Review by MartinDavey87 for Slayer - Hell Awaits (1985)

In today's edition of Bash-a-Classic, I'm looking at 'Hell Awaits', album number two for Slayer, and I'm still struggling to see what made them stand out amongst all the other thrash metal bands of the 80's.

One of the notable differences between Slayer and the other members of the Big Four of thrash (Metallica, Megadeth and Anthrax) is that Slayer's music is much less melody-based, focusing more on raw aggression and darker themes. Unfortunately, the lack of melody, in both the guitar riffs and the vocals, makes it harder for any songs to really stick in my head.

While bands like Metallica and Anthrax were already utilizing plenty of vocal hooks and memorable guitar lines, 'Hell Awaits' is a barrage of mind-numbingly boring riffs that fail to do anything other than show off Slayer's penchant for sheer speed and wailing guitar solos that go absolutely nowhere. Tom Araya's vocal style, a weird combination of angry talking and shouting, doesn't produce anything catchy, with literally every single song on this album sounding identical to the last.

Despite repeated listens, I just can't get into this album. I know Slayer are one of metals most beloved bands, and in fairness they will go on to produce some great material, but damn, these earlier releases are just brutal, and not in the good way.