Vocal work on Reign In Blood

[Henrik Main]

I've been listening to this record a bit as of late. I do find the riffs and the ideas very good, let there be no doubt. But I cannot seem to fully enjoy this record because of the boring, lifeless vocals! This is very frustrating, because I would've really enjoyed this album if they had had a vocalist in the same street as the Dew Scented vocalist or the God Forbid one. Any thoughts on this issue? What do you guys think about this album/the vocal performance?

 

[Creeper]

I agree,Araya's voice is a bit strange,but I think it doesn't spoil the enjoyment at all...

 

[SculptedCold]

I sincerely despise Araya's vocals. He's wrestling for a top three spot in my personal list of worst metal vocalists ever.

 

[Henrik Main]

I'm glad I'm not the only one feeling this way

 

[pisschrist]

wow. i much rather prefer araya's over dew scented's. i like his vocals on reign in blood too.

 

[Neslepaks]

I've been listening to this record a bit as of late. I do find the riffs and the ideas very good, let there be no doubt. But I cannot seem to fully enjoy this record because of the boring, lifeless vocals!

Hello? The vocals is one of the reasons why this record is so great. Dew Scented/God Forbid vocals can you find anywhere.

 

[speed]

I love Tom's vocals, the screem to start off Angel of death is a vocal highlight for me. Yet, I think his vocals are merely a matter of personal taste, the guy isnt going to win any singing competitions.

 

[Psychonaut]

I love the vocals on this album. I've heard it since it first came out so I'm used to them so maybe someone who is just getting into it may have trouble with them. If you are just getting into the album, of course.

 

[no country for old wainds]

I like Tom Araya's vocals, but Reign in Blood just isn't that good. Sure, Raining Blood is amazing, Postmortem, Epidemic, Angel of Death...all great. But I really don't think it deserves to be a classic.

 

[AllWithinMyTurban]

I am liking Tom Ayara - his singing is evil it kicks ass. Rain in blood is a great LP, i have download it and listen to it a lot.

 

[SculptedCold]

evil? Its tuneless yelling and barking. Most nu-metalist vocalists do it more convincingly ffs.

 

[Henrik Main]

Yeah, I can't really see what's good about his voice. It sounds like he just reads the lyrics out loud in an angry way. Mike DiSalvo destroyed parts of my enjoyment of "Whisper Supremacy" and "And Then You'll Beg", whereas Araya does the same when it comes to "Reign In Blood".

I am just getting into this album, but I've tried some times now and it just doesn't click because of the poor vocals.

 

[Anti-Everything]

Thats exactly what my roommate says, although he's not a Slayer fan, he always starts bobbing his head and shit when I put it on, but when Araya starts with the vocals he is just...ewww. Personally I love his voice though.

 

[speed]

I love Araya, because he angrily recites the lyrics. I think this should have been the direction of death metal singing- where bands really dont have a guy that can sing, and they want to keep an angry vibe, how about hate filled loud recitations of the lyrics? There is something to be said , about spoken word over music- especially if done in a pissed off manner.

 

[Henrik Main]

I love Araya, because he angrily recites the lyrics. I think this should have been the direction of death metal singing- where bands really dont have a guy that can sing, and they want to keep an angry vibe, how about hate filled loud recitations of the lyrics? There is something to be said , about spoken word over music- especially if done in a pissed off manner.

I see your point - but I have to disagree with you. Imagine how Cryptopsy's two first albums would've sounded like with an angrily speaking vocalist - not good. It's the combination of vocals and music that floors me when it comes to good death metal bands. I love Corpsegrinder's combinations of screaming and growling on the later Cannibal Corpse albums, and the machine-like nihilism spewing out of Decapitated's vocalist's mouth, although it is pretty repetitive. Extreme vocal work fits extreme metal perfectly. Fair enough, we miss out on some lyrics - but that's what the booklet is for

 

[lurch70]

This thread is really puzzling ... this is the first time I ever heard a conversation about the vocal stylings on RIB. I have owned RIB since it was released and never heard complaints about this.

I do understand how you feel about it, if you put it up against the Dew Scented, Haunted, and other bands of today ... it is just not that extreme.

BUT

you have to realize that when it was released it was the most relentless, brutal thing out there. There was nothing like it ... IT IS ONE OF THE MAIN REASONS most bands of today sound the way they do.

And this is what makes it a legend and a classic ... even Slayer themselves can never duplicate that magic.

 

[None_So_Vile]

Araya's voice isnt amazing and ok yeah its not what you'd expect from a thrash metal band but slayer wouldnt be slayer without araya's voice, i do agree though on one part, i personally prefer the vocals from bands like the haunted and dew scented but as i said, slayer wouldnt be slayer without araya.............wow that rhymed!

 

[Darth Kur]

Reign In Blood is fucking priceless in every way. You must remember in 1986 this was one of the most crushing performances to be had. I feel extremely fortunate that I got to see them two nights in a row on this tour. It was brutal and amazing. Even though today there are a plethora of albums that are more heavy Reign In Blood and albums like it are the reasons why they exist.

 

[Terrifyer]

I hate Tom Araya vocals, thats the reaso that I cant get into Slayer..... well In Divine Intervention was ok

 

[Life Sucks]

I dunno. I don't thinkTom sounds much different on Reign In Blood than he does on the other Slayer CDs. I don't mind his vocals. And I think that the vocalists for Dew Scented and God Forbid sound like hardcore vocalists, not that it's a bad thing. God Forbid is afterall a metalcore band, though a good one. Dew Scented own, especially Impact - I think it is more technical and brutal than Inwards.