Decade of Aggression: Live

In 1991 Slayer was at the peak of its powers. Of the original “Big Four” of thrash — the others being Metallica, Megadeth and Anthrax — Slayer had proved themselves as the heaviest. They were at the end of one of the most astounding five-album runs in the history of heavy metal, and their concerts had become rallies for the most discerning, diehard metal fans. The fervency of the Slayer live experience is captured on Decade of Aggression. Recorded over a series of dates in 1991 (the first disc comes entirely from a show at Florida’s Lakeland Coliseum, while the second disc is split between concerts in San Bernardino and London), each of these songs has the impact of a nuclear bomb. The first five cuts alone are enough to flatten the listener. Kerry King and Jeff Hanneman do an astonishing job of replicating their lightning-speed riffs with the utmost precision. Even so, these live recordings display a vitality and spontaneity that surpasses the band’s finest recorded moments. As a display of supernatural stamina and relentless aggression, Decade of Aggression is unmatched by any live rock album.