Jihad (song)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| "Jihad" | ||
|---|---|---|
 |
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| Cover of Christ Illusion | ||
| Song by Slayer | ||
| from the album Christ Illusion | ||
| Released | 2006 | |
| Genre | Thrash metal | |
| Length | 3:32 | |
| Label | American Recordings | |
| Writer(s) | Jeff Hanneman Tom Araya |
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| Producer(s) | Josh Abraham | |
| Christ Illusion track listing | ||
| Eyes of the Insane (4) |
"Jihad" | Consfearacy (6) |
"Jihad" is a song by the American thrash metal band Slayer which appears on their 2006 album Christ Illusion. The track was largely written by guitarist Jeff Hanneman, and portrays the imagined viewpoint of a 9/11 terrorist. Slayer vocalist Tom Araya lent help during the lyrical process.
"Jihad" was met with mixed critical reviews upon its release, with critics focusing on the song's controversial subject matter. The song drew comparisons to the 1986 Hanneman-penned Slayer track "Angel of Death", which appears on the 1986 album Reign in Blood and caused outrage at the time of its release. Joseph Dias of the Mumbai Christian group Catholic Secular Forum has expressed disquiet over "Jihad", which was a contributing reason towards Christ Illusion's recall by EMI India, with no plans of a reissue in that country. ABC-TV's Broadcast Standards and Practices department placed a gagging order on "Jihad" for Slayer's first US network television appearance on "Jimmy Kimmel Live", which meant 40% of the song lyrics were deleted and only the opening minute was broadcast over the show's credits.
Contents |
[edit] Origins
"Jihad" was mainly written by guitarist Jeff Hanneman, though it features lyrical contributions by vocalist Tom Araya.[2] The song is written from the perspective of a 9/11 terrorist, and imagined the thoughts that "the enemy" might have.[1][3] The song's climax features spoken text taken from a motivational letter left behind by Mohamed Atta,[1] who was named by the FBI as the head suicide terrorist of American Airlines Flight 11, the first plane to crash into the World Trade Center during the September 11, 2001 attacks.
Guitarist Kerry King has been outspoken in his defense of "Jihad", and has claimed that the song has the "coolest angle" on Christ Illusion"[1] while noting that "these new songs aren't political at all: "Jihad", "Eyes of the Insane" — it's what's spewing out at us from the TV."[4] King further clarified that the band wasn't attempting to promote the terrorist's perspective of the war, nor their ideological beliefs, though he expected others to assume that Slayer was doing so.[1] They didn't wish to dwell on the topic "because every band on the planet already has" and "came from a certain perspective", so felt they had to present an alternative viewpoint as a result.[1] "We're Slayer, we have to be different" was King's assertion.[1]
American singer songwriter Steve Earle attempted a similar concept in penning "John Walker's Blues" (from the 2002 album Jerusalem), written as though from the perspective of the Washington-born John Walker Lindh, a Taliban member captured during the 2001 US-led invasion of Afghanistan.[1][5] Earle received criticism for the track, with King anticipating a comparable reaction.[1][5] "People make an assumption before they (read) the lyrics," was his reasoning, saying he felt the same would "happen with ("Jihad"). It's definitely not only human nature, it's very American-natured."[5]
[edit] Music and structure
"Jihad" spans 3:31 minutes.[6] A little skittering vamp leads into the track, where Lombardo shimmers his hi-hat.[6] The band then begins to enter with a fast guitar riff that decelerates and bursts forward again in two-bar stretches over Lombardo's pounding, fifth-gear drumming.[7]
[edit] Reception and criticism
"Jihad", alongside fellow Christ Illusion album tracks "Eyes of the Insane" and "Cult", was made available for streaming via Spanish website Rafabasa.com on June 26, 2006.[8] Slayer's ninth studio album Christ Illusion was released on August 8, 2006, hosting the track's inclusion. The song met mixed reviews.
