Mastodawn

The first Metallica album sounded more like a speed metal.
The first Anthrax album sounded more like a speed metal album.
The first Megadeth album sounded more like a speed metal album.
The first Slayer album does sound more like a speed metal album too.

But they do have one thing in common: they are cornerstones in the history of #ThrashMetal

SLAYYYEEEER!!!!

Oh, excuse me, I wanted to say "Welcome to my #Slayer #Metaljourney" 🤘🧵

The year is 1983 and Slayer show no mercy...

🎵 Die by the Sword by Slayer
💿 Show no Mercy, 1983
▶️ https://song.link/y/yZDNeeQsj0Q

Die by the Sword by Slayer

Listen now on your favorite streaming service. Powered by Songlink/Odesli, an on-demand, customizable smart link service to help you share songs, albums, podcasts and more.

Songlink/Odesli

2/n #Slayer #Metaljourney

I did rank the debut albums of the big 4 before and it still stands. I love Slayer but the debut album is a bit one dimensional though, the others are better.

https://metalhead.club/@derthomas/115366682773977573

3/n #Slayer #Metaljourney

I know many of you will disagree but compared to the other giants in their discography I found "Show no Mercy" rather forgettable.

Of course, there are some good bangers on it, my favourite being Crionics, but overall it's just ok.

🎵 Crionics by Slayer
💿 Show no Mercy, 1983
▶️ https://song.link/y/8E6R1IP2dfo

Crionics by Slayer

Listen now on your favorite streaming service. Powered by Songlink/Odesli, an on-demand, customizable smart link service to help you share songs, albums, podcasts and more.

Songlink/Odesli

4/n #Slayer #Metaljourney

...now Hell Awaits, well Hell Awaits was a major leap for Slayer and thrash metal overall.

🎵 Hell Awaits by Slayer
💿 Hell Awaits, 1985
▶️ https://song.link/y/R5tdujFUXYg

#TomsMusic #NowPlaying #ThrashMetal

Hell Awaits by Slayer

Listen now on your favorite streaming service. Powered by Songlink/Odesli, an on-demand, customizable smart link service to help you share songs, albums, podcasts and more.

Songlink/Odesli

5/n #Slayer #Metaljourney

Is Praise of Death the alpha version of Angel of Death? 🤔

🎵 Praise of Death by Slayer
💿 Hell Awaits, 1985
▶️ https://song.link/y/ge0JvVrLBY0

#TomsMusic #NowPlaying

Praise of Death by Slayer

Listen now on your favorite streaming service. Powered by Songlink/Odesli, an on-demand, customizable smart link service to help you share songs, albums, podcasts and more.

Songlink/Odesli

6/n #Slayer #Metaljourney

Slayer sure knows how to do intros and they sure know how to end an album. This is ending is perfect 👇

🎵 Praise of Death by Slayer
💿 Hell Awaits, 1985
▶️ https://song.link/y/4Ou90_1ziZI

Ranking:

1. Hell Awaits
2. Show No Mercy

Hardening of the Arteries by Slayer

Listen now on your favorite streaming service. Powered by Songlink/Odesli, an on-demand, customizable smart link service to help you share songs, albums, podcasts and more.

Songlink/Odesli

7/n #Slayer #Metaljourney

And with an

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHH 😱😱😱

Slayer start 29 minutes of perfect thrash metal.

🎵 Angel of Death by Slayer
💿 Reign in Blood, 1986
▶️ https://song.link/y/TnRZhLRv6eM

#TomsMusic #NowPlaying #ThrashMetal

Angel Of Death by Slayer

Listen now on your favorite streaming service. Powered by Songlink/Odesli, an on-demand, customizable smart link service to help you share songs, albums, podcasts and more.

Songlink/Odesli

8/n #Slayer #Metaljourney

Between Angel of Death and Raining Blood Reign in Blood offers straight forward in your face thrash metal. Not like AoD or RB are any less brutal.

