Slayer - Reign in Blood (1986) (1 Viewer)

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Thanks for that @Anthony
Sounds like it was sung by a pitched Gene Ween. Must be the diction and pubescent vocals. Fair play to Graham, although I'm sad that he didn't copy the drum fill at 2.17 - one of my favourites!
 
I was trying to think why I never listened to this before.Being 2 and a half when this album came out it wasn’t really on my radar at the time. When I was turning 11/12 and starting to get interested in maybe listening to metal Metallica were in the middle of cutting their hair and going a bit grunge. They weren't exactly glory years.

I also remember kids in Slayer t-shirts always seemed to be the ones who gave out to me for liking anything they considered too groovy or tuneful. Everything I liked or got excited about was always doing it wrong to Slayer fans. Getting excited in itself seemed to be doing it wrong! I probably needed a kind, understanding Slayer fan to hold my hand and gently lend me his copy of Reign in Blood and ask for some considered thoughts about it the next day but, for whatever reason, that never came up.The closest I ever came to Slayer as a young teenager would have been the more straight forward metal Faith No More songs (I notice Postmortem on this album could almost be by them).

Plus, and this is actually huge, in my house if I started listening to this kinda thing in 1996 I’d risk all my brothers, and my parents, calling me Beavis and Butthead... fragile is the teenage ego.

The other thing over the years is how Reign in Blood seems to have become a bit of a classic rock/ box ticked album. Lads who know nothing about music for some reason seem to know this album and are willing to air-guitar it in your face after a few drinks. Once at a town-hall meeting (shudder) in work, some high up person in the corporation decided the entire place had to hear the bit of Slayer he’d been listening to so he put his phone on full volume and into the mic for the whole building to hear and headbanged along for a few seconds. All of this has led me to see Reign in Blood as kind of the Buena Vista Social Club of metal.

Anyway, personal history aside, after a few listens probably the most surprising thing about the album for me was just how familiar it all felt. I’ve probably heard all of it here and there at parties over the years so maybe it was that but it’s such a recognisable style that I was a little bit disappointed how little I got from it. A few more listens in though and i've started to notice the sheer number of ideas/riffs crammed into it. You could probably write 14 songs from each track on here if you took them apart used each separate riff on its own song.

Speaking of riffs, the rhythm guitar playing on the album is gas, all that palm muting at a billion miles an hour. Has anyone ever done a synth version of the album where they replaced them with a single synth note each? I defo prefer the wailing, outta control, lead guitar lines, I’d probably like the album more if the chug-chugging was removed and only the riffs and wailing was left.

My fav song is probably either Postmortem or Raining Blood because the riffs seem to have a bit of time to breath and exist before it all takes off in the race to the end… but then Raining Blood gets cut short, wtf is with that??

Reading over the comments in this thread it seems what appeals to people is the pureness of it. To get think-piece-y about it for a moment (SORRY EVERYONE) can see how an album like this appeals to a teenager. When you’re utterly lost at the momentousness of the world that’s just been opened up to you along comes the most sure of itself sounding album in existence. Some teenagers might jump to Morrissey or Robert Smith singing about how miserable their life is (“just like my life!”) but, for a lot of us, the last thing we want to do is have to deal in public with these emotions. Being a miserable teenager is already about as clichéd as it gets, and everyone around you is already telling you it’s just a phase, so rather than dwell on the issue much better to exorcise the feelings through the purest of riffage and lyrics that read like elegys to horror.

That’s my theory anyway. I figure a good Slayer fan would just laugh at that and turn up the volume.
 
First time listener to Slayer/Reign in Blood at the grand oul age of 49!! Jaysis!!
There's some serious shredding goin' on there. On first listen I like Angel of Death, Raining Blood and Criminally Insane (great titles!).
There's not much variety but then maybe that's the point, I don't know. I have no frame of reference for music like this, but will listen again.
A successful warm-up for Thumped Album Club, I'm looking forward the next first instalment!!
Haven't managed to get through more than one full listen. Not my cuppa really but hey, there ya go; I was never into metal/heavy rock etc.
Not that it matters but I actually find the production on this quite weak. It should be super heavy and crunchy but to my ears it sounds pretty thin - the drums especially.
Anyway - yeah Slayer/Reign in Blood - it's a meh from me.
 
I was trying to think why I never listened to this before.Being 2 and a half when this album came out it wasn’t really on my radar at the time. When I was turning 11/12 and starting to get interested in maybe listening to metal Metallica were in the middle of cutting their hair and going a bit grunge. They weren't exactly glory years.

I also remember kids in Slayer t-shirts always seemed to be the ones who gave out to me for liking anything they considered too groovy or tuneful. Everything I liked or got excited about was always doing it wrong to Slayer fans. Getting excited in itself seemed to be doing it wrong! I probably needed a kind, understanding Slayer fan to hold my hand and gently lend me his copy of Reign in Blood and ask for some considered thoughts about it the next day but, for whatever reason, that never came up.The closest I ever came to Slayer as a young teenager would have been the more straight forward metal Faith No More songs (I notice Postmortem on this album could almost be by them).

Plus, and this is actually huge, in my house if I started listening to this kinda thing in 1996 I’d risk all my brothers, and my parents, calling me Beavis and Butthead... fragile is the teenage ego.

The other thing over the years is how Reign in Blood seems to have become a bit of a classic rock/ box ticked album. Lads who know nothing about music for some reason seem to know this album and are willing to air-guitar it in your face after a few drinks. Once at a town-hall meeting (shudder) in work, some high up person in the corporation decided the entire place had to hear the bit of Slayer he’d been listening to so he put his phone on full volume and into the mic for the whole building to hear and headbanged along for a few seconds. All of this has led me to see Reign in Blood as kind of the Buena Vista Social Club of metal.

