Thrash Metal founding fathers and music legends Slayer have announced a big arrival on October 22nd with the release of four of their 80s albums on multiple formats, including CD, cassette, and vinyl. The classic records inclide Show No Mercy (1983), Haunting the Chapel (1984), Live Undead (1984), and Hell Awaits (1985) and are all part of their Metal Blade catalog. Preorders are available now.
The band celebrated the 35th anniversary of Hell Awaits in 2020. Their Repentless Killology, a DVD and live album drawn from their final tour, arrived in 2019. The time is definitely ripe for a closer look at their earliest releases and an affirmation of their impact.
Metal Blade describes the band’s history and impact thus:
Formed in 1981, Slayer assaulted the world with a new hybrid of metal and punk – heavier, faster and darker than the rest – and set a new standard, defining not only a genre, but an attitude. Throughout Slayer‘s history, the band never faltered in unleashing their extreme and focused aural assault, and repudiating temptations, Slayer always chose to remain crushing and brutal, steadfastly refusing to cater to the mainstream.
Here’s a complete rundown of what will be available, including a wide array of vinyl variants:
Show No Mercy re-issue versions
– jewelcase CD
– cassette (featuring a fold-out J-card and a smokey tint cassette shell)
– 180g black vinyl
– transparent red / black split vinyl (US exclusive)
– orange marbled vinyl (US exclusive)
– transparent red / black splatter vinyl (US exclusive)
– orange / red melt vinyl (EU exclusive)
– red / white splatter vinyl (EU exclusive – limited to 1000 copies)
Haunting the Chapel re-issue versions
– jewelcase CD
– cassette (featuring a fold-out J-card and a smokey tint cassette shell)
– 180g black vinyl
– opaque red / black split vinyl (US exclusive)
– red / white marbled vinyl (US exclusive)
– black / white splatter vinyl (US exclusive)
– red / white melt vinyl (EU exclusive)
– red / black splatter vinyl (EU exclusive – limited to 1000 copies)
Live Undead re-issue versions
– jewelcase CD
– cassette (featuring a fold-out J-card and a smokey tint cassette shell)
– 180g black vinyl
– midnight blue / black split vinyl (US exclusive)
– grey / black marbled vinyl (US exclusive)
– clear / blood red splatter vinyl (US exclusive)
– blue / white / black splatter vinyl (EU exclusive)
– blue / black splatter vinyl (EU exclusive – limited to 1000 copies)
Hell Awaits re-issue versions
– jewelcase CD
– cassette (featuring a fold-out J-card and a smokey tint cassette shell)
– 180g black vinyl
– transparent orange / black split vinyl (US exclusive)
– red marbled vinyl (US exclusive)
– transparent orange / black splatter vinyl (US exclusive)
– orange / red splatter vinyl (EU exclusive)
– red / yellow / black circle splatter vinyl (EU exclusive – limited to 1000 copies)
