Slayer has stood among the top bands in the realm of metal for the past two decades. They have toured the world leaving destruction in their wake. Since they first released Show No Mercy way back in 1983 they proved they were the real deal, all the way through God Hates Us All, they have kept true to their brand of metal. Where other bands have sacrificed their vision for popularity, Slayer turned a deaf ear to the public and kept creating their own brand of chaos. That dedication to what they wanted paid off, winning them fans around the world, not to mention some of the most rabid group any band could want on their side. Now they return to their seminal 28 minute album Reign in Blood for a tour celebrating their past, and for the first time play the entire album live. To cap it off they make it rain blood in the most literal sense.

I must admit, I didn't get into Slayer until later on, my first CD was Diabolous in Musica. I have since gotten many more including my personal favorite, Seasons in the Abyss. My exposure did come earlier in the form of a tape of Reign in Blood. This would prove influential into getting me into other heavy acts of the time, but for some reason I never got any other Slayer until years later, but I am here to stay.

This DVD features a concert from the Augusta Civic Center in Augusta, Maine from June of 2004. The main program is Reign in Blood complete, and they blew the roof off of the center. They do not show any signs of aging. Most bands that have been around for as long as Slayer have will show some sign of diminishing over the years, especially when you play this style of music, but not here. They are are as fast and heavy as ever. The twin guitar attack of Kerry King and Jeff Hanneman is unparalleled. I can honestly say that I have never heard a duo quite like them, from the lightning fast leads to the face melting rhythms, they all come through on this disk, from the opening strains of "Angel of Death" through to the bloody end of "Raining Blood." Behind that chaos is returning drummer Dave Lombardo, making his triumphant return to the road with the band he helped create, and he is as crushing as ever, beating the skins to destroy your eardrums. And lest we forget, the man behind that distinctive growl and grinding bass, Tom Araya, for as old as he looks (no offense!), he still sounds as good as he did twenty years ago. That evil grin behind the black mop of hair growling with such ferocity, that just digs itself into your brain.