Anyway, personal history aside, after a few listens probably the most surprising thing about the album for me was just how familiar it all felt. I’ve probably heard all of it here and there at parties over the years so maybe it was that but it’s such a recognisable style that I was a little bit disappointed how little I got from it. A few more listens in though and i've started to notice the sheer number of ideas/riffs crammed into it. You could probably write 14 songs from each track on here if you took them apart used each separate riff on its own song.

Speaking of riffs, the rhythm guitar playing on the album is gas, all that palm muting at a billion miles an hour. Has anyone ever done a synth version of the album where they replaced them with a single synth note each? I defo prefer the wailing, outta control, lead guitar lines, I’d probably like the album more if the chug-chugging was removed and only the riffs and wailing was left.

My fav song is probably either Postmortem or Raining Blood because the riffs seem to have a bit of time to breath and exist before it all takes off in the race to the end… but then Raining Blood gets cut short, wtf is with that??

Reading over the comments in this thread it seems what appeals to people is the pureness of it. To get think-piece-y about it for a moment (SORRY EVERYONE) can see how an album like this appeals to a teenager. When you’re utterly lost at the momentousness of the world that’s just been opened up to you along comes the most sure of itself sounding album in existence. Some teenagers might jump to Morrissey or Robert Smith singing about how miserable their life is (“just like my life!”) but, for a lot of us, the last thing we want to do is have to deal in public with these emotions. Being a miserable teenager is already about as clichéd as it gets, and everyone around you is already telling you it’s just a phase, so rather than dwell on the issue much better to exorcise the feelings through the purest of riffage and lyrics that read like elegys to horror.

That’s my theory anyway. I figure a good Slayer fan would just laugh at that and turn up the volume.
you got all that from 3 listens?

christ, I need to up my game!
 
I've given this about 4 listens now. Heavy metal like Judas Priest (or, a recent introduction to me, Accept) I can get down with. I grew up on AC/DC, I need that roll in my music. The incessant chugs and tempo on this album do not do a lot for me.

So I like the bits that sound like that other stuff. First half of the album all sounds the same. The intro to Reborn is good, Postmortem has a deadly intro. That song is great, till the last 40 seconds.

Criminally Insane stood out as good as I was listening through the album. I have now realised it sounds very Metallica. I've never listened to a Metallica record either.

Raining Blood starts off so good, the double guitars are totally my bag. Then...the thrash tempo change. It seems to calm down a bit in fairness soon after the initial blast. I'll give you this one metallers.

After going back of those few tunes, Postmortem is the best song on this. The second half of the album is actually quite listenable, maybe I'll give it a few more spins.
 
Not one I voted for....but still great.

I first heard Slayer probably around 1988. I had gotten into metal the year before via Iron Maiden (entry level heavy metal) but once I heard Thrash metal, (I think it was battery by Metallica), Madien ect... immediately sounded old hat. Slayer was a logo you would see everywhere. A band's logo was very important back then. If they had that & cool artwork, I wanted to hear them. I hadn't listened to RIB in a long time. First impression, the rhythm guitar tone is fucking great. The drums sound quiet raw & in the room. The vocals almost sound quaint compared to the demonic, guttural, bear like vocals of most of the next generation of death metal bands inspired by Slayer. King & Hanneman were never the best lead guitarists, tons of gain, not the most accurate technique, just play as fast as you can, lots of dives & harmonic squeals. In fairness pretty, melodic solos are not going to cut it here. I listened to it twice in a row because it absolutely races by and a lot of the songs just meld into each other.

1 -Angel of Death
I credit this song as the reason I'm fascinated with the Nazis. A lot of people think metal is mindless & stupid. Some of it is, but I firmly believe that alot of the music I've been into made me more "intelligent". What are they singing about?, I would be looking up words in the dictionary, things mentioned in interviews, reviews would sent me looking for info. It still does. Of course It was harder to do pre internet.. Great into for the album. All the elements of classic thrash right there.

2 -Piece by Piece
Love the intro rhythm. Lots of flesh being ripped. Lombardo rocking the kit.

3 -Necrophobic
Ripping, gouging, tearing. Classic horrible guitar solo. I like the outro lines.

4 -Altar of Sacrifice
Enter to the realm of Satan. Dave Lombardo batteries run low near the end.

5 -Jesus Saves
Cool transition from altar into JS. Nice change of tempo, it allows a bit of musicality into the track. Great chunky groove.

6 -Criminally Insane
I like the drum intro but it's one of the weaker tracks.

7 -Reborn
Not much to distinguish this one. A bit of a forgettable track

8 -Epidemic
Some cool riffs and drum fills but again I find this one a bit underwhelming.

9 -Postmortem
One of the best tracks on the album. Love the into. It definitely benefits from a change in tempo. There is a dodgy King Diamond-esque scream though.

10 -Raining Blood
One of the best thrash tracks. The rain, the thunder, the feedback, the toms. So ominous and evil sounding. The double kicks sound amazing. This was before producers made them sound like typewriters.

RIB totally deserves it's reputation as one of the essential thrash albums. I would still prefer anything Metallica did in the 80's or Sepultura's Beneath the Remains over it.
 
Yeah, i have the 12", it was the Criminally insane remix along with Postmortem and Aggressive Perfector. The only thing different on the remix is there's no vocal on the first verse
And they change the drums around!
 

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