Customer Reviews

Hell Awaits

5 star:		(79)
4 star:		(22)
3 star:		(15)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(7)

 

 

"Hell Awaits" is classic Slayer! The confronting horrific imagery, the gruesome lyrics, the awesome shredding riffs, the fantastic crunching drumming, the anger drenched screaming vocals. It's all here in all its glory. This album marked a real step up in ferocity for these US youngsters. After ripping holes in the metal scene with their debut, there was really nothing else for these thrashers to do but try to outdo themselves with its follow-up. This is a faster Slayer, a heavier Slayer, and a darker, more satanic Slayer. Everything got turned up a notch and their trademark sound was comprehensively built upon with enthusiasm and raw talent.

I don't think there is a better introduction to an album than "Hell Awaits". It's no coincidence that the band started with this track for their also classic live album "Decade of Aggression". The words "join us" repeated over and over backwards in what sounds like a background of Hell itself. Then the guitars take over. Each subsequent riff is pure unadulterated Slayer and segues perfectly into the next until it builds up to climax and payoff, all before a single word is spoken. Other highlights for me are "Kill Again" and "Necrophiliac", both demonstrating the more ferocious side to this legendary band, but there are no filler tracks to be found.

I must admit that it took quite some time for this album to get its claws into me. I always preferred "Show No Mercy" and well...nothing compares with the legendary "Reign in Blood" that would soon follow. And yet 20 years on and this album really stands up tremendously well. What seemed fairly raw and chaotic at times when I was a teenager is now such a breath of fresh air when compared to the mechanical, occasionally lifeless proficiency of the modern generation of metal. That's not to say this is messy, as Slayer were a well-oiled machine by this stage and Dave Lombardo in particular could never be anything but perfect. It's just that there are riffs and solos flying everywhere. Tom seems to be struggling to keep up with the shredding music at times while blasphemously screaming out his lyrics. There's very much a live sound throughout with a production that just oozes passion and hunger. This is thrash in its purest form and I love it more than ever. If only they were still this good!

Slayer's second full length release "Hell Awaits" was a considerable improvement over their debut album "Show No Mercy". With the exception of the rather lackluster closer "Hardening of the Arteries" every track is excellent. "Necrophiliac", "Kill Again", "At Dawn They Sleep" and the awesome title track are all thrash masterpieces. Lyrically the subject matter is focused mostly on Satanism, violence and other degenerate acts. It's so over the top that it's quite comical actual, but that's part of the charm of the album. The only real problem with the album is the terrible production. Well at least the bass is audible. On the whole though this is a great album and should be in any metal enthusiasts collection. Satan commands you to buy it NOW!

Slayer's third album (their second full length) isn't their best effort, but, like "Reign In Blood" (this album's successor and Slayer's breakthrough), "Hell Awaits" does showcase the band in fine form. The rather shoddy production and aged sound quality that their debut, "Show No Mercy," had is still apparent, and Tom Araya's vocals are sometimes kind of annoying. But this album proves that nobody can match the sheer sonic ferocity and lightning fast velocity of Slayer. Every song is full of amazingly fast riffs and scorching solos, beeping bass notes, and thumping drums. The beginning of the album's first track, the title track, is the only slow moment on the whole record (and it eventually hits high gear at about three minutes in). Tracks three, four, and five ("At Dawn They Sleep," "Praise of Death," and "Necrophiliac") have great, ultra-fast guitar shredding including elongated solos and beeping bass lines. "Kill Again" is fueled by blindingly fast double bass work, four searing guitar solos, and some primal screams by Tom. Likewise, track six, "Crypts of Eternity," has careening guitar work and a weird, long, falsetto yell. The album ends with "Hardening of the Arteries," which is a catchy, rhythmic chugger. "Hell Awaits" should have been this band's breakthrough album. "Reign In Blood" is definitely still my favorite Slayer album, but it isn't their only five-star release. If you like great thrash, "Hell Awaits" awaits!

