Eyes of the Insane

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"Eyes of the Insane"
Single by Slayer
from the album Christ Illusion
ReleasedNovember 20, 2006 (2006-11-20)
Recorded2006
GenreThrash metal
Length3:23
LabelWEA International
Composer(s)Jeff Hanneman
Lyricist(s)Tom Araya
Producer(s)Josh Abraham
Slayer singles chronology
"Cult"
(2006) 		"Eyes of the Insane"
(2006) 		"
Psychopathy Red
"
(2009)

"Eyes of the Insane" is a 2006 song by the American thrash metal band Slayer, taken from their 2006 album Christ Illusion. The lyrics explore an American soldier's mental anguish following his return home from the second Gulf War, and are based on an article entitled "Casualty of War" in Texas Monthly magazine. "Eyes of the Insane" was written by vocalist Tom Araya during pre-production for the album. The song was generally well received by critics, and also peaked #15 on the Danish singles charts.

The accompanying

49th Grammy Awards
.

Origins

While walking through an airport, vocalist Tom Araya picked up a March 2006 issue of Texas Monthly with a soldier's helmet on the front cover. Seeing the article "Casualty of War", he was interested enough to purchase a copy.[1] The issue explored the involvement of military personnel from Texas in the Iraq War, and included a list of Texan soldiers who had died in the conflict.[2][3] The feature was accompanied by photographs of some of the dead, while a further article dealt with the anguish of surviving soldiers on their return home.[2] Araya later said the article "blew his mind".[3]

Araya read the article during his flight back to Los Angeles. Pre-production for Slayer's tenth studio album Christ Illusion had just begun, and the band was about to undertake a three-day rehearsal with producer Josh Abraham. Araya left his baggage at the hotel to attend the rehearsals, then returned to re-read the article. Finding it to be "very profound", he woke up in the middle of the night and wrote down the lyrics.[1] He said that his treatment of the topic is "sincere", and that he believes it to be "one that the military doesn't want you to know. They sweep it under the rug, but it's a story that needs to be told."[1] The band's guitarist, Kerry King, has said that "these new songs [from the Christ Illusion album] aren't political at all: 'Jihad', 'Eyes of the Insane' — it's what's spewing out at us from the TV."[4]

Musical structure

"Eyes of the Insane" (2006)
A sample from "Eyes of the Insane", where
scales on guitar.[5]
Problems playing this file? See media help.

"Eyes of the Insane" is 3 minutes 23 seconds long.

verses, refrain and bridge, before resolving with a "towering" chorus.[6]

Some reviewers paid particular attention to Araya's vocal contribution. Zach Hothorn of Prefix magazine said the song "allows Araya to show his vocal range, deepening to build up tension and creating a wonderfully chilling 3 and a half minutes",[7] while Ian Robinson of musicOMH felt the track "is a distinct but welcome change of pace, Dave Lombardo's machine-gun rhythms forming the backbone for Tom Araya's impressively intact scream."[8]

Music video

A screenshot from the music video

By the time Slayer decided a music video should be filmed, touring commitments prevented their involvement in the actual shoot.[9] Instead, others were contacted to produce the film.[9] Director Tony Petrossian presented Slayer with the first draft, and the group made a few suggestions for improvement.[10] Never having met him, King recalled Petrossian "had a treatment, and we all dug the treatment so we just turned him loose."[10] "Eyes of the Insane"'s war-themed music video was filmed on August 13, 2006, in the Los Angeles area. Casting company Tolley Casparis Casting sought a male Caucasian between the ages of 18 and 26 to appear in the clip, with auditions held on August 10, 2006. The official project notes deemed that "This guy must be a serious actor, capable of emoting everything through his eyes. He was innocent a few months ago, now he is scarred by seeing so much fighting. Strong eyebrows that do not overpower the face. Scars or large veins actually a plus."[11]

The video was shot as a "first-person narrative about the horrors leading up to the final moments of a soldier at war", and was described as "a single, long and tight

mp3.com late in October 2006.[12] In 2007, the video earned a Metal Hammer Golden Gods Awards nomination for Best Video, but eventually lost to Avenged Sevenfold's "Seize The Day."[13]

Critical reception

Critics were generally positive when reviewing "Eyes of the Insane".

