In a recent Metal Hammer interview, former Slayer drummer Dave Lombardo shared three of his favorite Slayer songs. One of them was from Jeff Hanneman‘s last album with the band, ‘World Painted Blood.’
Jeff Henneman was a founding member and guitarist of Slayer, alongside drummer Dave Lombardo. He contracted necrotizing fasciitis, also known as flesh-eating disease, in 2011. It came from a spider bite he received in a friend’s hot tub. Hanneman continued playing in the band until his illness worsened and he could no longer perform on stage. Jeff died of liver failure in 2013, and the official cause of death was reported as alcohol-related cirrhosis.
Dave Lombardo’s impressive contributions are praised by many in the industry. Lombardo has been part of different groups at various times over the years. Among these groups are Suicidal Tendencies, Dead Cross, and Slayer, which he founded with Jeff Hanneman.
One of Dave Lombardo’s picks for his favorite songs was non-other than ‘Beauty Through Order.’ This song is a part of the final Slayer album ‘World Painted Blood,’ Jeff Hanneman played in. He added that the piece was finished by following the emotion rather than sticking to a grid. He noted that before Hanneman got sick, they listened to the song and laughed because some parts were overdubbed, and it sounded like something was flying through the air.
Dave Lombardo’s words on Jeff Hanneman’s last recording for ‘World Painted Blood’:
“I have to go with something from ‘World Painted Blood,’ as that was Hanneman’s last album. ‘Beauty Through Order.’ I remember recording that song, as the music had a natural crescendo, a natural de-crescendo. We didn’t follow the grid and stay metronomically correct; we went with the emotion of the song. The song started off, for example, 150bpm, but at the end of the song, it was 175 or/180bpm because it grew with intensity.
I remember sitting with Hanneman on the ‘World Painted Blood Tour’ before he got sick and listening to that song. We would laugh at some of the whammy bar parts that were overdubbed; it sounded like some kind of bird or something flying through the air.”
Lombardo was recently announced as Testament‘s new drummer to replace Gene Hoglan. Lombardo was a member of Testament in the past and even played on his eighth studio album ‘The Gathering.’ He had left the band in the late ’90s to focus on his solo career.