It definitely comes down to this one and Reign in Blood, and it's a tough decision. Agreed, Reign in Blood has the sound quality hands down, and it is THE classic Slayer album, but sometimes I have to go with Hell Awaits. Muddy recording cannot kill these demons. The title track is one of the most powerful moments in headbanger history. It is the soundtrack to the opening of the mouth of Hell. The imaginative instrumentation of At Dawn They Sleep maunders and mauls with the dementia of a rabid horde of bloodthirsty ghouls. All of the players are in top form.
Contrary to what many say, this music is not satanic. The lyrics are about demons and hell and butcherous hellspawn, but they are not satan worship. Kerry King likened Slayer's lyrics to horror stories.
One of the most amazing albums from one of the most influential artists in metal.

This second work of the Californian quartet is the natural evolution from the simple-thrash metal sound of "Show No Mercy" and the pure violent Slayer's thrash metal. This seven-songs CD contains the true, unmistakable peculiarities which made Slayer the fathers of death metal: without "Hell Awaits" it couldn't exist "Reign In Blood" and without this last one now there wouldn't be death metal. From the terrific introduction of the title song including hell's noises, Satan's voice and screams of damned, suddenly you discover the heavy and fastest-beats drums play by Dave Lombardo, the scarey climate created by Tom Araya's bass and inimitable voice, the lead guitars Jeff Hanneman and Kerry King with their fastest, very difficult and amelodic solos - a tipical Slayer's feature. Passing by the mystic "At Dawn They Sleep" until "Necrophiliac" with its dreadful lyrics, you will be captured by the scarey atmosphere created by them. Maybe songs have too lenght to be thrash metal songs, in fact the shortness of "Reign In Blood" album is one of the reasons why it has been a record hit. However if you like the hardening of sound, the music's strenght and complexity cancels the problem. What else? If you like the purest musical violence, you must buy this album made by THE ONLY GROUP WHICH MAKES GUITARS CRY!!! HELL AWAITS YOU!!!

Faint feedback fading in, a multitude of demonic voices chanting in tongues, the feedback becomes clearer, wails of tormented lost souls almost udetectable in the background, louder, it grows, the sense of doom impending looms larger, a throbbing bass line becomes evident first subconsciously then audibly, a gutteral voice completely indecipherable growls. The feedback stops, a thumping, driving drum beat and and razor sharp guitars in it's place, rumbling kick drums join, the intensity builds, the riffs build, layer upon relentless unstoppable layer. Suddenly, a single guitar riffs furiously, followed moments later by the rest of the band keeping perfect pace, then barked vocals, clear, but too fast to comprehend, the gutteral voice returns "HELL AWAITS". Screaming, wailing frenetic paced solo, single guitar again, back to the full band, once again the rhythm section drops out just leaving the guitars, another tremolo abusing solo, then suddenly it's all over with a no nonsense finish.

The listener is left asking "what just happened?"

Hell happened.

The song just described, "Hell Awaits" is one of the most distinctive, intense opening tracks to an album ever (Slayer managed to top it with "Angel of Death" on Reign in Blood, but that's a different story). Many bands have produced tracks with dynamics and a sound like this since. None, however, did it in 1985.

Yes, Satan's favourite sons were back with a vengeance. The title track's ode to damnation was quickly followed by six more pummeling tracks dedicated to all things ungodly- mass murder, vampirism, and necrophilia all get a mention, and the songs just that shade more disturbing because they are first person descriptions.

While Metallica were chanting "DIE DIE DIE" on "Creeping Death", Slayer upped the ante, with a chorus of "KILL KILL KILL" on "At Dawn They Sleep". The track is also noable for the first appearance of Dave Lombardo's now legendary double kick drum solo.

And on it goes.

From the frenetic rifferama of "Praise of Death", the percussive cascade of "Necrophiliac", there's no let up on this album. As "Hardening of the Arteries" fades into nothingness, you're left with a feeling of relief the sonic barrage is over, but also craving more, as your body struggles to cope with an adrenaline induced high.

