Sorry if the similar thred lurks somewhere near, but I just went to revisiting Slayer's catalogue and Everytime I do that I become obsessed with it.

When it comes to favourite song, I know it's tough to pick particular one, but let's try and make some fun out of it.

For me I know it has to be Dead Skin Mask.

Firstly, there's that nostalgia feeling about whole that record, and that tune. I remember listening to that album while hanging around in my friend's garage, playing darts and drinking beer. There was that old dusty stereo (cassette player) that never went off, and Slayer's Seasons in the abyss was the most played album there. Secondly, the song itself. The song has that special Slayer feel - sick, disturbing and creepy vibe, and given the mid tempo of the song, it just builds on suspense, just like an ordinary slasher horror flick. Lyrics are brutal as hell and Leatherface reference is just on the spot!. That song for me represents the Slayer itself, all their legacy and signature. Simply put, it's one hell of a song!

Since I've only ever owned Reign in Blood, the best Slayer song is clearly "Reborn" - and mainly because of the speed and urgency of the vocal delivery, coupled with the equally enjoyable high-speed music and some remarkable lyrics. "Altar of sacrifice" would be my second favorite because of that deliciously malicious opening riff.

Best Slayer song is obviously Seasons in the Abyss. It is just an epic kick-ass song full of awesome riffs, awesome solos, and has the best music video in metal history

Special mention to several of the tracks on South of Heaven, you got the title track, which everyone knows fucking rules, but one of my favorites is Read Between the Lies, that verse contains one of Slayer s best riff, and Lombardo is fucking god on this track.

Could say the same for spill the blood as well.

At Dawn They Sleep

It is a lengthy almost-dirgy piece yet it never loses the ominous vibe a la Mercyful Fate that it creates. I love when thrash bands attempt a "slow" burner and this one is creepy to the utmost effect.

It's probably The Antichrist but I've got no bad words for anything on Show No Mercy. Black Magic is another top contender. Killer album and the apex Slayer sound for me.

Mandatory Suicide

It has a good sense of momentum and energy despite the moderate pace. Great build up with the dual melody to open and the succession of riffs that follows, and from there it charges along nicely. There's a calmness to the whole thing (especially Tom's delivery) that contrasts well with the lyrics. I find it quite harrowing.

Oh boy, this is almost impossible to answer with only one. The first two that popped in my head were Dead Skin Mask and Final Command. I love that main riff in Dead Skin Mask so much, and the song is just completely sinister to me. Especially the ending. But that solo in Final Command....

I want to say Angel of Death because it's just such a perfect song, but the one I always come back to most is Necrophobic. It is total unhinged insanity for nearly its entire runtime. I love when Tom does those crazy fast vocal parts (he does it in Postmortem as well). The fact that this song is so short is probably what makes it better for me; I'm left wanting more every time.

Hard to choose between 213 and at dawn they sleep. Honorable mention goes to face the slayer.

My favourite metal band so I have about 30 favourite songs but if I had to choose one it would be War Ensemble. It's just the perfect thrash song or metal song in general. Love the way the intro just hits you with the opening riff with the drum fills then just sets off. The verse and chorus riffs are awesome and the chorus vocals are great to sing along to. One of my favourite mid sections too, just really heavy and headbangable with an excellent solo. I fucking love War Ensemble and so do the band as they always played it live.


213 is a good mention. Can't believe 213 and Kill Again didn't become live staples as I think they are two of the best songs they ever wrote.

Necrophiliac
It was my introduction to the band, as the song title piqued my sick curiosity. This song, along with Voivod's "Voivod", brought me out of hardcore and into thrash metal. I liked the chord progressions, as the open E-string chord doesn't play a major role until the latter galloping bit, and the song ripped. Plus, the lyrics were hilariously over-the-top and nasty at the time, and Tom sang that lunacy with enraged conviction. The last line is classic..."Down to the fiery pits of HHHEEEEEELLLL!!!"
The song is bonkers, fun, and the segue from speed to the mid-paced section is seamless, while the final burst of adrenaline for the last solo is a cool sudden gear-shift. Love it.

"At Dawn They Sleep" for being terrifying yet also slappin hard as shit

"Crionics" and/or "Tormentor" for just being fun as hell 80s bangers

Raining Blood. The first riff is just great.

Probably Angel of Death. I'm kind of restricted, when it comes to Slayer. Only own the their early stuff, and don't really care about either Hell Awaits or Reign in Blood. Should listen to Show No Mercy more. I could maybe like Seasons in the Abyss, and South of Heaven, the songs I've heard from them sounded good.

Agreed on all counts. I will never forget putting this track on for the first time, sitting in the basement with my friends when I was 15. An absolutely unmatched piece of songwriting.

If we're going for a pure "fun" factor though, there's something really special about Postmortem. That slow groove for the first half, the perfect drum fills, then ending with that double-speed final minute that comes out of nowhere and leads perfectly into Raining Blood. Really wish they had more unique songs in this vein.

Piece By Piece because it's the best one.

Oh jeez, it's probably a tie for me between War Ensemble, Black Magic, Dead Skin Mask, and Mandatory Suicide. All of those songs exhibit the best of Slayer; the creepy, unnerving mid-paced tunes, and the fast as shit intense bangers.

altars of sacrifice or hallowed point - fucking tight guitars and fast like there is no tomorrow

Would have to go with "Fight Till Death". Love the Hanneman riffs in that one, especially the opening riff. Honorable mention goes to "Dittohead"....always loved the speed and aggression on that one.

