Former Slayer drummer Dave Lombardo shared insights about the creation of ‘Raining Blood’ in an interview with 100 Songs That Define Heavy Metal. He revealed details about Jeff Hanneman’s significant contribution to the iconic track.
Lombardo described how Hanneman presented an almost complete demo version to the band during rehearsal.
“Jeff [Hanneman] recorded the demo [for Slayer’s ‘Raining Blood’]. He recorded the drums and the guitar and presented that to us at rehearsal,” Lombardo explained. “And we thought it was a little odd. It was, like, ‘What? You just want it to start this way?’ And I don’t know where the idea, where the rain came in.”
Lombardo further detailed the band’s initial reaction to the demo.
“But the song was practically done, and it was on cassette. And we thought it was great, at least once the riff kicked in. That blew us away,” he added.
These revelations about Hanneman’s role could potentially create tension. The song’s writing credits are officially shared between Hanneman and Kerry King.
The story behind ‘Raining Blood’ extends beyond this recent revelation. Several historical details have emerged about its creation and impact.
Blabbermouth revealed that Hanneman conceived the song’s iconic introduction in his original demo. The combination of thunder, three distinct drumbeats, and lightning-strike guitars faced initial skepticism from other band members.
Ultimate Guitar documented the historical significance of Hanneman’s demo. The unusual opening sequence, though questioned initially, became one of metal’s most recognizable intros.
An early version of the track recorded in Hanneman’s home studio still exists today. Archival footage shows how closely the final recording followed Hanneman’s original vision.
The preserved demo allows fans and historians to trace this metal classic’s evolution. It demonstrates that Hanneman’s initial concept remained largely intact through to the final version, despite the shared songwriting credits.
