Tori Amos - Raining Blood

When I first heard (this was before it was released) about Strange Little Girls, I was pretty excited. Number one, I love Tori Amos and, number two, I really like covers. A lot. And I was really excited about her plans for the songs. How she intended to (and succeeded at) a new vision, a reinterpretation, not only of the sounds and structures of the songs, but also the intentions, the meanings of (at least some of) the songs.

And "Raining Blood" comes out a big winner for me, in some respects. Mostly because of how chillingly she transforms a pretty much classic thrash tune. Sure, the Slayer tune is good, but it lacks in everything except rifftasticness and speed. She imbues the song with emotion, with atmosphere, with scope and depth.

Amos' version is haunting. Spine-tingling. And expansive. The drone which carries throughout the piece draws everything toward it and provides a shifting foundation, like storm clouds rolling through. And Amos' vocals float over the top, a harbinger of doom, an ill wind blowing through.

It's too bad Slayer's not this dark and ominous sounding...