🎵 Altar Of Sacrifice by Slayer
💿 Reign in Blood, 1986
▶️ https://song.link/y/FAxxyQk43nc

Altar Of Sacrifice by Slayer

Listen now on your favorite streaming service. Powered by Songlink/Odesli, an on-demand, customizable smart link service to help you share songs, albums, podcasts and more.

Songlink/Odesli

9/n #Slayer #Metaljourney

Awaiting the hour of reprisal
Your time slips away

dum dum
dum dum
dum dum
dum dum
dum dum
tssss
dum dum
dum dum
dum dum
dum dum
dödö dödöö dö dö dö dödöo
dödö dödöö dö dö dö dödöö

Fuckin' perfect.

🎵 Raining Blood by Slayer
💿 Reign in Blood, 1986
▶️ https://song.link/y/Gy3BOmvLf2w

Not my favourite Slayer album though. But: if I had to pick one, this would be it.
How is that possible? I don't know.

Ranking:

1. Reign in Blood
2. Hell Awaits
3. Show No Mercy

Raining Blood by Slayer

Listen now on your favorite streaming service. Powered by Songlink/Odesli, an on-demand, customizable smart link service to help you share songs, albums, podcasts and more.

Songlink/Odesli

10/n #Slayer #Metaljourney

What do you do after a brutal high speed thrasher?

Slayer took the foot off the pedal and added groove, because you can't get any faster than Reign in Blood.

So in 1988, instead of butchering a fantastic album with abysmal production like Metallica did on Justice (it's still unlistenable for me), Slayer deliver a thrashing groove monster that is South of Heaven, and it is simply beautiful ❤️

In this spin, Ghosts of War stood out, althouh the title track is still my fav.

🎵 Ghosts of War by Slayer
💿 South of Heavend, 1986
▶️ https://song.link/y/dDdxwrOCNQc

Ranking:

1. Reign in Blood
2. South of Heaven
3. Hell Awaits
4. Show No Mercy

Ghosts Of War by Slayer

Listen now on your favorite streaming service. Powered by Songlink/Odesli, an on-demand, customizable smart link service to help you share songs, albums, podcasts and more.

Songlink/Odesli

11/n #Slayer #Metaljourney

Some say Slayer's next album is their best. Do I agree?

Well it's definitely the perfect album to listen to at 8:13am.

🎵 War Ensamble by Slayer
💿 Seasons in the Abyss, 1990
▶️ https://song.link/y/vJIVF7VWIvU

#TomsMusic #NowPlaying #ThrashMetal

War Ensemble by Slayer

Listen now on your favorite streaming service. Powered by Songlink/Odesli, an on-demand, customizable smart link service to help you share songs, albums, podcasts and more.

Songlink/Odesli

12/n #Slayer #Metaljourney

The end of this song always gets me.
Especially since I became a dad.
Sometimes I have to skip the end part because I can't handle it.

🎵 Dead Skin Mask by Slayer
💿 Seasons in the Abyss, 1990
▶️ https://song.link/y/eVmaqj668Fk

#TomsMusic #NowPlaying #ThrashMetal

Dead Skin Mask by Slayer

Listen now on your favorite streaming service. Powered by Songlink/Odesli, an on-demand, customizable smart link service to help you share songs, albums, podcasts and more.

Songlink/Odesli

13/n #Slayer #Metaljourney

So... is Seasons the best Slayer album?

I say yes. It blends the best parts from Reign in Blood and South of Heaven.

But it's not my favourite.

It is great, but I just like RiB and SoH more.

🎵 Seasons in the Abyss by Slayer
💿 Seasons in the Abyss, 1990
▶️ https://song.link/y/hVJ4rYjUgX4

Ranking:

1. Reign in Blood
2. South of Heaven
3. Seasons in the Abyss
4. Hell Awaits
5. Show No Mercy

Seasons In The Abyss by Slayer

Listen now on your favorite streaming service. Powered by Songlink/Odesli, an on-demand, customizable smart link service to help you share songs, albums, podcasts and more.

