By The Riff Report Blog – Thrashin’ through the decades
12. Diabolus in Musica (1998)
“Nu-Slayer” – the sound of a band experimenting mid-identity crisis.
🪦 This one’s got riffs, sure, but it’s like Tom Araya woke up in a Korn video. It was the late ’90s, and even the thrash gods flirted with downtuned guitars and groove metal. It’s heavy, dark, and angry – but not very Slayer. More “diabolus in meh-sica.”
Riff Report Verdict: “Slayer goes nü? I was tamping, mun.” 😤
11. Repentless (2015)
The final blowout… but missing the old fire?
💀 Released after Jeff Hanneman’s death and featuring Exodus axe legend Gary Holt, this was Slayer trying to prove they were still the kings. It’s ferocious at times, but the songwriting doesn’t quite summon the same demons. The title track slaps though.
Riff Report Verdict: It’s relentless, not repentless – but we still moshed.
10. Undisputed Attitude (1996)
A punk-fuelled sledgehammer to the face.
🤘 Covers of Minor Threat, Verbal Abuse, and TSOL – plus one Tom Araya original. Slayer pay tribute to their hardcore roots with mixed results. Pure aggression, but not essential listening unless you love the punk that birthed them.
Riff Report Verdict: Speedy, snotty, and shouty – like a drunk brawl outside Fuel Rock Club in Cardiff.
9. Christ Illusion (2006)
The controversial comeback – and a fiery return for Lombardo.
⛪ Slayer reunited with Dave Lombardo and got biblical. There’s some cracking moments here (hello, “Cult” and “Eyes of the Insane”), but the production’s murky and the energy feels like it’s stuck between eras.
Riff Report Verdict: Better than church on a Sunday, but still not divine Slayer.
8. God Hates Us All (2001)
Happy 9/11? Slayer accidentally soundtracked the apocalypse.
🔥 Dropped on September 11th, 2001 (yep), this record is pure hate-fuel. It’s one of their angriest efforts, and although not very “thrashy” in the old-school sense, it punches like a steel boot to the chest. “Disciple” still blows up pits today.
Riff Report Verdict: “God Hates Us All” – but we love this riff-blasted chaos.
7. Divine Intervention (1994)
The Paul Bostaph debut that proved Slayer were still lethal.
⚰️ A dark, punishing beast that doesn’t get enough love. Sure, it’s not as iconic, but “213” and “Killing Fields” hit harder than a hangover on a festival Monday. Underrated and unrelenting.
Riff Report Verdict: Proper job, Paul. Hanneman’s riffs slice like razors.
6. Hell Awaits (1985)
The sound of Satan sharpening his knives.
👹 Technical, sinister, and soaked in sulphur. Their second album is more complex than Show No Mercy, and tracks like “At Dawn They Sleep” are black-hearted classics. The production’s raw, but the fury is real.
Riff Report Verdict: Hell definitely awaited – and we ran in laughing.
5. World Painted Blood (2009)
A late-career burst of bloody brilliance.
🩸 Often overlooked, this is the best Slayer album post-2000. It sounds classic without being a throwback. “Psychopathy Red” and the title track rip, and there’s a dark, eerie vibe throughout that’s so Hanneman.
Riff Report Verdict: A world painted red – by riffs, not regrets. Lush.
4. Show No Mercy (1983)
The baby demon takes its first steps – and it’s already biting heads off.
🦇 Slayer’s debut is part NWOBHM, part raw punk fury, and pure unfiltered evil. “The Antichrist” and “Die by the Sword” are thrash blueprints. The production is scrappy, but the intensity is off the charts.
Riff Report Verdict: The birth of a beast. Tidy beginnings of terror. 😈
3. Seasons in the Abyss (1990)
The bridge between brutality and songwriting perfection.
⚖️ Equal parts atmospheric and aggressive. “War Ensemble” is thrash warfare, and “Dead Skin Mask” is straight-up nightmare fuel. It balances melody with madness, and it works. An album that matured without mellowing.
Riff Report Verdict: Slayer’s most complete record? Possibly. We were obsessed, butt.
2. South of Heaven (1988)
Slower… darker… and utterly sinister.
🕯️ Slayer dared to slow down, and it paid off. Tracks like “Mandatory Suicide” and “Silent Scream” show just how terrifying they can be at half-speed. This album oozes dread, and Araya’s vocals are pure villainy.
Riff Report Verdict: If Hell had an elevator playlist, this would be it.
1. Reign in Blood (1986)
The GOAT. The standard. The apocalypse set to music.
⚰️ 28 minutes of speed, savagery, and Satan. “Angel of Death” and “Raining Blood” alone could end careers. This album invented extreme metal as we know it. Still sounds dangerous nearly 40 years later. Hanneman and Lombardo at their untouchable peak.
Riff Report Verdict: The Bible has Genesis. Metal has Reign in Blood.
🤘 Final Thoughts from the Abyss…
Slayer never made a “bad” album – only albums that weren’t Reign in Blood. Whether you’re worshipping at the altar of thrash or just here to break your neck in the pit, there’s something on every record to love (or be terrified of).
Now crank it to 11, grab a goat skull, and SCREAM FOR SLAYERRRRRR! 🩸🔥
