Review by Shadowdoom9 (Andi) for Slayer - Hell Awaits (1985)
Slayer is not a band you should underestimate. They've been known controversially for their lyrics and cover arts of violence and Satanism, and real-life incidents such as frontman Tom Araya literally p*ssing on Venom's Conrad "Cronos" Lant during a tour for this album. Nonetheless, I'm glad to finally get into the thrash action of this band...
Their 1983 debut Show No Mercy has been known as more of a Maiden/Priest-influenced album, albeit more satanic. Basically a more melodic and less brutal thrash sound. Haunting the Chapel has been known as the EP that hinted at their darker heavier direction. I think choosing this album to review that sits right after moving out of the classic heavy metal-influenced sound and starting their full-on thrash sound that would reach its most brutal in Reign in Blood is a wise move of mine. So let's go! HELL AWAITS.
The title track is the perfect opener for one of the evilest-sounding albums on Earth. An unsettling reversed chant of "Join us..." fades in, ending with a growl of "WELCOME BACK!!!" Faster than you can respond to that demonic greeting, you're pulled into Slayer's demented realm with slow sludgy riffing. It's not until the 3-minute mark when the second half of fast thrash begins. It's quite a killer classic, I must say. "Kill Again" greatly gets you hooked into a menacing story in the lyrics, filled with as much graphic violence as a slasher film. The speed goes faster than a speeding cheetah. And there's more malicious violence to come... "At Dawn they Sleep" sounds quite evil, not just in the slower tempo but also the lyrics of bloodthirsty vampires, growled by Tom Araya.
"Praise of Death" is perhaps the best song here for me, though not as famous as the first track. The guitar's raw power add a lot to the evil sinister themes. The perfect top-notch drumming shows what a thrash genius Dave Lombardo is, hitting the kit hard and well. More of his infernal drumming fire is unleashed in "Necrophiliac", sounding as admirable as the rest of the instrumentation.
The riffing and different tempos get more complex in the longer "Crypts of Eternity". Araya's vocals have more extensive experimentation that he really nails. His bass is more audible while not getting much of the front stage. The guitars end up sounding quite thin, detracting a bit of heaviness. It's doesn't affect the song's greatness in any way, but it's quite noticeable and worth mentioning. However, what really gets me scratching my head is the closing track "Hardening of the Arteries". It seems quite rushed when the band wants to get everything finished before the album comes full circle with a similar riff to the album's beginning. It's good, but not the best attempt at finishing an album.
For those who enjoy wicked evil thrash anthems, Hell Awaits is what you want. Slayer made an album that has never disappointed heavier metalheads. Thrash fans shall headbang to the speed, structure, and darkness that made Slayer the unique thrash band they've been known as. This is mandatory for extreme metal fans. Welcome to Hell!
Favorites: "Hell Awaits", "Kill Again", "Praise of Death", "Crypts of Eternity"