How was it recording without Jeff Hanneman for Repentless?
The one weird thing was [not having] his presence and opinions. Me and Jeff wrote all the music that has ever been in a Slayer song. I know how to write Slayer music, but to write an entire record — aside from a song [“Piano Wire”] of his that we used – that’s a daunting thing to take on. I think we nailed it.
Do you think that expectations are lower because the lineup is different?
People expect us to fail. I went about writing this like every record: I don’t say I want to blow people away; I go about making the next album its own entity and as good as I can. People will say it sucks without hearing it. They’re behind a computer, 20 feet tall and invincible.
Are you already thinking about the follow up to this album?
We’ve got seven, eight or nine extras recorded toward the next one — if we choose to do a next one. [The songs] are done with drums, bass and guitar. So unless they change, they only need vocals and leads. That’s way further ahead in the chain than we’ve ever been.