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 By far and away the best Slayer album, only Reign in Blood even comes close to matching the intensity of this album. With the departure of Dave Lombardo and the emergence of Paul Bostaph, Slayer grows even stronger. Araya's vocals are delivered with brutal precision, and the tandem of King and Hanneman remain unstoppable. Standouts include Sex, Art, Murder, Killing Fields, Dittohead, and Circle of Beliefs. This is the most well produced Slayer album and it sounds great. Buy this album and crank it!
One aspect of "Divine Intervention" that immediately stands out is the change in Tom Araya's vocals. He had proven on "South" and "Seasons" that he could at least come close to singing, but here Tom seems intent on sticking with what he does best. On every song here Tom spews forth the lyrics with a vitrolic, menacing growl. Indeed, this is the first album where I'd really say Tom sounds angry. Given the lyrical content, though, it's obvious Tom and company had a lot to be mad about. After "Reign," Slayer had begun a lyrical transformation that saw them dwelling less on juvenile death-and-satan themes and more on the evils that they saw in real life. "Divine Intervention" continues that evolution with some of Slayer's darkest and most disturbing lyrics ever. "Killing Fields" provides an in-depth look at the twisted psychology of a killer, "Dittohead" rails against injustice and permissiveness in modern American society, and "Circle of Beliefs" discusses how people allow themselves to be influenced by convention and refuse to consier alternate points of view. These songs are just examples, though; "Divine Intervention" is filled with Slayer's own unique brand of social commentary. Musically, "Divine Intervention" is pure, relentless aggression. Any doubts about Paul Bostaph's ability to fill the shoes (and drum kit) of the departed Dave Lombardo are answered within about thirty seconds. If anything, Bostaph's precision and variety on the skins probably surpasses that of the mighty Lombardo. Hanneman and King, meanwhile, turn in perhaps their tightest and meanest performance. The riffs are as fast as on "Reign," and are caustic and grinding even by Slayer standards. The pair's trademark piercing solos, meanwhile, hit with all the speed and force of a 300-pound defensive end blindsiding an ususpecting quarterback. The performances combine to create a batch of songs that is as consistently heavy and uncompromising as anything you'll ever hear. Tunes like "Dittohead" and "Mind Control" thrash as fast as anything on "Reign," but on other songs Slayer use slower tempos to really drive the heavy riffing and tortured vocals home. And while some have voiced dissatisfaction with the production here, I don't think I could like it more. I certainly don't think the polished production of the band's previous two albums would have done this one justice. I feel the rawer sound of "Divine Intervention" is perfect for the brutal and sinister nature of the songs. "Divine Intervention" seems to be somewhat of an overlooked gem, especially in comparison to its predecessors, but I really think those who haven't given this album a hearing are missing out on something. Slayer's post-"Seasons" career has, in my opinion, been just as productive as their more-recognized early period. I, for one, like every Slayer album, and "Divine Intervention" is no exception.
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I am a fan of Slayer. Granted, I don't have many of their cd's, but I'm intelligent enough to know quality when I hear it. This one would be an absolute breakthrough for a subpar band (no names will be mentioned), but this isn't really related to Slayer. Yes, the lyrics are the same Araya crushers, but the overall style of the album ALMOST seems geared to snag some of the mainstream that Megadeth and Metallica have been unfortunate enough to be accepted by. "Serenity in Murder," with the distortion of the Voice, is a prime example. As I said before, it would be solid for an awful band, but... it just isn't the Slayer we all know and love.
