Unlike most metal bands Slayer was determined to evolve as they aged, and 1998’s Diabolus In Musica surprised many fans with its diverse set of influences. The influence of younger bands like Pantera is felt throughout the album, especially on the groove metal of “Stain of Mind,” “Screaming from the Sky” and “Love to Hate.” Of course, Slayer never abandons its roots entirely. “Perversions of Pain” and “Desire” are speed metal as only Slayer can deliver, while “Scrum” reprises the violent hardcore of Undisputed Attitude. Slayer made its name by playing faster and harder than any other band on the planet, but Diabolus In Musica is at its heaviest on the slower songs. The band’s malicious intentions emanate from the grinding down-tuned riffs of “Death’s Head and ” “Overt Enemy.” Kerry King’s “In the Name of God” is so vicious and disturbing that it wipes out any memory of the pathetic “nü-metal” movement. Appropriately, the album is bookended by two songs (“Bitter Peace” and “Point”) that brilliantly blend the best of 1988-era Slayer with the best of 1998-era Slayer.