Does it live up to their classic material? Of course not. You reach over to your shelf of records, thumb over to Slayer, and you’re gonna grab Repentless? No way!
You listen to Slayer because you want that classic Slayer sound. The only reason you’d grab Repentless is because you spent $20-$30 on the album when it was released and now the more it’s played the more your purchase feels justified. Just grab what you really want to listen to: Reign in Blood, South of Heaven, Hell Awaits, etc. They’re great records! Why listen to a nutrient deficient version of what you really want?
Repentless doesn’t give you any other reason to listen to it. Slayer never developed too much from album to album- which has led to great consistency for better or worse. But since no one album offers anything significantly different from the last album- even aesthetically- it’s too easy to reach for the classics over this every time.
Araya sounds rough here. Lombardo is clearly absent. And coming along with Hanneman’s death before recording on the album began? It feels like they should’ve just scrapped it. It’s not bad, but it’s not worth the time or money. Cash grab? Maybe. Same old song and dance? Absolutely.
For fans of: Metallica, Venom, Exodus
Like Slayer? Give these a listen: Grip Inc., Sacred Reich, Vio-Lence
The Resident Sound 