Blabbermouth's Don Kaye judged that "a handful of songs" on Christ Illusion "are either too generic or the arrangements too clumsy to work well (I'm looking at you, "Jihad" and "Skeleton Christ")"[9] Ben Ratliff of New York Times remarked that "Jihad" "is predictably tough stuff, but let's put it on a scale. It is tougher, and less reasoned, than Martin Amis's recent short story “The Last Days of Muhammad Atta.” It is no tougher than a taped message from Al Qaeda."[7] Peter Atkinson of KNAC.com was equally unimpressed, describing the group's choice of song climax as;[10]
| “ | ..the same sort of detached, matter-of-fact tactic Hanneman and Araya have employed for “difficult” subjects in the past — Josef Mengele's Nazi atrocities in ”Angel of Death” or Jeffrey Dahmer/Ed Gein's ghoulish proclivities in “213” and “Dead Skin Mask” — with great effect. But here it feels atypically crass and exploitative, as if it was done purely to get a rise out of people — kind of like what right-wing slag-bag Anne Coulter did by slamming the 9/11 widows in her latest load of excreta, “Godless.” And Slayer's usually a lot more clever than that. | „ |
However, not all reviews were so negative. Thom Jurek of All Music Guide commented the "the band begins to enter and twist and turn looking for a place to create a new rhythmic thrash that's the most insane deconstruction of four/four time on tape."[6] Marc Savlov of Austin Chronicle asked people to "listen to the eerie, stop-start cadence of lunacy in "Jihad," with Araya essaying the role of a suicide bomber almost too convincingly."[11]
King would have appointed "Jihad" as the group's nomination in the "Best Metal Performance" award category at the 49th Grammy Awards, deeming the chosen track "Eyes of the Insane" "the poorest representations" of the group on ninth studio album Christ Illusion.[12] Despite King's statement, "Eyes of the Insane" won Slayer their first Grammy award.[13]
[edit] Controversy
- "Jihad" (file info) — play in browser (beta)
- Mumbai's Catholic Secular Forum felt "Jihad" would affect "the sensibilities of the Muslims...and secular Indians who have respect for all faiths", contributing to Christ Illusion's deletion by EMI India in the territory.[14]
- Problems listening to the file? See media help.
"Jihad"'s lyrical matter provoked controversy from several quarters; Peter Atkinson of KNAC.com remarked that the song "no doubt will be Christ Illusion’s most controversial track — especially if some flag-waving Fox News dipshit like Bill O'Reilly or Sean Hannity gets clued in."[10] In May 2006, World Entertainment News Network announced that revelations of the song's lyrical content had angered the families of September 11 victims.[15]
Joseph Dias of the Mumbai Christian group Catholic Secular Forum (CSF) issued a memorandum to Mumbai's police commissioner, in which he expressed concern that "Jihad" would offend "the sensibilities of the Muslims...and secular Indians who have respect for all faiths."[14] EMI India met with the CSF, apologising for Christ Illusion's release and recalling the album with no plans of a reissue.[14] On October 11, 2006 it was announced all stocks had been destroyed.[16] The track, alongside the album's controversial Larry Carroll painted cover art and provocative lyrics, were the reasons behind EMI India's decision.."[14] Though Araya had expected "Jihad"'s treatment of the events of 9/11 to create an American backlash,[3] it failed to materialise, in part, he believes, due to peoples' view that the song is merely "just Slayer being Slayer".[17] Meanwhile, Hanneman expected that the Muslim community would either "embrace" the song or hate Slayer for penning the song, or the victims of 9/11 would hate Slayer for the track.[18]
"Jihad" was one of six songs performed by Slayer during their first US network television appearance on ABC-TV's Jimmy Kimmel Live (January 19, 2007), though only the opening minute of the track was broadcast.[19] ABC-TV's Broadcast Standards and Practices department placed a gagging order on "Jihad", and approached Slayer the day prior to broadcast with roughly 40% of the song lyrics deleted.[20] King has since affirmed that the group were ten minutes from withdrawing but eventually said " 'Let's just go do it."[20]
[edit] "Angel of Death" comparisons
The song has drawn comparisons to "Angel of Death",[1][21] another Hanneman penned Slayer track from 1986's Reign in Blood which was lyrically inspired by Nazi physician Josef Mengele.[22] Written 20 years earlier, it based itself on human experiments conducted by Mengele at the Auschwitz concentration camp in World War II.[22] KNAC.com's Peter Atkinson commented upon the similarities, to which King responded;[1]
| “ | Yeah, that was blown out proportion. People thinking they know what it says without really reading it. And that will happen with every record for everybody, because people like to take an opinion without being informed about anything. It's easier to just shoot your mouth off because the more noise you make the less basis in fact your argument has to be because people are too dumb to recognize the difference. | „ |
Making the connection, King remembers thinking 'Great, now we're gonna be answering for this one!'" after listening back to the song.[21] "But as with "Angel [of Death]"," Hanneman emphasised, "we're not endorsing anything. It's just not an 'anti' song, either."[21] "Like "Angel of Death", he observed "it's just a documentary."[18]
[edit] References
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Atkinson, Peter (2006-05-24). Songs About God and Satan - Part 1: An Interview With Slayer's Kerry King. KNAC.com. Retrieved on March 11, 2007.
