From blabbermouth.net
"BLABBERMOUTH.NET can exclusively reveal that California thrashers SLAYER have set "World Painted Blood" as the title of their new album, tentatively due late summer via American Recordings/Columbia Records. The forthcoming CD is being produced by Greg Fidelman and will include the album's title track and "Psychopathy Red" (both of which are Jeff Hanneman-penned tunes), the latter of which was made available as a limited-edition seven-inch vinyl disc on April 18, 2009 as part of the third annual Record Store Day.

Prior to the new album release, SLAYER will join forces with MEGADETH to perform together for the first time in more than 15 years when they co-headline four shows in Canada in late June. The tour, dubbed "Canadian Carnage", will also feature MACHINE HEAD and SUICIDE SILENCE, and will see MEGADETH and SLAYER each closing two of the four shows. SLAYER will also co-headline with MARILYN MANSON on the five-week Rockstar Energy Mayhem Festival, set to kick off July 10 in Sacramento, California.

On May 19, BLABBERMOUTH.NET spoke to SLAYER guitarist Kerry King about the band's new CD and their upcoming touring activities. Highlights of that conversation follow below.

On the status of the new album recording sessions:

Kerry: "Probably today was the last day for touch-ups. The longer you let that go on, you can keep fixing it forever; you've just gotta cut the line at one point and say, 'We're done.' But I think Tom [Araya] finishes up vocals today, and then it's just gotta get mixed."

On whether producer Greg Fidelman is going to be mixing the album as well:

Kerry: "To my knowledge, I think he's doing it. I don't always pay attention to that. But I haven't heard anything to the contrary, so I would imagine, yeah."

On Greg Fidelman being a somewhat odd choice for a producer considering that a lot of fans seem to blame him for the distorted sound on METALLICA's "Death Magnetic" album:

Kerry: "I would never do that because — no offense to him or METALLICA — but it's not Greg's fault for the last 15 years of METALLICA. I think he made a decent record with them. I think 'Death Magnetic' is pretty cool. I mean, It's not the glory of the '80s, but it's better than 'St. Anger', you know what I mean?! You're dealing with hard-headed dudes. We're the same way. When you're in the business for as long as us and them [METALLICA] are, you don't always[listen to] everybody's opinion; you've kind of got your own opinion. I blame everybody, not just him. [Laughs]"

On the songwriting/recording process for the new album:

Kerry: "We were over-ready [when we recorded 2006's 'Christ Illusion']. My songs [for the new album] came together since the middle of January — that was super-fast. I [attended] the NAMM show in the middle of January [2009], the big trade show out here [in California]. I might have had some riffs [at that point], but I had no songs. So everything I've done [songwriting-wise] has been put together since then. And this time when we went into the studio, we were, like, under-ready, because there were songs that hadn't even been finished, so we actually had to teach Dave [Lombardo; drums] some of them in the studio, which is totally unique for us. When you do it like that, you risk songs sounding the same and vocal ideas being similar, but I think everything sounds really different. . . [We did it that way because] we had a window of time that we secured Greg Fidelman [for and] we wanted to keep that happening, so after the NAMM show came around, I went, 'Shit, I'd better get some fuckin' songs happening.' So I got off my ass and really worked at it."

On how he would describe the new material:

Kerry: "I think 'Christ Illusion' and 'God Hates Us All' [2001] were compared to faster records like 'Reign In Blood' [1986]. I think this one, when it's all said and done, will be compared to 'Seasons In The Abyss' [1990], because I think 'Seasons' was a little bit of everything, as far as SLAYER goes. I think this one has a little bit of everything — more so than anything we've done since 'Seasons'. So I would imagine people are gonna compare it to that one."

On how the songwriting is split between him and fellow guitarist Jeff Hanneman this time around:

Kerry: "I don't know which songs... We've got 13 songs. I don't even know if they're all done, it's been such a hectic recording thing, but musically I wrote six and he wrote seven. It's about as down the middle as you can get."

"I think, as a general description [I tend to write the faster stuff and Jeff comes up with the moodier material], but that's not to say that Jeff won't write fast and I won't write slow, but generally I'm the fast, thrashier dude and Jeff's definitely the more moodier guy, but trail off into each one's domain every once in a while."

and here's Psychopathy Red too
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Sure as hell sounds like Slayer and it sounds like Tom got his older higher pitched voice back

Way to duck the question, Kerry. Dude's production was terrible, and even if Metallica were the ones saying "just make it louder!" he could have told them that the mix would sound like shit.

