Slayer
Live DVD 3-Pack

September 2010
Released: 2010, Sony Music
Rating: 5.0/5
Reviewer: EvilG

Slayer's 3-DVD boxset case is a minimalist yet suitably evil-looking cardboard case that looks like it was drenched in blood and pulled from the pit of hell itself. The inside package is just the 3 DVDs, no frills....a boxset booklet would of been a nice touch, or a poster/eagle flag or....anything. The DVD's for STILL REIGNING and WAR AT THE WARFIELD haven't changed, no new footage or extras are added to entice those who already own them to buy them again. But as they were for some reason out of print, they needed to be released and available for those who didn't pick them up first time around. The jewel in this unholy trinity is of course the digitally re-mastered LIVE INTRUSION!!! Luckily you can also buy the DVDs separately as well so if that's the on;y one missing from your DVD collection, it's very reasonably priced!



I have LIVE INTRUSION on VHS, but like many, I don't even have a VHS machine hooked up anymore. Therefore, it's been a while since I've watch LIVE INTRUSION. I had forgotten some of the funny offstage moments captured here like the 'hit the cola can' thing and various butt and dick joke levels of humor. Tom still actually spoke between songs with some sickness...not to the level of "Do you dig older women? Dig 'em right out of their fuckin graves" stuff, but it was still there. Today he doesn't bother to say so much and keeps to the songs and some thank-yous. Even though it's not that important, I miss it...he was like some kinda unholy pope.! Seeing the band's offstage antics and humor from LIVE INTRUSION shows a band that are still living like teens without a care in the world. With their newer DVD, STILL REIGNING we're not given the same level of offstage access, so have they "matured" or are they still making chip bowls out of Tom's hands when he's passed out asleep/drunk? Ha!



Two of the DVD's feature the great drummer Paul Bostaph (who's now kicking ass with Testament). Sure he's not Dave Lombardo, and there's not the same chemistry, but the guy is awesome nonetheless. There seems to be more energy to the LIVE INTRUSION concert when watched back to back with WAR AT THE WARFIELD. Too many songs on WAR AT THE WARFEILD are from the only Slayer album that I much care for...GOD HATES US ALL. That album has no melody, monotone vocals, and too much of a "nu" feel. So the live songs from that album on this DVD kill the slaytanic buzz for me. I kinda enjoy the title track and “Bloodline” but the others are just ugh... The "fans rule" feature on here has become as legendary for many as the "Heavy Metal Parking Lot" video. I'm a Slayer freak and I have some of the same crazy slaayerrrrrrrrr aspects to my reactions to their music as it does speak to my inner darkness haha...but then there the complete over the top types who either from metal illness or bad drugs (or both) come off as soooooo retarded that you'd not want to have too much to do with them. Aw well...if you've never seen this part of the DVD, it's a trip...



It would of been nice to have some older footage in this boxset. For example, we've all seen the video for "Black Magic / Reign In Blood" which is from the DECADE OF AGGRESSION live album. I remember reading that whole things was filmed but not released for reason that I've forgotten....too bad they couldn't release that here , or even some of it!? Or why not THE ULTIMATE REVENGE Slayer portion? Where are the original tapes, can't they be cleaned up and remixed and released on DVD? My VHS tape for that is rather moldy now.... But anyway, the crown jewel of this boxset is clearly LIVE INTRUSION as it was never on DVD before.



The STILL REIGNING DVD is of course...amazing. Any self-respecting Slayer fan should already own this! I've seen it many times and there's not much that needs to be said. The proof that Slayer still are the gods is here to witness.



After seeing Slayer preform all of SEASONS IN THE ABYSS live on this summer's Canadian Carnage, I REALLLLLLLYYY hope there is a DVD (or better yet blu-ray) for that too. I love SEASONS and hope they release a live concert of that album preformed live! ...and maybe next up they'll play all of the glorious SOUTH OF HEAVEN album live...fuck yea! In the meantime, fans can once again enjoy the boxset of black magic that is LIVE INTRUSION, WAR AT THE WARFIELD, and STILL REIGNING or buy each DVD piece by piece....



---



LIVE INTRUSION was recorded on March 12, 1995 at the Mesa Amphitheatre in Mesa, AZ, USA.



WAR AT THE WARFIELD was filmed at the Warfield Theatre in San Francisco, CA, USA on December 7, 2001.



STILL REIGNING was filmed at the Civic Center in Augusta, ME, USA on July 11, 2004.