HALLOWEEN NIGHT! No better time for the masters of EVIL to descend upon the Orbit Room in Grand Rapids, Michigan. The air in the night had a distinct taste of chaos to it as the audience was treated to a savory performance from Arch Enemy. I had never seen them live before, but the sheer energy made me want to see them again. The anarchy continued with Hatebreed blowing up the venue with an awesome show of brute strength lyrics and the kind of riffs only hardcore metalheads could really appreciate. They introduced us to a few songs off of their new album, which sounds like it should be on course to keep up with their previous works.

The evil inside of the crowd was growing more by the second once Hatebreed finished their set. There was a costume contest for a signed Slayer guitar and amp. The Pope himself was in the contest, but alas, he did not win. Anxiety played a high factor in the madness that was brewing in all of us. We all came to see the Gods Of Metal and w e knew it wouldn't be long. Of course, idle hands are the devil's workshop, so the upstairs crowd grew restless and started throwing beer bottles on the floor audience. It wasn't long before the entire place was involved in a furious hurling of beer bottles, trash cans, and whatever else wasn't bolted to the floor. It was such a disturbance that bottles were flying onto the soundboard, thus delaying Slayer's appearance and further inciting the masses. All I can say is-whoever decided to use plastic beer bottles must have attended a Slayer show before-good choice! Once the war was over Slayer made their usual entrance of late by starting off with "Darkness Of Christ" and thrusting face first into "Disciple".

Finally, I had the blissful ringing in my ears that had been gone since the last Slayer show I had attended. Slayer carried on in their evil ways of musical murder and mayhem. They played the entire "Reign In Blood" album(not in order). I was blessed by the power s of EVIL to hear such songs as "Criminally Insane", "Necrophobic", and "Piece By Piece" live for my first time ever. The show was accompanied by a terrific light display that left you utterly blind during the end of "Mandatory Suicide". The church backdrop on stage made me feel like I was in a true house of worship. Worship Slayer, worship evil, worship carnage! I can't wait until the next album is out and Slayer brings the traveling caravan of unholy death to my area again. SLAYER!!!!