That's exactly what I was thinking.

Slayer and Megadeth would be rip -roaring. Megadeth is due for a new recording too.
I wonder how Dave Mustane will handle Slayer seing that he is born again now.

Shouldn't make a difference. Araya's an out-and-out Christian anyway. He keeps his music separate from his beliefs.

All I needed to know was "new Slayer record" and my money was as good as spent.

Now they just need to headline a tour, since I refuse to waste money to watch them play with Manson.

Looking forward to it.

Also looking forward to seeing them headline a show here July 27th!!

Openers: Trivium, Behemoth, God Forbid

full stream of the new album on their myspace page

sounds great to me! There's already some people on the internets complaining about the "mix", but I happen to like loud guitars!

mastering does not equal mix. Yeah, the "mastering" can be too "loud", but that's totally different than the mix which is the difference between the volume levels of the guitar, vocals, bass, & drums.

the main complaint (if you can call it that) is that the reviewer says that the drums and vocals are mixed to a point where they over power the guitar. I'll have to wait till the cd comes out to see if thats fully true (many times the "leak" is of lower quality, granted the album did come out in europe this week)

My fave tracks thus far are the title track, Unit 731, Psychopathy Red, and Playing With Dolls

SLAYER!!! \m/

Sounds good to me. Slayer songs have been on my mind a lot lately so it's funny to come in and see this announcement.

album comes out tuesday.

The album leaked. I've had it a while and will buy it on Tuesday.

My favorite is "Not of this God." Just awesome. Definitely a King song.

"Playing with dolls" is interesting because Tom SINGS. No shouting, no screaming. Straight up singing. Wait till you hear it.

It IS a slower album than the past, but some are murder. I like this way better than 'Christ Illusion'.

You see, I liked reading this comment.

am i the only one who thinks the opening riff of 'Playing With Dolls' as being very similar Jihad? And yes, Tom does def scream once the faster part kicks in, granted its not the rapid fire that he usually does, but its not a full clean song.

Can't wait to get this tomorrow! I watched the Playing with dolls video that will accompany the deluxe CD/DVD release, didn't really do much for me....Will I spend extra $ for it, doubt it.

A LOT of people have complained about the production of this album. I love it. To me it sounds more natural, unprocessed, very raw.

Oh yeah, SLAYER just canceled their upcoming dates with Megadeth in Canada as Tom has a back injury that his doctor wants him to have surgery for asap......

Sounds the opposite to me! Hearing it on my headphones, it sounded like the vocals were almost buried!

Sounds great to me! Loud guitars rule!

Man, Tom Araya has the worst luck. First his gall bladder, now he's gotta have back surgery tomorrow. Their Canadian tour is off.

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Nice use of a 7-string @ 1:49

I'll admit that, as a LONG time Slayer fan, the last couple of albums have kind of dulled my excitement for this one. They just seem to be on repeat as of late, which is a shame when you consider their output in the 80's/early 90's. That being said, I'm getting more pumped for the album now that I know it's in stores, and I'll go pick it up after work today. I hope it's better than Christ Illusion.

Anybody knows what's on the bonus DVD?

from blabbermouth
a 20-minute DVD titled "Playing with Dolls", a 12-episode video-graphic novel that will be included exclusively in SLAYER's "World Painted Blood" deluxe edition, out November 3 in tandem with the "World Painted Blood" standard edition. Inspired by the songs on "World Painted Blood" — in particular Jeff Hanneman's "Playing With Dolls", from which the horror short takes its title — the film blends elements of animation and still-photography into a visual style similar to that of a graphic novel. A trailer for the short can be viewed below. The soundtrack for the "Playing With Dolls" short features clips from all 11 of the songs on "World Painted Blood"; in addition, the music bed for episode No. 7 is taken from "Atrocity Vendor", a new song that is not on the album.

I listened to it a couple times last night. I'm really liking this album.

I'm a bit interested. It seems like I've been waiting on Slayer to put another great album since "Seasons in the Abyss" came out those many years ago.

It's their best album since SITA. Tom's gone back to a more varied vocal style, instead of tryingtofitasmanywordsintoalineaspossible.