Behind the Crooked Cross. Love the drumming (SOH is near flawless on that front), the melodic vocal lines, the lyrics, some nice solos and overall a pretty Priest sounding affair. In saying so, there are another ten songs I could make a case for too.

This is pretty much the song and album that got me into Slayer for that reason. That MF-influence permeates that whole album with such a hellish and unsettling atmosphere that only benefits from the longer songwriting. After this, I'd probably point to Die By the Sword, Crionics, Hell Awaits, Kill Again, Angel of Death, and Behind the Crooked Cross as my other absolute favorites.

Their studio versions obviously don't quite line up when played back-to-back, but those live versions of "Chemical Warfare" going right into "Ghosts of War" are always fun. Whoever decided they should finally do that had the right idea.

Okay...I have several answers for this, but right now I'll go with...

...Mid 1980's, MTV Headbangers ball. Your go-to source for Cinderella, Poison, Motley Crue and Ratt videos, because you would seldom hear anything heavier than that. Even after they started featuring Megadeth, Overkill, Anthrax and (later) Metallica on there, it would usually be maybe like two thrash/ultra heavy band's videos out of 20 glam/hard rock ones.

So, being like 15 and wanting to get my fix and hoping (sometimes in vain) to hear something heavier than Cinderella, I'd tune in, and at the intro, this guy, who I found out later was Kerry King, would walk out and bash the MTV Headbanger's Ball gong with a flying V guitar. While, the intro scream and opening riff of "Angel of Death" would play. I didn't recognize the song, hadn't heard the album yet, my only knowledge of metal at the time was, well, Headbanger's ball (Because I was a mallcore kid in the truest sense of the word back then) but one thing I knew was... I just HAD TO FIND THAT @#$% SONG! They never played it, either on MTV or the radio, but it just sounded so freaking awesome I spent hours trying to figure out where that riff came from, and that opening aggressive scream.

So, once I discovered college radio, and one day hearing them play the tracks from "Reign in Blood" it was like, THAT"S FUCKING IT!! That's the SONG! So...rushing out and buying the album almost immediately, even to this day that track has always retained a special place in my "top favorate Slayer songs." In many ways, it is the quintessential and perfect thrash song, brimming with anger, fire, aggression, speed- just everything a raging angry rebellions 15 year old wants out of his music.

South of Heaven followed by Dead Skin Mask. They just have the best riffs to my ears.

Postmortem, by far. I have yet to hear them top the intensity and riffing of this song.

For me it's Hell Awaits. I first heard it on a metal compilation album. It was fast, evil, and scared the shit out of me. After that I was a Slayer fan. I still revisit that album pretty regularly.

Wow just one huh? Well for me its gotta be Cleanse the Soul. Talk about an underrated song! Not many people mention it but it's a thrashterpiece imo. High energy throughout.

Angel of Death, because...

Chemical Warfare. Not just because it's a 6 minute nightmare that Freddy won't touch with a 8 foot poll, but you just can just see Slayer building the foundation for a highly remarkable career and reputation. I will always have a special place in my heart for Show No Mercy, but Chemical Warfare is a quintessential demonstration for why evolution is vital.

I'm with this. My teens years were Slayer-less and I didn't care for most of Reign in Blood. The title track on Hell Awaits was the first took hook me, but "At Dawn They Sleep" tops their whole song list.

This one is the first that comes to mind, for me. 'Altar of Sacrifice, too; they're just on another level of darkness. I mean, it's a really fucking hard job and classic Slayer probably have 20 perfect or close-to-perfect tracks (if not more), but those sprang to mind immediately.

I'm not a huge Slayer fan but "Ghosts of War" is my first choice for ultra-catchy headbanging glory, these parts here: "RISE - GHOSTS OF WAR!" and "I - SEAL YOUR FATE!" and then dam da da dam da da dam da da dam......are really fantastic. In fact, I need to listen to this song now.

"Angel of Death" is probably their most "complete" song and a great definition of what Slayer were about back then. Of course, classic material.

Same here. That intro progression was out of this world. Total crypt keeper atmosphere.

Crionics.

That instrumental part after Tom stops singing is just amazing.

Seasons in the Abyss. Just an incredible piece of songwriting and musicianship. Lombardo sounds like he has about twelve arms on some of those fills.

Honourable mention goes to At Dawn They Sleep and Behind the Crooked Cross.

Seasons in the Abyss. Dead Skin Mask & South of Heaven are contenders. Its all good but I like the eerie vibe they pull off on the slow/mid paced tracks.

Deaaad Skiiiiinnnnnnnn Masssssssssskkkkaaaaaaaa!

Either Hell Awaits or Necrophobic. The former for the awesome buildup leading into that explosion of speed, and the latter for its straight ahead, just fucking manic thrashing, but I really could choose anything from Hell Awaits or about half of Reign in Blood.

I'm really surprised at how many people are choosing Dead Skin Mask. I've always thought it was an incredibly boring song, but hey, I guess this is why these types of discussions happen.

I gonna be "boring" and say Angel Of Death and Raining Blood.

Imagine if the rest of the album held THAT kind of quality. A bit more lengthy songs with various patterns.

Sure, I love Necrophobic for it's unrelentness but... It's kind of like Judas Priest Painkiller album. What if they kept the same kind of "feel" as the title track throughout most songs? I love most songs on the Painkiller album (just like on Reign In Blood) but the titel track (for Priest, and Angel/Raining combo for Slayer) are just so impressivly great songs that the others feels a bit behind.