Dead Skin Mask'."[16]

Awards

The song was nominated for

Recording Academy, King said, "Realistically, I think people on the academy who vote pick the household name ... And that's what we are."[21]

Other media

The

soundtrack to the 2006 horror film Saw III included "Eyes of the Insane", and was released on October 24, 2006, by Warcon Enterprises.[22] The track 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), and was the only song broadcast in its entirety.[23]
However, King dislikes playing "Eyes of the Insane" live, commenting, "It's just dull to play, good song just dull to play on guitar."[24]

Track listing

CD1[25]
No.TitleLength
1."Eyes of the Insane"3:23
2."Eyes of the Insane" (Live)3:31
CD2[25]
No.TitleLength
1."Eyes of the Insane"3:23
2."Cult" (Live)4:37
3."Reborn" (Live Video) 
7" vinyl[25]
No.TitleLength
1."Eyes of the Insane"3:23
2."Cult" (Live)4:37

Charts

Chart (2006) Peak
position
Denmark (Tracklisten)[26] 15
UK Singles (OCC)[27]
 97

Notes

  1. ^ a b c Claes, Sean (2006). "Slayer". Blistering. Archived from the original on 2006-10-22. Retrieved 2007-02-22.
  2. ^ a b Atkinson, Peter (2006-05-03). "Songs About God and Satan - Part 2: An Interview With Slayer's Tom Araya". KNAC.com. Retrieved 2007-01-26.
  3. ^ a b Harris, Chris (2006-04-20). "New Slayer album might be their fastest yet". MTV.com. Retrieved 2007-03-11.
  4. ^ Beck, Aaron (2007-02-10). "After 25 years, Slayer keeps casting metal". The Columbus Dispatch. Archived from the original on 2012-03-29. Retrieved 2007-02-25.
  5. ^
    Allmusic
    . Retrieved 2007-02-22.
  6. Popmatters
    . Retrieved 2007-03-27.
  7. ^ Hothorn, Zach (2006-08-16). "Christ Illusion - Review". Prefix Magazine. Retrieved 2007-05-16.
  8. ^ Robinson, Ian (2006-08-21). "Christ Illusion - Review". MusicOMH.com. Archived from the original on 2007-09-29. Retrieved 2007-05-16.
  9. ^ a b c Lahtinen, Lexi (2006-12-18). "Slayer - Jeff Hanneman". Metal-rules.com. Archived from the original on 2014-10-16. Retrieved 2007-02-23.
  10. ^ a b c Butler, Roya. "Slayer". ReadJunk.com. Retrieved 2010-04-11.
  11. ^ "Slayer: 'Eyes Of The Insane' video shoot to take place this Sunday". Blabbermouth.net. 2006-08-09. Archived from the original on 2012-03-29. Retrieved 2007-02-25.
  12. ^ a b c "Slayer: 'Eyes Of The Insane' video posted online". Blabbermouth.net. 2006-10-30. Archived from the original on 2012-03-29. Retrieved 2007-02-25.
  13. ^ "BULLET FOR MY VALENTINE Booed At METAL HAMMER GOLDEN GODS AWARDS". BLABBERMOUTH.NET. June 12, 2007.
  14. ^ Lee, Cosmo. "Christ Illusion - Review". Stylus. Archived from the original on 2007-06-07. Retrieved 2007-03-27.
  15. ^ Atkinson, Peter (2006-07-24). "KNAC Review - Christ Illusion". KNAC.com. Retrieved 2007-02-22.
  16. ^ Kaye, Don. "Blabbermouth Review - Christ Illusion". Blabbermouth.net. Archived from the original on 2007-03-08. Retrieved 2007-02-22.
  17. ^ "49th Annual Grammy Awards Winners List". Grammy.com. Archived from the original on 2006-12-20. Retrieved 2007-06-01.
  18. ^ Foxworthy, John (2006-12-24). "Interview with Slayer's Kerry King". Garage Radio Magazine. Archived from the original on 2012-02-06. Retrieved 2007-02-25.
  19. ^ a b c "Slayer wins Grammy In 'Best Metal Performance' Category". Blabbermouth.net. 2007-02-11. Archived from the original on 2007-02-22. Retrieved 2007-02-12.
  20. ^ "49th Annual Grammy Awards winners list". Grammy.com. Archived from the original on 2006-12-20. Retrieved 2007-03-05.
  21. ^ Piccoli, Sean (2007-02-21). "Grammy for Slayer's 11th album shows metal legends are now a household name". Sun-Sentinel.com.
  22. ^ "Slayer, Eighteen Visions, Lamb of God, Mastodon Featured On 'Saw III' Soundtrack". Blabbermouth.net. 2006-09-14. Archived from the original on 2012-03-29. Retrieved 2007-02-25.
  23. ^ "Slayer on 'Jimmy Kimmel Live!!': 'Eyes Of The Insane' performance posted online". Blabbermouth.net. 2007-01-20. Archived from the original on 2007-10-01. Retrieved 2007-04-08.
  24. ^ Gamble, Billy. "Slayer interview Pt II". Rocknworld.com. Retrieved 2007-04-08.
  25. ^ a b c "Slayer: 'Eyes Of The Insane' single due in November". Blabbermouth.net. 2006-10-24. Archived from the original on 2012-03-29. Retrieved 2007-02-25.
  26. ^ "Slayer – Eyes Of The Insane". Tracklisten. Retrieved 2013-05-23.
  27. ^ "Slayer: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved April 16, 2014.

External links

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