Review by Ken 2½ stars out of 4
After the deranged punk fury of 'Reign In Blood'; Slayer surprised its fans
by releasing this shockingly tame by comparison follow-up; which sees them
ditching most of their crazed speed tendencies for a more slowed-down,
almost Sabbath-like sound. Of course, the songs still pound away with manic
aggression- with standout tracks including the title track, 'Mandatory
Suicide' and 'Ghosts Of War'. Lyrically, Slayer continue to show no remorse,
as their songs still deal with the band's favourite topics of Hell, Satan,
war, sacrifice and death. Although hardcore fans will find this very
listenable, it's still somehow a disappointment when placed against the rest
of Slayer's catalogue. Also, the cover artwork is extremely distasteful.
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