This supergroup features Fu Manchu, Kylesa, Monolord, Kyuss, Year of the Cobra, and Lowrider members. They are not just a Slayer tribute band reimagining the songs at more Black Sabbath-like speeds, With a song like "War Ensemble" this really reconstructs things in such a way that it feels like they have written a new song, as there are only sections that remind you of the original version. Female vocals harmonize to feel more like a chant on the now lumber version of 'The Antichrist". It does gain a new groove that feels darker than the original which is fitting given the subject matter. When the guitar solos are slowed down that also brings a creepier element into play sonically.
Obviously, this tempo change almost doubles the length of most of these songs. By "Blood Red' the approach to the vocals feels like it needs to be switched up a bit, and on the chorus, it is to a marginal extent, not that they need to try to Tom Araya it but. enough variation to wink in the direction of the songs which all have their own vocal flow. They do pick up the pace enough to sound like a doomed-out version of the original. They do sing lower to try to respect the darker mood of "Dead Skin Mask". Which in some ways finds them able to come closer to the original than perhaps on the more aggressive songs they have tackled up to this point.
"South of Heaven" much like "Dead Skin Mask" has already met them halfway. The vocals are once again, working like a one-trick pony, doom metal is a genre with a wide range of vocal stylings, but the singers are capable of doing more and adding more vocal colors, but this is what we get. It works but feels like the same color was used to death here. The elements that have been working continue to work, perhaps with even more ease considering the song. This was a fun album and I will give it a 9, because despite the monochrome vocal dynamics it is well executed. Slayer is one of my favorite bands, so for me to like this says how well done it is.
