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Slayer - Undisputed Attitude review



Reviewer:
9.0

670 users:
6.37
Band: Slayer
Album: Undisputed Attitude
Style: Thrash metal
Release date: May 28, 1996
Guest review by: Stuart


01. Disintegration/Free Money [Verbal Abuse cover]
02. Verbal Abuse/Leeches [Verbal Abuse cover]
03. Abolish Government/Superficial Love [T.S.O.L. cover]
04. Can't Stand You [Pap Smear cover]
05. Ddamm [Pap Smear cover]
06. Guilty Of Being White [Minor Threat cover]
07. I Hate You [Verbal Abuse cover]
08. Filler/I Don't Want To Hear It [Minor Threat cover]
09. Spiritual Law [D.I. cover]
10. Sick Boy [Charged GBH cover] [Japanese bonus]
11. Mr. Freeze [Dr. Know cover]
12. Violent Pacification [D.R.I. cover]
13. Memories Of Tomorrow [Suicidal Tendencies cover] [Japanese bonus]
14. Richard Hung Himself [D.I. cover]
15. I'm Gonna Be Your God [The Stooges cover]
16. Gemini

There are a number of ways of approaching this album. If you are a die hard late 70's early 80's punk fan you probably already know most of these songs and will be interested in Slayer's take on these punk classics. If however, you are like me and only have a vague yet disinterested awareness of the major players in the punk scene at the time you will look at the album in an entirely different light. I had never consciously heard any of the original versions of these songs and this album introduced me to most of the bands covered here for the first time. So I will look at it from a very different point of view.

This being said I was very sceptical of this release and it took me quite a few listens to really get into it but once I did I became addicted. Now we all know that punk music is relatively simple music but don't let that put you off. The sheer essence of punk is to be straight to the point without any unnecessary nonsense. It's angry music for the disenchanted youth, overtly political and not afraid to show it. This album really captures the emotion of punk music perfectly with a slight hardcore twist rearing its head every now and again.

There are just so many great lyrics on this album which will have you howling with laughter. Try "I'm worth all you'd care for, Then I'll fuck you in the ass, I'm so fucking happy, I'll kick your face and laugh" and it is all delivered with such tongue in cheek intensity.

There are a couple of original Slayer tracks where they try their hand at writing some punk music. "Can't Stand You" and "Ddamm" were written for a Jeff Hanneman punk project in the early 80's which never came to fruition and they fit in with the rest of the album perfectly. Then the final original Slayer track "Gemini" comes up and confuses the whole album. It's not at all punk, but a very serious slow and morbid composition of music, written in a style that you would imagine in a release between the "Divine Intervention" and "Diabolous in Musica" albums.

If you're looking for a typical Slayer thrash metal album you'll be sorely disappointed but if you want to smash up your house and beat up people wearing suits then this is for you. It's interesting to have a look into some of Slayer's early influences nevertheless. This really is completely undisputed angst riddled attitude at its finest, the album title says it all.


Rating breakdown
Performance: 8
Songwriting: -
Originality: -
Production: 10

Written by Stuart | 16.04.2008




Guest review disclaimer:
This is a guest review, which means it does not necessarily represent the point of view of the MS Staff.


Comments

Comments: 12   Visited by: 178 users
16.04.2008 - 18:28
jupitreas
hi-fi / lo-life
Staff
Actually, a lot of fans of hardcore music consider this album to simply be overdone and in some ways a parody of hardcore punk, rather than a tribute...

With this said, if you are into crossover, the intensity which Slayer brings to this tracks is really worth hearing, since well... Slayer is one of the most intense bands around.

Therefore, I consider this album to be fatally flawed but very enjoyable nevertheless.
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16.04.2008 - 19:10
Rating: 9
Stuart
MiseryKing
Written by jupitreas on 16.04.2008 at 18:28

Actually, a lot of fans of hardcore music consider this album to simply be overdone and in some ways a parody of hardcore punk, rather than a tribute...

With this said, if you are into crossover, the intensity which Slayer brings to this tracks is really worth hearing, since well... Slayer is one of the most intense bands around.

Therefore, I consider this album to be fatally flawed but very enjoyable nevertheless.

It's one of the reasons, I enjoy this album so much, is that by not being a fan of this style of music in general, I can easily listen to it without prejudice or being over critical, its just a really fun, enjoyable album.
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29.06.2008 - 18:04
Rating: 9
Timelord
This album did what it was supposed to do: Get Slayer fans to hear what some of their influences were. This music was 50% of what became thrash,speed, hardcore etc etc... Punk music back then had the raw brutal intensity that was in your face just like metal is today. Unlike this bubble gum crap we hear out there today. I don't think this album was ever meant to be a tribute but more so of a "this is what got me wanting to kick somebodies head in". The songs without a doubt became Slayerized and sound brutal. Bands like Megadeth and Motley Crue always stick to the easy way out by doing "Anarchy in the UK" or something and butcher those songs. Not on this album!! I grew up with punk before Motorhead and Venom so I'm am glad Slayer did this to turn others on to some classics.

