Maps of Music

Hell Awaits (1985)

Where the lyrics of Hell Awaits take you, and where it was really made.

Played backwards, the intro of the title track reveals a repeated phrase, and the band's most progressive album was made with a producer who had little experience with heavy metal.

Key places

Recorded at Eldorado (1985)

Recording site Eldorado Recording Studios — Discogs credits list Eldorado Recording Studios as a place where the album was recorded. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Recorded and mixed at Track Record (1985)

Recording site Track Record Studios — Discogs credits list Track Record Studios in Los Angeles as a place where the album was recorded and mixed. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Album story

Overview

• Hell Awaits: second studio album by American thrash metal band Slayer
• Released 8 April 1985 by Metal Blade Records
• Followed Show No Mercy, which became the label's best-selling release
• Lyrical themes include hell and Satan, as on the debut
• Musically the most diverse work of the band up to that point, with longer and more progressive songs
• The title track's intro, played backwards, reveals a repeated phrase

Background

• Producer Brian Slagel wanted another album from the band after the success of Show No Mercy
• Show No Mercy was paid for by band members; Slagel co-financed Hell Awaits with the band
• Show No Mercy sold 40,000 copies worldwide
• Ron Fair was hired as producer despite his lack of experience with heavy metal musicians
• Kerry King and Jeff Hanneman were very into Mercyful Fate at the time, which shaped the longer songs
• The album was promoted on the Combat Tour with Venom and Exodus

Recording

• Recorded at Eldorado in Hollywood and Track Record in Los Angeles
• Bill Metoyer worked as sound engineer, Bernie Grundman handled mastering, and Eddy Schreyer worked on remastering
• The budget allowed professional assistance for the production
• Drummer Dave Lombardo considered the album more professionally made than its predecessor
• The sound has been described as sludgy and amorphous compared with the sharp and clear production of Reign in Blood

Sources: en.wikipedia.org · www.discogs.com · es.wikipedia.org · pt.wikipedia.org

Tracklist

Sources: musicbrainz.org

Artist

Formation

• Formed in 1981 in Huntington Park, California by Kerry King, Jeff Hanneman, Dave Lombardo and Tom Araya.
• Started by playing covers of Iron Maiden, Black Sabbath, Judas Priest and Venom at parties and clubs in Southern California.
• Signed with Metal Blade Records after the song "Aggressive Perfector" appeared on Metal Massacre III.

Members

• Current lineup: Kerry King, Tom Araya, Paul Bostaph and Gary Holt; Holt joined in 2011 and became permanent after Hanneman's death in 2013.
• Former members include drummers Dave Lombardo (left three times) and Jon Dette.

Career

• Released twelve studio albums, including Reign in Blood (1986), widely described as one of the most influential thrash metal albums.
• Christ Illusion (2006) won a Grammy for "Eyes of the Insane", the band's first Grammy-related recognition.
• Disbanded in 2019 after a farewell tour and reunited for sporadic shows from 2024.
• Considered one of the "Big Four" of thrash metal alongside Metallica, Megadeth and Anthrax.

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

Reception

At release

• AllMusic reviewer Eduardo Rivadavia gave the album four out of five stars
• Rivadavia called the album incredibly ahead of its time
• The album was hailed upon release as Slayer's most progressive recording
• The album was praised for darker thrash-oriented style and varying tempos

Reappraisal

• Rolling Stone Album Guide author Nathan Brackett gave the album four out of five stars
• Brackett called the title track almost progressive in its complexity

Records

• The album did not enter any charts
• Brian Slagel said the album had sold over 1,000,000 records worldwide
• Show No Mercy, the predecessor, sold 40,000 copies worldwide

Sources: en.wikipedia.org · pt.wikipedia.org · fr.wikipedia.org · es.wikipedia.org

Trivia

• Dave Lombardo named At Dawn They Sleep as his favorite song from the album.
• Kerry King and Jeff Hanneman were listening heavily to Mercyful Fate while writing, which led to longer and more progressive songs.
• After a fight on Venom's tour bus, Tom Araya continued the tour with a black eye.
• Pressing variations exist, with slightly different runouts on Side A and different paper for the center labels.

Sources: en.wikipedia.org · es.wikipedia.org · fr.wikipedia.org · www.discogs.com

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