Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Slayer begins to evolve into the band they would become, December 17, 2002
While Slayer's 1983 debut "Show No Mercy" wasn't a bad debut by a longshot, at the time it had a "been there, done that" feel to it. Slayer followed up with this EP that would become an instant classic to Slayer fans mostly because of the great fan favorite "Chemical Warfare". "Captor of Sin" is a hard hitting track while the title track would begin Slayer's trademark of fantastic title tracks on their following albums. An early version of "Aggressive Perfector" is included here as a bonus track and is pretty solid (a faster version would be included on the remastered re-release of Slayer's 1986 classic "Reign in Blood"). The only problem with this EP is the shoddy production values, but that is a staple on any of Slayer's Metal Blade re-releases. All in all, this is an essential addition to any Slayer fan's music library.
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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A must have for a Slayer fan !!!, April 27, 2001
By A Customer
This is a fantastic EP by Slayer. Even though it only has for tunes, it is a classic. Two out of the four songs were also featured in Slayer's live Album Decade of Agressions which was released many years after it. For you to have an idea, the full length classic album Hell Awaits, which is more or less from the same time landed only one song in the live album. Following are coments of the songs individually ranked from best to really great but not as fantastic as the one above:CHEMICAL WARFARE: Any comments made about this song will be fall short of doing justice to its greatness. Plus, if you are a Slayer fan you already know it. CAPTOR OF SIN: Heavy and fast, this is pure Slayer. The song starts with a killer guitar lead and never lets down. Its chorus sticks to your mind for ever. AGRESSIVE PERFECTOR: This is Slayer's very first song. It was released for the first time in the album METAL MASSACRE 3 - a compilation of then upcoming bands by Metal Blade Records. They got it right since the first song. HAUNTING THE CHAPEL: The title track of this EP is its least significant song. Its great, though. It is a shame that the band seems to have forgotten all about it. You never hear they play it live. Purchasing this album is probably the only chance you will have to enjoy it.
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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Slayer begin to evolve, December 15, 2005
1984, when Slayer's second studio recording (and their first and only ever EP) was released, was kind of a transitional phase/album for this four piece. "Haunting the Chapel" finds Slayer giving up the traditional rock-based song structures in favor of a different style, which would come to be known as thrash-metal's "signature sound." Therefore this disc is more important than some give it credit for, even though it's only seventeen minutes. Plus, "Haunting the Chapel" shows signs of the band's greatness. Kerry King and Jeff Hanneman set their fret-boards on fire with blistering riffs and scorching solos. Add some deft drumming by Dave and Tom's eerie vocals and you have an album which is a precursor to Slayer's 1986 classic "Reign In Blood." The lead-off song, "Chemical Warfare," is, to this day, a staple of Slayer's live shows, because it's an ultra-fast chugger with great riffs. "Captor of Sin" is a rocket-propelled scorcher, and the title track has more blistering, dual guitar shredding and an elongated solo (which is over a minute long). Lastly, "Aggressive Perfector" was not on the original release of this album--it was taken from the "Metal Massacre Vol. 3" compilation. This is doubtlessly the most rhythmic and mid-tempo cut of the bunch, and it includes back-to back-to back guitar solos. Even though "Haunting the Chapel" is weighed down a little because it's vastly under-produced, it's still a very good listen if you enjoy thrash, an essential buy for serious Slayer fans, and an important stepping-stone in Slayer's evolution.
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