MetalSucks Presents DEAD Talks, #1: Reign in Blood

Last year, our friend Ben Apatoff — writer for MetalSucks and Metal Injection and author of A Metal Fan’s Notes — gave a lecture on Metallica’s Black Album. The lecture was a big success, which isn’t surprising — Ben is a smart dude! — but gave us an idea nonetheless: why not launch a MetalSucks lecture series?

So we’re doing just that! The first installment of our new DEAD Talks (see what we did there?) is entitled “From a Lacerated Sky: An In-Depth Look at Slayer’s Reign in Blood,” and will be led by Professor Apatoff. Here’s a quick summary of what to expect:

“Three decades and numerous sub-genres later, Slayer’s Reign in Blood marks a peak in American music that spawned countless imitators but has never been matched. In less than half an hour, four Southern California headbangers gave a new face to traditionalist fears, set new standards for loud and fast, and raised questions about art, politics, history and religion that are still being fought over today. But how does Reign in Blood stay shocking? How does the art come out in all the noise about Satan, Nazis and carnage? What is this intangible force that makes people shout the band’s name (Slayer!) even when they’re not at a Slayer show, or a metal show, or know any Slayer songs? We’ll kick off the MetalSucks lecture series with a thorough discussion.”

Sounds great, right? Right! So make sure you’re there!

The event will take place on Thursday, March 16 at Brooklyn’s Lucky 13 Saloon. Tickets are just ten bucks, and all proceeds will be donated to the Brennan Center for Justice.

So make sure to come on down! It will be fun and educational and will benefit a good cause. You can get more details at the Facebook event page.

And remember, this is just the first in a series: the second DEAD Talk, in which MetalSucks’ own Axl Rosenberg will discuss Guns N’ Roses’ Chinese Democracy, is tentatively scheduled for June!