Songlink/Odesli

14/n #Slayer #Metaljourney

Divine Intervention follows Seasons in the Abyss and it is fast. Like, really fast, their fastest since RiB.

Especially Dittohead, that's faster than the Pope turning red when he sees a boob.

🎵 Dittohead by Slayer
💿 Divine Intervention, 1994
▶️ https://song.link/y/4oP8nzJiDt0

Dittohead by Slayer

Listen now on your favorite streaming service. Powered by Songlink/Odesli, an on-demand, customizable smart link service to help you share songs, albums, podcasts and more.

Songlink/Odesli

15/n #Slayer #Metaljourney

Ok so we discussed that Divine Intervention is a fast record.
But then it doesn't grab me as the albums before do. It's a good album for sure, but I like the others better.

Also: the album cover doesn't give me a Slayer vibe.

🎵 Mind Control by Slayer
💿 Divine Intervention, 1994
▶️ https://song.link/y/wdyhvHgbXuM

Ranking:

1. Reign in Blood
2. South of Heaven
3. Seasons in the Abyss
4. Hell Awaits
5. Divine Intervention
6. Show No Mercy

Mind Control by Slayer

Listen now on your favorite streaming service. Powered by Songlink/Odesli, an on-demand, customizable smart link service to help you share songs, albums, podcasts and more.

Songlink/Odesli

16/n #Slayer #Metaljourney

Slayer album 7/12 is an odd one, because except for one song it only features covers of punk rock songs.

Now I have a rule: no cover albums on my metal journeys.
But since there is one original song, I'll allow it.
And also this album is fun 🤘

🎵 Disintegration/Free Money (Verbal Abuse cover) by Slayer
💿 Undisputed Attitude
▶️ https://song.link/y/Czux8XJDr0s

Disintegration/Free Money by Slayer

Listen now on your favorite streaming service. Powered by Songlink/Odesli, an on-demand, customizable smart link service to help you share songs, albums, podcasts and more.

Songlink/Odesli

17/n #Slayer #Metaljourney

When other thrash metal bands go hard rock, groove metal or grunge in the 90s, Slayer goes hardcore punk.

I'll allow it!

Hey @jake4480 this might be the one Slayer ablum for you!

🎵 Filler/I Don't Want To Hear It (Minor Threat cover) by Slayer
💿 Undisputed Attitude, 1996
▶️ https://song.link/y/wxqG_U-g-ps

Filler/I Don't Want To Hear It by Slayer

Listen now on your favorite streaming service. Powered by Songlink/Odesli, an on-demand, customizable smart link service to help you share songs, albums, podcasts and more.

Songlink/Odesli

18/n #Slayer #Metaljourney

The final track "Gemini" is the only original Slayer song on Undisputed Attitude and is very different to the rest of the album. It's quite doomy actually.

Anyhow, Undisputed Attitude is a lot of fun, but I can't include it in my ranking. It's a cover album. Of course the songs are awesome because they picked awesome songs to cover in the first place, so it goes unranked.

But again, a lot of fun!

🎵 Gemini by Slayer
💿 Undisputed Attitude, 1996
▶️ https://song.link/y/unZRMwDLzGI

Ranking:

1. Reign in Blood
2. South of Heaven
3. Seasons in the Abyss
4. Hell Awaits
5. Divine Intervention
6. Show No Mercy

Unranked: Undisputed Attitude

Gemini by Slayer

Listen now on your favorite streaming service. Powered by Songlink/Odesli, an on-demand, customizable smart link service to help you share songs, albums, podcasts and more.

Songlink/Odesli

19/n #Slayer #Metaljourney

Diabolous in Musica is considered the most experimental Slayer album.

But is it really?

It's often ranked last.

But why?

I think Diabolus in Musica is an absolute banger and this song is my favourite on it 👇

🎵 Perversions of Pain by Slayer
💿 Diabolus in Musica, 1998
▶️ https://song.link/y/WYs3LM-pYCs

Ranking:

1. Reign in Blood
2. South of Heaven
3. Seasons in the Abyss
4. Diabolus in Musica
5. Hell Awaits
6. Divine Intervention
7. Show No Mercy

Unranked: Undisputed Attitude

Perversions Of Pain by Slayer

Listen now on your favorite streaming service. Powered by Songlink/Odesli, an on-demand, customizable smart link service to help you share songs, albums, podcasts and more.

Songlink/Odesli

GOD HATES US ALL!!!

And with that good morning and welcome to part 20 of my #Slayer #Metaljourney

Today we'll start with GOD HATES US ALL, album no 9 which was released on 9-11 2001. Ooof.

Anyways, I like some of the songs, but the production sucks ass big time, it makes me completely uncomfortable. Anyways...

GOD HATES US ALL!!!!

🎵 Disciple by Slayer
💿 God Hates Us All, 2001
▶️ https://song.link/y/6S-Wnmb0too

#TomsMusic #NowPlaying

Disciple by Slayer

Listen now on your favorite streaming service. Powered by Songlink/Odesli, an on-demand, customizable smart link service to help you share songs, albums, podcasts and more.

Songlink/Odesli

21/n #Slayer #Metaljourney

🤕 God Hates Us All makes my ears ring it almost hurts. How TF is this mixed? Am I the only one who has this issue?

I like Bloodline though because it's quite different and the video is cool.

🎵 Bloodline by Slayer
💿 God Hates Us All, 2001
▶️ https://song.link/y/5TlcG4Y9JMM

Bloodline by Slayer

Listen now on your favorite streaming service. Powered by Songlink/Odesli, an on-demand, customizable smart link service to help you share songs, albums, podcasts and more.

Songlink/Odesli

22/n #Slayer #Metaljourney

I'm having an "...And Justice" experience with this album.
Great songs completely ruined by the production. It just makes my ears ring so bad I have no idea why, it's almost painful to listen to.
For that reason I have to rank it last, I'm sorry. I just can't listen to it.

Such a shame, because songs like "Payback" are so good.

🎵 Payback by Slayer
💿 God Hates Us All, 2001
▶️ https://song.link/y/0i6FynM2uWE

Ranking:

1. Reign in Blood
2. South of Heaven
3. Seasons in the Abyss
4. Diabolus in Musica
5. Hell Awaits
6. Divine Intervention
7. Show No Mercy
8. God Hates Us All

Unranked: Undisputed Attitude

Payback by Slayer

Listen now on your favorite streaming service. Powered by Songlink/Odesli, an on-demand, customizable smart link service to help you share songs, albums, podcasts and more.

Songlink/Odesli

23/n #Slayer #Metaljourney

On 31 December 2007, I listened to an entire Slayer album for the first time.

The album was Christ Illusion and I still remember it like it was yesterday.

It felt like thousands of punches to my face, it was so tight, so intense.
Good times.

The intro to "Jihad" is still occasionally visiting my brain completely out of nowhere.

🎵 Jihad by Slayer
💿 Christ Illusion, 2006
▶️ https://song.link/y/L3VpA0sED9w

Jihad by Slayer

Listen now on your favorite streaming service. Powered by Songlink/Odesli, an on-demand, customizable smart link service to help you share songs, albums, podcasts and more.

Songlink/Odesli

24/n #Slayer #Metaljourney

"I've made my choice, 666"

What else is their to say?

I just love "Christ Illusion"🤘

🎵 Cult by Slayer
💿 Christ Illusion, 2006
▶️ https://song.link/y/71MfQC4cOHw

Ranking:

1. Reign in Blood
2. Christ Illusion
3. South of Heaven
4. Seasons in the Abyss
5. Diabolus in Musica
6. Hell Awaits
7. Divine Intervention
8. Show No Mercy
9. God Hates Us All

Unranked: Undisputed Attitude

Cult by Slayer

Listen now on your favorite streaming service. Powered by Songlink/Odesli, an on-demand, customizable smart link service to help you share songs, albums, podcasts and more.

Songlink/Odesli

25/n #Slayer #Metaljourney

In October 2009 Slayer released their second to last album called World Painted Blood. It is also the last album with Jeff Hanneman.

🎵 World Painted Blood by Slayer
💿 World Painted Blood, 2009
▶️ https://song.link/y/PruEhg1IYsw

World Painted Blood by Slayer

Listen now on your favorite streaming service. Powered by Songlink/Odesli, an on-demand, customizable smart link service to help you share songs, albums, podcasts and more.

Songlink/Odesli

26/n #Slayer #Metaljourney

"That's why it's become my obsession
To treat God like an infection"

I have the feeling that Slayer aren't into religion very much.

Which is funny, because Tom Araya is a practicing Catholic. His contributions to the bands lyrics were focused on serial killers and that kind of stuff. The anti religion thing was mainly King and Hanneman.

🎵 Hate Worldwide by Slayer
💿 World Painted Blood, 2009
▶️ https://song.link/y/PruEhg1IYsw

World Painted Blood by Slayer

Listen now on your favorite streaming service. Powered by Songlink/Odesli, an on-demand, customizable smart link service to help you share songs, albums, podcasts and more.

Songlink/Odesli

27/n #Slayer #Metaljourney

While Slayer are playing with dolls...

🎵 Playing With Dolls by Slayer
💿 World Painted Blood, 2009
▶️ https://song.link/y/2J6GPu22J2k

It is time for me to rank this album and this is incredibly difficult.

Would I prefer it over RiB? No.
over Christ Illusion? No.
over South of Heaven? No
over Seasons? Yes.

BTW this is how I do my rankings in case you were wondering.

Ranking:

1. Reign in Blood
2. Christ Illusion
3. South of Heaven
4. World Painted Blood
5. Seasons in the Abyss
6. Diabolus in Musica
7. Hell Awaits
8. Divine Intervention
9. Show No Mercy
10. God Hates Us All

Unranked: Undisputed Attitude

Playing With Dolls by Slayer

Listen now on your favorite streaming service. Powered by Songlink/Odesli, an on-demand, customizable smart link service to help you share songs, albums, podcasts and more.

Songlink/Odesli

28/n #Slayer #Metaljourney

Final Slayer album, here we go!

I wanna say Repentless is one of my favourite Slayer songs ever, so lets see...

1. Raining Blood
2. South of Heaven
3. Angel of Death
4. Repentless

Well, I guess it's my 4th favourite Slayer song after all.

🎵 Repentless by Slayer
💿 Repentless, 2015
▶️ https://song.link/y/k0lXE1sbwD4

Repentless by Slayer

Listen now on your favorite streaming service. Powered by Songlink/Odesli, an on-demand, customizable smart link service to help you share songs, albums, podcasts and more.

Songlink/Odesli

29/n #Slayer #Metaljourney

Repentless gets a lot of criticism esp. from trve fans. It's uninspired, directionless, too slow, ...

Fuck that, I think it's great! 🤘

🎵 You Against You by Slayer
💿 Repentless, 2015
▶️ https://song.link/y/U7XfbU6XFwM

You Against You by Slayer

Listen now on your favorite streaming service. Powered by Songlink/Odesli, an on-demand, customizable smart link service to help you share songs, albums, podcasts and more.

Songlink/Odesli

30/30 #Slayer #Metaljourney

There are a lot of opinions about the big 4, but one thing is sure: Slayer were the most consistent of them. They didn't really lash out. Yes, they have a hardcore punk (cover) album but the rest is thrash metal. Sometimes extremely fast (RiB), sometimes slower (SoH), somtimes groovy (Diabolus), sometimes tight (Christ Illusion).
And they don't have any stinkers, just a weaker debut album and one with a botched production.

If I had to choose one thrash band, Slayer would be my choice.

So without further ado, here is my final #Slayer #Metaljourney album ranking*:

*Undisputed Attitude is actually unranked

Jérôme Feb 26

@derthomas It’s actually my favorite Slayer album!

@derthomas My favorite Slayer album 🤘

faltenbalg Feb 26

@derthomas This my favorite album by later days Slayer. But since I've made the big mistake of reading into their lyrics a while back I can't listen to anything by this group anymore.

@faltenbalg probably mine too.

I have to say that I don't know all their lyrics, but their topics are quite clear, religion, terror, hate, war... I mean that's controversal stuff for sure, but was there anything in particular for you that made you turn away?

faltenbalg Feb 26

@derthomas There's some depiction of grosse violence in there that's reallly off-putting for me. Especially violence against women. I know it's the lyrical I when Araya takes the point of view of a serial killer. But I'm getting too old and too sensitive for that kind of stuff.

@faltenbalg I hear you. I had a hard time listening to Dead Skin Mask for that reason.

@derthomas actually Bloodline was the first Slayer song I liked. Thrash never worked for me before. But after listening to the album multiple times I started to enjoy it. And after that also other albums and songs by Slayer. I was very happy to see them on their last tour.

@derthomas and I've been thrilled when one my all time favorite bands #Coppelius released their cover
https://youtu.be/L-k-fIKC9Ug

Bloodline

YouTube

Kreator Fangirls Feb 26

@derthomas I'll eat you!

Bloodline was my introduction to Slayer, their first song that I got into. And yes, the video is great, the blood licking kitty in particular. 😈 "I'll kill you and your dreams tonight" sounds so much like a cat's thoughts...

Still have a soft spot for all their 2000s albums. Together with Seasons, that's the Slayer I could listen to over and over.

@kreatorfangirls I am totally on board with that and I would include God Hates Us All too, but it's not just that I don't like the production, it literally (or physically) makes my ears ring. It almost hurts listening to it. It's not the songs, they are great.

It's like looking at a Van Gogh painting while someone is driving nails into your eyes.

Samsa Samsara Feb 26

@derthomas Ah, back in the day... "God hates us all" was my first (conscious) contact with Slayer. And I loved blasting "Disciple" on my stereo.

@derthomas this is the only album after Seasons that I really like.

@fistfulofdave really? What's wrong with Christ Illusion?

@derthomas besides Diabolus in Musica there’s nothing wrong with post- Seasons albums. I actually don’t even mind Diabolus, but if I want to hear Slayer I reach for the first five. For me everything they had to say musically is in those albums and done best on those albums.

@fistfulofdave I listened to Diabolus in Musica and have no clue why people don't like it honestly. What is it?

@derthomas the complains were either it sounded like Numetal or Pantera.

@fistfulofdave I don't get the Numetal thing, I genuinely don't hear it. I don't know Pantera enough though, but the things I know are ok at best, I could never get into them.

@derthomas @fistfulofdave I can't imagine Slayer as a nu-metal band. Who would be on the turntables?! 🤣

I can see them going the Pantera / groove route though, which was a very 90s thing. Anthrax went that way when they slimmed down and brought in John Bush.

90s metal was quite umm...basic compared to the 80s thrash era.

@gavin57 I think it's a natural progress. After 3-4 albums basically a decade into your career you just develop your style a bit. I guess doing the same thing over and over again gets boring for the bands and stale for the fans. And it almost never works long term. Except if you are AC/DC.
@fistfulofdave

@derthomas ah my favorite Slayer album. I don’t know if I’d call it groove though.

@fistfulofdave for sure not groove metal but definitely more groovy than RiB.

@derthomas ah yes there’s a swing here and there.

Kreator Fangirls Feb 24

@derthomas I have a very cool longsleeve with this artwork. It's one of my favourite merch items from any band.

@kreatorfangirls I think it's their best album cover, I bet the long sleeve looks 🔥