In hindsight, all the ingredients for the definitive Reign In Blood were present on Hell Awaits. It just took Slayer a little more time to perfect the recipe, cutting away the excess, expanding the essential, and building intensity.

It's been said before....Slayer is speed metal band, an excellent one at that. Just sample the music and see for yourself. Why someone would waste time using the same foolish review for their albums is beyond me.

Why does this thrash masterpiece has only a 4 atar average over 100+ reviews while that damn POS from Coldg@y 'Parachutes' has a 4.5 over 600+ reviews?? This is despite a poor production (that if at all, barely holds back this from being as great as it should be) it is pure brilliance. And a must have for any thrash fans.

This is Slayer's sophomore release, it got out in 1985. It's not Slayer's very best but it's still excellent. Reign in Blood is their absolute best album, South of Heaven is also awesome, this comes after those 2 as their 3rd best album. 'Seasons' does have some classics like 'Dead Skin Mask' and the title track, but other than that it just has too many fillers. Anyway it is a great improvement from Show No Mercy. Tom Araya's vocals here are harsher than ever. Even his basslines are audible here at times. It has only 7 tracks but it clocks at 34 mins (opposed to RIB, which has 10 songs but it cocks at 28 mins). I heard some people who said it's a concept album, but id it is, it's a weak one (for a great concept album go for Queensryche's Mindcrime). It starts off with the best title track Slayer has ever done and the best song on the album. It starts with a quiet intro, and then it goes into some nice guitar melodies and then becomes pure thrash and speed. Also the growl in the chorus "HELL AWAIIIITS" is awesome. 'Kill Again' is probably my least favorite song here but it's still pretty damn good. 'At Dawn They Sleep' is the 2nd best song here, just listen to the drum outro. 'Praise of Death', 'Necrophiliac' are awesome also. 'Crypts of Eternity' is the longest song on the album, also the longest in the band's whole career along with SITA (title track). 'Hardening of the Arteries' is a very good closer also.

Ratings:

Hell Awaits: 12/10
Kill Again: 7/10
At Dawn They Sleep: 11/10
Praise of Death: 10/10
Necrophiliac: 10/10
Crypts of Eternity: 10/10
Hardening of the Arteries: 9/10

All in all, this proves again why Slayer is the best metal band in the US (and they're still today, 'Christ Illusion' gets out in August, hope it will just be as good), and is recommended for thrash/death fans. Other recommendations would be any other Slayer album, Metallica's Master of Puppets, Iced Earth's Burnt Offerings, Sepultura's Arise and Dark Angel's Darkness Descends.

PS awesome album cover, also.

Show No Mercy was a good album, but lacked originality and Slayer were still learning the game. after Haunting the Chapel, Slayer began to pattern their own sound, and here on Hell Awaits, they have their own thing going, and boy does it rock. From the ferocious, ripping title track, to "Kill Again" through all 7 blood-thirsty tracks is a feast of metal riffs, and while the production is muddy and the vocals have too much echo, the songs overcome that and rock. "Hardening of the Arteries", "At Dawn They Sleep", and "Necrophiliac" are all signs of what is to come in the Slayer camp. Definitely buy this one!

I can not believe that it deserves so few stars here. I know that a lot of people is sure, that "Reign in blood" is Slayer's best album. True, it is perfect, but "Hell awaits" is more than perfect, more than the landmark release, this is the album of the decade! I don't exaggerate, "Hell awaits" speaks, oh, God, it sounds and plays itself. And it truly deserves to be appreciated as one of the best metal albums ever released. Starting with awesome hell's noises of title song, the whole disc contains an incredible atmosphere. Hell awaits, Kill again, At Dawn they sleep, Praise of death, Necrophiliac, Crypts of eternity, Hardening of the arteries are great songs and together they deliver a finished masterpiece. I do not even want to describe each song, every catchy and beautiful riff, solos that Jeff Hanneman and Kerry King give all the time, or Tom Araya pretty nice singing or Dave Lombardo handy drumming, you have to listen to it yourself. I can only guarantee that if you love an intelligent heavy music, you will love this one too much. This is Slayer at its finest moment!