History Music / SLAYER

* UpToEleven: {{Inverted|Trope}} with their fourth album, ''South of Heaven.'' The band knew that they couldn't possibly top ''Reign In Blood'', so they consciously decided to slow down, stripping away lightning-fast riffs in favor of a more melodic sound.
** However, their next album, ''Seasons in the Abyss,'' combined the best of both worlds.

[[Music/{{Metallica}} One]] [[Music/{{Megadeth}} of]] [[Music/{{Anthrax}} the]] "Big Four" ThrashMetal bands, Slayer was formed in 1981 by guitarists Kerry King and Jeff Hanneman and drummer Dave Lombardo, later joined by vocalist/bassist Tom Araya. Deriving much of their sound from UK speed metal band Music/{{Venom}} and focusing on dark, Satanic themes, they released their first album ''Show No Mercy'' in 1983. Due to its success, they were quickly pressed to make another album, which resulted in the EpicRocking ''Hell Awaits''.

However, Slayer hit gold in 1986 with the release of ''Reign in Blood'' (their first album produced by longtime collaborator Music/RickRubin), which demonstrated the signature sound for which they have become known and featured their best-known songs, "Angel of Death" and "Raining Blood". The album has been recognized as one of the greatest heavy metal albums of all time. A couple years later, they released ''South of Heaven''. This was met with mixed reviews. While some enjoyed the slower, sludgier style, others decried them for being Music/BlackSabbath wannabes. However, they combined the best of both worlds with the 1990 release ''Seasons in the Abyss''. Most fans tend to look down on the eleven year period when ''Divine Intervention'' and ''Diabolus in Musica'' were released. However, they gained mass controversy with the release of ''God Hates Us All'' (coincidentally released on Sept. 11th, 2001). With their 2006 release, ''Christ Illusion'', more fans seemed to be warming up with them since they were returning to their thrash metal roots, a trend that continued with ''World Painted Blood'' in 2009 and ''Repentless'' in 2015

As Music/{{Metallica}} is with its fans, Slayer is with the general public. Much of the content of Slayer songs is quite dark, sometimes focusing on Satanic and anti-Christian themes, and sometimes focusing on the major problems with the world (war, terrorism, sectarianism, serial killers, etc.). Also, every single album cover can be described either as disgusting, unsettling, or horrifying. This has generated album bans and has led many MoralGuardians to decry the members of Slayer as Satanists. However, they fail to realize that vocalist / bassist Tom Araya is a Catholic and Kerry King (who writes virtually all the most stridently "Satanic" lyrics) is actually an Atheist. Despite writing these songs, King has constantly stated that he does not condone what the songs are about, instead likening them to horror movie equivalent entertainment.

Many critics have called Slayer the world's first death metal band (indeed, [[WesternAnimation/SouthPark Eric Cartman]] used their music to drive a giant hippie music festival out of South Park, as "hippies can't stand death metal"). While they did inspire many of the death metal bands of nowadays, they are strictly thrash metal. Slayer has even said that they do not support death metal and call it "cookie monster music". (Slayer's occult and satanic themes also mean that they are sometimes lumped in with the first wave of BlackMetal, although as with death metal, they have little in common stylistically with the genre; however, many other first wave BlackMetal bands, such as [[Music/KingDiamond Mercyful Fate]], also have little to do with modern black metal beyond the lyrics and image, so this categorisation is a bit more justifiable than calling them a death metal band).

-->"Raining Blood"

* SomethingCompletelyDifferent: The HardcorePunk CoverAlbum ''Undisputed Attitude''.

* AnimatedMusicVideo: "World Painted Blood", which was apparently [[WebAnimation/HomestarRunner financed with monopoly money.]]
** Also this fan-made music video for [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eqr4QrwSEj4 Criminally Insane]].

[[AC:EPs]]

Not to be confused with the {{Anime}} ''Anime/{{Slayers}}'' or the [[VideoGame/{{Guilty Gear}} Vampire]] or the [[Series/BuffyTheVampireSlayer blonde girl]] or the [[VideoGame/{{Doom}} demon killer in power armor]].

