there was the point where the mass was simply raging. One pit after the other opened and people were moshing like there was no tomorrow. The guys were really keen on playing, the sound was perfect and the set list with really terrific songs, too. Basically a best-of with the great final “Angel Of Death” of the 1986 album “Reign In Blood”.
This was the second concert of Slayer I watched and I have to admit that the 2011 gig was already not bad but this one really knocked me of my feet. Gary Holt was a worthy replacement for Jeff Hanneman who died a little bit more than a year ago and also Paul Bostaph on the drum set was doing a really good job. For a long time, there was nothing new from Slayer and meanwhile there is finally after 6 years of abstinence a new album at the horizon. Let’s hope that it can transport the spirit of this terrific evening and in case they will visit Wacken again I will for sure visit them again!