Occasionally, and for whatever reason, a single member of a band will resonate with me more than the sum of its parts, especially when the group epitomizes a scene that a good Christian boy like me is expected to shun. Jeff Hanneman, a founding member of the legendary metal band Slayer, is a perfect example.

Although known for being somewhat reclusive offstage, Jeff was aggressively instrumental in shaping the sound and ethos of the thrash genre with belligerent riffs typified by intricate solos and heavy palm-muting, which aided his emphasis on speed and precision that paid homage to his punk, hardcore, and classic metal influences.

Jeff co-wrote many of Slayer’s hardest hitting songs — “Angel of Death,” “Raining Blood,” and “South of Heaven” not least among them — with provocative lyrics that underscored dark subjects like war, death, and violence.

He performed with his bandmates until he fell ill due to complications from a spider bite, ultimately costing Jeff his life 10 years ago today. Yet his legacy lives on through the music he created and the resulting impact he had on innumerable fans and admirers alike — even rebellious Christian boys like me.