Slayer. Recommendations please.

[Murdoch]

Should I start with Reign in Blood or Seasons in the Abyss? Does it matter?

 

[Iron_Dreamer]

For me: South of Heaven > Seasons > Reign

though it seems most people rank them: Reign > Seasons > South

I prefer South of Heaven, because though the songs might be slower than the other two albums, they are better written (IMO) and the music is more impactful, with riffs that are more interesting. Reign in Blood for all its' accolades is a bit too sloppy sounding and chaotic, which is perhaps why some people like it so much.

 

[Spaghetti]

I am not a huge Slayer fan at all, but I love the song Seasons in the Aybss. That probably doesn't help much but my $.02.

 

[DarkAngel]

All Slayer albums from debut thru "abyss" are essential in any metal collection.
For some reason ciritcs all like 3rd album "reign in blood" with it's shorter more focused tracks.

Truth must be told, if you combine debut "show no mercy" with EP "haunting the chapel" you have the greatest speed metal album ever made.

 

[Murdoch]

Thanks for the input. Maybe I'll just get both Reign and Seasons. Got the tax return, tonight its time to go shopping!!

 

[Jigglybootch]

I think Reign In Blood is a better place to start. Yes, it is chaotic, but I'd hardly call it sloppy. Personally, I don't think Seasons In The Abyss is all that great. Reign In Blood and South Of Heaven, in my opinion, are much better. The first album isn't all that great. Hell Awaits, however, is frickin' awesome! I feel that Hell Awaits was their best album.

 

[DarkAngel]

JB
What don't you like about 1st album?
Slayer's 2nd album "hell awaits" takes same style already established on first album and just adds some length to fewer tracks.......hard to understand how you could like one but not the other????

I would say "hell" is my 2nd fav Slayer album.......which makes sense since it is a follow-up of my favorite album "no mercy". The real difference is "hell" is a bit more brutal with longer solo sections etc, but debut for me is more original with better crafted shorter songs......has Slayer ever made a song to top "black magic nights"?

Now if you say you don't like any of next three albums I understand since style did noticeably change for each one.

 

[Jigglybootch]

Has Slayer ever made a song called "Black Magic Nights?"

But seriously, I don't hate Show No Mercy, but I just don't like it as much as the rest of Slayer's stuff. I can't really explain why. I guess I just don't think the songs are all that great.

I don't know how you can characterize Hell Awaits as being similar to Show No Mercy. Hell Awaits, in my opinion, is far more technical and more developed than Show No Mercy could ever hope to be.

 

[eastsidemetalhd]

... i'd start with South of Heaven before going into their other mad thrashing albums, solely because it's alot more difficult to get into the sound/approach they took on SoH if you've already formed an opinion of the band based on their other harder/faster albums. just my $0.02.

 

[Leto Atreides II]

When I ordered "Show No Mercy" from amazon, it came with all the right cover art and CD label, but when I put in on it was a Corrosion of Conformity album, so for a year or so I thought that was what Slayer sounded like.

 

[YngwieJMalmsteen]

if you like slayer find some AT THE GATES.

 

[duff138]

start with "Reign in Blood " then get "Hell Awaits" and "South of Heaven".

 

[Murdoch]

Thanks for the recommendations. I decided to go with Seasons of the Abyss. Its pummeling me as I type. I think more Slayer will be in my future so I'll keep the other suggestions in mind. Thanks!

 

[JWFokker]

Seasons of the Abyss was alright but I thought South of Heaven was much better. Reign in Blood was up there with South of Heaven but I do think SoH is the better album. It's not near as intense as RiB, so if you're in it for the thrash, you may not like it as much, but musically, it's a better album. Seasons of the Abyss was in the middle and not as good as either RiB or SoH as a result, in my opinion.