August 2003

Media

Slayer: War at the Warfield

Eddie 0 Comment

American Recordings

When Slayer started playing the Los Angeles-San Francisco club circuit in the 1980s, it quickly garnered the support of fans and the press for its over-the-top themes and manic live show. Slayer’s latest DVD is a live recording of its December 2001 set at San Francisco’s Warfield Theatre. From the opening “Disciple” to the closing “Angel of Death” comes a sampling of Slayer’s catalog that runs from “Hell Awaits”to the more obscure “Chemical Warfare.” Although vocalist and bassist Tom Araya struggles with some high notes, you can never go wrong with the dual lead-guitar work of Jeff Hanneman and Kerry King. Never before had so many single notes been crammed into 16 bars of music. Amen to the guitar gods. Slayer. Dude.

(SN&R)

Media

The Dragons

Eddie 0 Comment

Sin Salvation

This San Diego-based combo is one of the few garage bands that manage to drink from the cup of their predecessors without reverting to stale song structures and, ultimately, swigging more than they can handle. Sin Salvation, the Dragons’ first offering for San Francisco-based Gearhead Records, is an eyebrow-raising affair complete with ganged vocals and wicked, soaring leads. “Play for Keeps,” perhaps the album’s best track, recalls both vintage Social Distortion and Backyard Babies without sounding derivative of either. Led by vocalist and guitarist Mario Escovedo and the driving leads of Ken Mochikoshi Horne, the Dragons’ high-energy delivery is unrelenting from beginning to end. Salvation for less than 15 bucks? You betcha. Vodka and Red Bulls, on the house.

(SN&R)