History:
Released on October 7, 1986 “Reign in Blood” is Slayer third studio album and largely recognised as one of the most important recordings in the thrash metal genre. Rick Rubin produced the record, which stands out for its raw energy, ferocity and intensity. Slayer stretched the frontiers of heavy metal with this CD. Which included rapid tempos, sophisticated guitar work and dark themes about bloodshed, war and the occult. Despite its brief length of just over 28 minutes, “Reign in Blood” is filled with unrelenting force and is widely regarded as a quintessential thrash metal album, cementing Slayer’s position in metal history.
Artwork:
The album cover, created by artist Larry Carroll. The image of the album cover featuring a demonic creature carried on a chair by two people on each side. These people are carrying it over a sea of blood where several heads of corpses are floating. In the top left corner of the album is Slayer’s logo while in the bottom right corner is the album title “Reign in Blood”. The iconic cover image sets the tone for the album’s investigation of the macabre and reflects Slayer’s unrepentant attitude to their subject matter. While also perfectly capturing the ferocious energy of the music.
Notable Tracks:
- “Angel of Death” – This opener is perhaps the most notorious track on the album, addressing the horrific actions of Nazi physician Josef Mengele. Its rapid-fire riffs and intense drumming, combined with Tom Araya aggressive vocals, make it a standout in Slayer’s discography.
- “Raining Blood” – The album title track is an iconic metal anthem, featuring one of the most recognizable riffs in heavy metal history. Its climactic build-up and powerful chorus contain the album dark themes and relentless energy.
- “Altar of Sacrifice” – A track that exemplifies Slayer signature sound, with its brutal speed and menacing lyrics. The song intensity and precision make it a fan favorite and a staple of Slayer live performances.
Why It’s Iconic:
“Reign in Blood” is widely regarded as establishing the sound of thrash metal and inspiring numerous bands that followed. Its unrelenting tempo and uncompromising approach to heavy music established new benchmarks for ferocity and intensity in metal. The album’s intricate song structures, intense lyrics and technical proficiency cemented Slayer’s position as one of the “Big Four” of thrash metal, with Metallica, Megadeth and Anthrax. Its cultural imprint is still felt today, as it continues to captivate both fans and performers.
Trivia:
- “Reign in Blood” recorded in just over a week and shows the band’s raw intensity and efficiency in the studio.
- The album initially received with criticism for its violent content and themes, notably the song “Angel of Death” which spurred debate over the propriety of such issues in music.
- The song “Raining Blood” is widely regarded as one of the best metal songs of all time and is a fixture of Slayer’s live repertoire.
Track listing
“Angel of Death”
“Piece by Piece”
“Necrophobic”
“Altar of Sacrifice”
“Jesus Saves”
“Criminally Insane”
“Reborn”
“Epidemic”
“Postmortem”
“Raining Blood”
Members
Tom Araya – bass, vocals
Kerry King – guitars
Jeff Hanneman – guitars
Dave Lombardo – drums