"Now we all know that punk music is relatively simple music"

This may be true to some extent. Look at it this way. Ac/Dc, Sabbath : fairly easy rythyms on most songs. Yngwie Malmsteen: burns up the fretboard but lacks the groove to keep your attention other than WOW burns up the fretboard now put " Riff Raff" or" Snowblind" back on. Its not how hard it is to play its the feeling put behind it. Thats what made classic punk great. Three cord made you wanna roll some heads. I'm rambling, pick up Undisputed and knock some bubble gummers on their ass.
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12.07.2008 - 14:04
Rating: 9
Stuart
MiseryKing
Written by Timelord on 29.06.2008 at 18:04

"Now we all know that punk music is relatively simple music"

This may be true to some extent. Look at it this way. Ac/Dc, Sabbath : fairly easy rythyms on most songs. Yngwie Malmsteen: burns up the fretboard but lacks the groove to keep your attention other than WOW burns up the fretboard now put " Riff Raff" or" Snowblind" back on. Its not how hard it is to play its the feeling put behind it. Thats what made classic punk great. Three cord made you wanna roll some heads.

I threw that in for the people who demand music be technical to be good... which simply not true... good points you make though.
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15.06.2009 - 09:15
Uirapuru
Liver Failure
Quote:
This being said I was very sceptical of this release and it took me quite a few listens to really get into it but once I did I became addicted.

Yeah that's what happen. I totally agree with the review, this is a very interesting album. I have also never heard the original version of these songs, this album has opened a new style that i just didnt have any interest before.

Great release. 9/10 for sure.
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member of the true crusade against old school heavy metal, early 80s thrash, NWOBHM, traditional doom, first and second wave black metal, old school death metal, US power metal, 70s prog rock and atmospheric doomsludgestoner. o/
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15.06.2009 - 13:37
Rating: 6
Deadmeat
Necrobutcher
Boring release with some nice and fast songs. some good covers from slayer and some bad... unintreresting album...
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Υou've sold your human essence to the cold world of dead and empty things... You're SOLD!
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17.06.2009 - 01:05
Rating: 7
BitterCOld
The Ancient One
Admin
Fuck, i wish i had the japanese version. i love that Suicidal song. nice review, although i would have scored it a slight bit lower. i think they did their best Punk cover with Ice-T on the Judgment Night soundtrack. for some reason that Exploited medley had a spark or something that was missing on this.
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get the fuck off my lawn.

Beer Bug Virus Spotify Playlist crafted by Nikarg and I. Feel free to tune in and add some pertinent metal tunes!
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22.08.2009 - 20:56
taha_69
I feel this is a fair review. When you hear this album at first, you can tell instantly that its not Slayer, which doesnt mean its a bad thing. After a few listens I became hooked. This album is perfect for those who want punk but want it faster and heavier.

Personally, I quite like some hardcore punk bands and to see bands like Minor Threat "slayerized" is great!

We all know its not Slayer, but its still a very aggressive album.
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12.12.2009 - 19:36
Rating: 4
!Mac!
Just got done listening to it for the first time. I had just completed my collection of Slayer records, whom are easily among my top three-favorite metal artists. (and top 10 faovrites period)

This album is hard to digest. After all this time of listening to Slayer and feeling like I know who they are and what they mean to metal, this comes out of nowhere.

I've always hated punk music. And after listening to this, I know not even Slayer can make it bareable. And I know it's a cover album but still.

I gotta give this album anywhere between a 3 and 5 rating. I will say I listened to it in its entirety, so I didnt quit.
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28.03.2010 - 16:42
Rating: 7
I_Die_Often
I only play this when I need to listen to something a little different.
I'm no fan of punk, but with the Slayer twist to these songs, I can listen to it.
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Old enough to be your Daddy... speaking of which... you look familiar... do I know your mother???
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03.05.2013 - 02:29
Marcel Hubregtse
Grumpy Old Fuck
Elite
People hating this album and loving Slayer have no idea where Slayer came from and what they stood for and esepcially Jeff, just listen to the two songs by his punk band. Tonight when Jeff passed away this is probably the most appropriate album too spin in his honour.
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Member of the true crusade against European Flower Metal

Yesterday is dead and gone, tomorrow is out of sight
Dawn Crosby (r.i.p.)
05.04.1963 - 15.12.1996

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01.11.2020 - 23:19
Rating: 7
BlankFile
It´s a pretty decent "covers" record. It´s easy to digest.
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