- ^ Christ Illusion album notes, August 8, 2006. American Recordings, 9362-44300-2
- ^ a b It's carry on thrashing'. The Sun Online. Retrieved on March 11, 2007.
- ^ Beck, Aaron (2007-02-10). After 25 years, Slayer keeps casting metal. The Columbus Dispatch. Retrieved on March 11, 2007.
- ^ a b c Sculley, Alan. Metal gods Slayer gear up for this summer's most brutal road trek, the Unholy Alliance Tour. CityBeat.com. Retrieved on March 11, 2007.
- ^ a b c Jurek, Thom. All Music Guide Review - Christ Illusion. All Music Guide. Retrieved on March 11, 2007.
- ^ a b Ratliff, Ben. "New CD's", The New York Times, 2006-08-14.
- ^ SLAYER: Three New Tracks Available In Streaming Audio. Blabbermouth.net (2006-06-26). Retrieved on March 11, 2007.
- ^ Kaye, Don. Blabbermouth Review - Christ Illusion. Blabbermouth.net. Retrieved on March 11, 2007.
- ^ a b Atkinson, Peter (2006-07-24). KNAC Review - Christ Illusion. KNAC.com. Retrieved on March 11, 2007.
- ^ Savlov, Marc (2006-09-01). Christ Illusion - Review. Austin Chronicle. Retrieved on April 27, 2007.
- ^ Piccoli, Sean. "Grammy for Slayer's 11th album shows metal legends are now a household name", Sun-Sentinel.com, 2007-02-21.
- ^ SLAYER Wins GRAMMY In 'Best Metal Performance' Category. Blabbermouth.net (2007-02-11). Retrieved on February 12, 2007.
- ^ a b c d SLAYER's 'Christ Illusion' Album Recalled Following Christian Group Protests. Blabbermouth.net (2006-10-06). Retrieved on March 11, 2007.
- ^ SLAYER Spark 9/11 Controversy. Blabbermouth.net (2006-05-27). Retrieved on March 11, 2007.
- ^ 'Offensive' album pulled in India. BBC.co.uk (2006-10-11). Retrieved on February 22, 2007.
- ^ Lahtinen, Luxi (2006-12-18). SLAYER - Jeff Hanneman. Metal-rules.com. Retrieved on March 11, 2007.
- ^ a b Steffens, Charlie (2006-05-30). Gnarly Charlie's exclusive interview with Slayer Guitarist Jeff Hanneman. KNAC.com. Retrieved on March 11, 2007.
- ^ SLAYER On 'Jimmy Kimmel Live!': 'Eyes Of The Insane' Performance Posted Online. Blabbermouth.net (2007-01-20). Retrieved on March 14, 2007.
- ^ a b Brown, Ashley (2007-02-03). Slayer makes time for Slayer. Kansas City Star. Retrieved on March 14, 2007.
- ^ a b c SLAYER's KING Says RICK RUBIN's Collaboration With METALLICA Was 'Slap In The Face. Blabbermouth.net (2006-06-26). Retrieved on March 11, 2007.
- ^ a b An exclusive oral history of Slayer. Decibel Magazine (2006-08). Retrieved on March 11, 2007.
| Slayer |
| Tom Araya | Jeff Hanneman | Kerry King | Dave Lombardo |
| Discography |
|---|
| Albums and extended plays: Show No Mercy | Haunting the Chapel | Hell Awaits | Reign in Blood | South of Heaven | Seasons in the Abyss | Divine Intervention | Undisputed Attitude | Diabolus in Musica | God Hates Us All | Eternal Pyre | Christ Illusion |
| Live albums: Live Undead | Decade of Aggression |
| Compilations: Soundtrack to the Apocalypse |
| Videos and DVDs |
| Live Intrusion | War at the Warfield | Still Reigning |
| Songs |
| "Angel of Death" | "Raining Blood" | "Eyes of the Insane" | "Jihad" |
