In the original lineup, King, Hanneman and Araya contributed to the band's lyrics, and all of the band's music was written by King and Hanneman. The band's lyrics and album art, which cover topics such as serial killers, torture, genocide, organized crime, secret societies, occultism, terrorism, religion or antireligion, fascism, racism and war, have generated album bans, delays, lawsuits and criticism from religious groups. However, its music has been highly influential, being cited by many bands as an influence musically, visually and lyrically; the band's third album, Reign in Blood (1986), has been described as one of the heaviest and most influential thrash metal albums.
Slayer released twelve studio albums, three live albums, a box set, six music videos, two extended plays and a cover album. Four of the band's studio albums have received gold certification in the United States. Slayer sold 5 million copies in the United States from 1991 to 2013, according to Nielsen SoundScan, and over 20 million worldwide. The band has received five Grammy Award nominations, winning one in 2007 for the song "Eyes of the Insane" and one in 2008 for the song "Final Six", both of which were from the album Christ Illusion (2006). After more than three decades of recording and performing, Slayer announced in January 2018 that it would embark on a farewell tour, which took place from May 2018 to November 2019, after which the band disbanded.
Full Wikipedia article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slayer
Studio albums
Show No Mercy (1983)
Hell Awaits (1985)
Reign in Blood (1986)
South of Heaven (1988)
Seasons in the Abyss (1990)
Divine Intervention (1994)
Undisputed Attitude (1996)
Diabolus in Musica (1998)
God Hates Us All (2001)
Christ Illusion (2006)
World Painted Blood (2009)
Repentless (2015)
Blood Red
Slayer Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Seizing all civil liberties
Honest ballotation among banshee
Spilling blood throughout humanity
You cannot hide the face of death
Oppression ruled by bloodshed
No disguise can deface evil
The massacre of innocent people
Deviated lies fear blinding in your eyes
Enforcing their truth through a gun
Aggressive discipline and barbaric control
Thousands of people cannot be wrong
You cannot hide the face of death
Oppression rules by bloodshed
No disguise can hide the evil
That stains the primitive sickle
Blood red
Growing opposition with words as ammunition
Expressions of life's liberties
Aggressive discipline and barbaric control
Spilling blood throughout humanity
The lyrics of the song Blood Red by Slayer capture the chaos of war and the oppression that arises from it. The opening lines, "Peaceful confrontation meet war machine, seizing all civil liberties" immediately set the tone for the brutal imagery that follows. The idea of a "war machine" in this context is a metaphor for the government or military, who use force to suppress any dissent or opposition to their rule, regardless of whether it is peaceful or violent in nature. The line "honest ballotation among banshee" further emphasizes this concept of oppression, as it implies that even the act of voting is useless when those in power have complete control.
The chorus repeats the line "you cannot hide the face of death" several times, underscoring the idea that no matter how hard we try to avoid the consequences of war, death is an inevitable outcome. The use of the word "massacre" to describe the killing of innocent people emphasizes the senselessness of such violence and the lasting damage it can inflict on society. The following verse speaks to the fear and lies that often accompany oppressive regimes, with the line "deviated lies fear blinding in your eyes" conveying the sense of confusion and uncertainty that can arise in such situations.
In the final verse, the lyrics speak to the idea of growing opposition to oppressive regimes, with the use of "words as ammunition" suggesting a movement towards peaceful resolution. However, the chorus reappears, reminding the listener that violence still persists and that bloodshed continues to mar humanity. Overall, the lyrics of Blood Red are a powerful commentary on the destructive nature of war and the danger of oppressive regimes.
Line by Line Meaning
Peaceful confrontation meet war machine
A non-violent but confrontational approach is met with brute military force
Seizing all civil liberties
The government is taking away people's rights and freedoms
Honest ballotation among banshee
Elections are neither honest nor fair, and people's cries for justice are ignored
Spilling blood throughout humanity
Violence and bloodshed is prevalent throughout human history
You cannot hide the face of death
Death is an inevitable and undeniable part of life
Oppression ruled by bloodshed
Oppression is maintained through violent means
No disguise can deface evil
Evil acts cannot be hidden or justified by masks or disguises
The massacre of innocent people
Innocent lives are taken in senseless acts of violence
Deviated lies fear blinding in your eyes
False propaganda and fear tactics are being used to manipulate people
Enforcing their truth through a gun
Those in power are using force to impose their beliefs on others
Aggressive discipline and barbaric control
Harsh punishment and cruel methods of control are being used
Thousands of people cannot be wrong
The sheer number of people who oppose something suggests that it is not right or just
Growing opposition with words as ammunition
More and more people are speaking out against injustice and using their voices as weapons
Expressions of life's liberties
People are fighting for their right to live freely and without oppression
Spilling blood throughout humanity
The violence and brutality of humanity continues to cause suffering and death
Blood red
The color of blood, symbolizing the cost of violence and oppression
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: JEFFERY JOHN HANNEMAN, TOMAS ENRIQUE ARAYA
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind