Hell Awaits

Description

SLAYER's iconic second studio album, Hell Awaits, will be reissued for its 40th anniversary via Metal Blade Records next spring! Formed in 1981, SLAYER conquered the world with a new blend of metal and punk, heavier, faster, and darker than its peers, setting a new standard and defining not only a genre but also an attitude. Throughout SLAYER's history, the band never wavered in its extreme and focused sonic assault, rejecting temptations. SLAYER always chose to remain crushing and brutal, categorically refusing to bend to mainstream tastes. "This is the album that made SLAYER what it is today," says Kerry King about Hell Awaits. And he knows what he's talking about. As the band's guitarist, co-songwriter, and co-lyricist, he was in the trenches with vocalist and bassist Tom Araya, guitarist Jeff Hanneman, and drummer Dave Lombardo, creating what became one of the greatest heavy metal albums. Moving significantly away from SLAYER's 1983 debut album, Show No Mercy, and all subsequent albums, Hell Awaits is both an exception and a consolidation of style. Where Show No Mercy was a statement of intent, Hell Awaits is a more accomplished and complex execution of SLAYER's speed, technique, and aggression.