[[foldercontrol]]

* MetalScream: Mostly Type 4, with some occasional Type 1s

* MetalScream:

* MohsScaleOfRockAndMetalHardness: Unlike [[Music/{{Metallica}} some]] [[Music/{{Megadeth}} other]] very popular thrash metal acts, they usually settle on Level 9, with ''South of Heaven'' and ''Show No Mercy'' typically staying in the 7-8 range. Back in their day, however, ''Haunting the Chapel'', ''Hell Awaits'' and ''Reign in Blood'' would be considered solid 10's, with some songs from each of the three (e.g. "Angel of Death", nowadays a very hard 9) reaching 11.
* MohsScaleOfLyricalHardness: A hard 9-10. All of their songs are either about satanism, serial killers or war crimes, but they don't discuss them in nearly as much detail as bands from [[DeathMetal other]] [[BlackMetal genres]] later would decide to.

* BadassBeard: Kerry King grew quite an epic one once he became bald. Tom and Jeff also had ones at times.

* DeathSong: Take your pick.

Not to be confused with the {{Anime}} ''Anime/{{Slayers}}'' or the [[VideoGame/{{Guilty Gear}} Vampire]] or the [[Series/BuffyTheVampireSlayer blonde girl]].

Studio Albums:
* ''Show No Mercy'' - 1983
* ''Hell Awaits'' - 1985
* ''Music/ReignInBlood'' - 1986
* ''South of Heaven'' - 1988
* ''Seasons in the Abyss'' - 1990
* ''Divine Intervention'' - 1994
* ''Diabolus in Musica'' - 1998
* ''God Hates Us All'' - 2001
* ''Christ Illusion'' - 2006
* ''World Painted Blood'' - 2009
* ''Repentless'' - 2015

(Also included in the Slayer discography is an EP, ''Haunting the Chapel'', released in 1984, and an album of HardcorePunk covers, ''Undisputed Attitude'', released in 1996.)

''Final lineup:''

''Former members:''

!! TROPE ENSEMBLE!!!!:

* HairTodayGoneTomorrow: Kerry King, who went from typical long-haired metal musician to a BaldOfAwesome (he even has tattoos on the scalp).

* TheShowMustGoOn: Kerry King has confirmed that despite Jeff Hanneman's death, the band will continue.

''Current lineup:''
* Kerry King - guitars (1981-present)
* Tom Araya - bass, vocals (1982-present)
* [[Music/ExodusBand Gary Holt]]: guitars (2011-present)
* Paul Bostaph - drums (1992-1996, 1997-2001, 2013-present)

* Pat O'Brien: guitars (2011)

* TheAlcoholic: Jeff Hanneman. Sadly, it is what ended up killing him; but for the spider bite and subsequent necrotizing fasciitis, however, it may not have gotten that out of hand. It is known that he was a heavy drinker well before that ever occurred, but from what his widow has said, it was the post-illness recovery process and sharp decline in his playing ability (a good deal of the muscle tissue on the affected arm had been essentially flayed off to stem the spread of the infection) and subsequent inability to play his own parts that drove him into a deep depression that subsequently led to his drinking substantially more.

However, Slayer hit gold in 1986 with the release of ''Reign in Blood'' (their first album produced by longtime collaborator Music/RickRubin), which demonstrated the signature sound for which they have become known and featured their best-known songs, "Angel of Death" and "Raining Blood". The album has been recognized as one of the greatest heavy metal albums of all time. A couple years later, they released ''South of Heaven''. This was met with mixed reviews. While some enjoyed the slower, sludgier style, others decried them for being Music/BlackSabbath wannabes. However, they combined the best of both worlds with the 1990 release ''Seasons in the Abyss''. Most fans tend to look down on the eleven year period when ''Divine Intervention'' and ''Diabolus in Musica'' were released. However, they gained mass controversy with the release of ''God Hates Us All'' (coincidentally released on Sept. 11th, 2001). With their 2006 release, ''Christ Illusion'', more fans seem to be warming up with them since they are returning to their thrash metal roots, a trend that continued with ''World Painted Blood'' three years later.

The band has announced they will call it quits after three decades once the 2018 Slayer Farewell Tour ends.

!! Slayer shows these tropes:

** If, after that, there are still any doubts, those should be laid to rest by the confusing situation surrounding the band's fate after the Farewell Tour, culminating in King firing his bandmates after the final show.

* Tom Araya - vocals, bass (1982-present)

** ''Diabolus in Musica'' and ''God Hates Us All'' are mostly a solid 8, while ''Christ Illusion'' is basically half 8 songs and half 9 songs. ''World Painted Blood'', however, generally stays in 9 territory.