FUCKIN’ SLAAAAYYYYYEEERRR have been a staple in the metal community since their debut album in 1983. And since then, they have existed as a band through a variety of metal music trends (for better or for worse) and various interesting sound directions (for better or for worse), but if you ask most any Slayer fan, they’ve always just been “FUCKIN’ SLAYER.” However, this is a ranking of their records, and blanketing them with that sentiment wouldn’t be exciting….plus as you’ll see, it’s just wrong.

11. Diabolus In Musica (1998)

First off, I’ll admit that this isn’t a Slayer album that I listen to a whole lot. Well, by that I mean I listened to it once when I was like 7 years old. But as a more mature adult, with more refined taste, I thought, “It can’t possibly be that bad. It has evil satanic Powder on the front, and the Slayer logo is written all cool-like.” Slayer was not only bitten by the Nu-Metal bug when this was written, it laid its eggs inside their brain and what hatched was this. Best to just avoid.

Play it Again: “In The Name of God”
Skip it: Literally every other song

10. God Hates Us All (2001)

This album being released on September 11th, 2001 really solidifies the fact two tragedies occurred that day: the 9/11 attacks, and Leftöver Crack releasing their first record…..wait, no, that doesn’t make sense. Make that three tragedies. This album is one of them.

Play it Again: “Disciple”
Skip it: “Deviance,” but only after you get past the intro sound clip with the hilarious stock screams.

9. Christ Illusion (2006)

Five years after “God Hates Us All,” Slayer is back and as not exciting as ever. I feel like this record was their way of saying, “Alright, no more tripp pants or ‘bugga chugga’ riffs, let’s get back to our thrash roots.” Plus, Dave Lombardo is back behind the kit. It is an okay effort, and much more enjoyable than the previous two on this list, but it still has a little too much of that ’90s-era stink on it.

Play it Again: “Flesh Storm”
Skip it: “Jihad”

8. Repentless (2015)

This record is more than likely the last Slayer full-length we’ll ever get. Gary Holt replaces Jeff Hannemen (RIP) on guitar and Paul Bostaph returns as the band’s drummer once again. Not the worst record of theirs, but it really isn’t worth carving their band name into your arm over either.

Play it Again: “Repentless”
Skip it: “When the Stillness Comes”

7. World Painted Blood (2009)

This is the last Slayer record to feature Jeff Hanneman (RIP) on Guitar and Dave Lombardo on drums. The most solid of the 2000s era records, it still just barely sets itself apart from the previous two records on this list. Good records, but just sorta one big ball of open “e” strings, bad words and cover artwork that I’ll always forget goes to which albums.

Play it Again: “Hate Worldwide”
Skip it: “Human Strain”

6. Divine Intervention (1994)

This was the album we saw Slayer sorta veer off in a different direction musically. While not necessarily massively different from “Seasons,” you can tell they were into experimenting with their sound a bit. Some might call it “evolving” or “progressing” their sound, and I suppose you could look at it that way. But Tom uses that weird “megaphone” effect on his vocals everyone was doing at that time on some parts. It’s still a really solid record, regardless.

Play it Again: “Fictional Reality”
Skip it: “Circle of Beliefs”

5. South of Heaven (1988)

“Before you see the light…..you must, diiiiiiieeeee.” -Tom Araya

Certainly words to.…umm.…live by? Anyways, “South of Heaven” is a classic Slayer album. Also, to the best of my knowledge, the first Slayer record to feature a Tom “whispering” vocal part that would be a staple of his in the albums to come (for better or for….. well, you know). A bit slowed down, this record showed Slayerites that they can write heavy shit without just playing 10,000 miles an hour. Which coincidentally is the speed limit in hell.

Play it Again: “Silent Scream”
Skip it: “Spill the Blood”

4. Hell Awaits (1985)

“Hell Awaits” is the record when Slayer decided to just play all their instruments as fucking fast as they possibly could. And to be quite frank, it turned out really goddamn cool. Kinda boring, but not too much, but also really goddamn good. Plus that cover art is iconic, and cool as fuck.

Play it Again: “At Dawn They Sleep”
Skip it: (This album is best when you listen to it in its entirety, but also “Hardening of the Arteries).

Honorable Mention: Haunting the Chapel (1984)

This is the EP when Slayer decided to just play their instruments as fucking fast as they possibly could. Now, I’m not allowed to rank comps or EPs on this list, and if I could, this would probably be higher up, but I don’t make the rules nor have the know-how. But I do know “Captor of Sin’ fucking rules.

3. Seasons in the Abyss (1990)

“What poser puts ‘Seasons’ in their top three Slayer records,” you say? Well, me, I guess. But it’s a fucking great album. It takes the slow heaviness of what they did on “South of Heaven,” and mixes it with the ferociousness of “Reign in Blood” to make what I think is one of the best metal records of the 1990s, even though it was still basically the ’80s when it was released. Highly underrated and overlooked mostly by posers who still like to call people posers.

Play it Again: Spirit in Black
Skip it: “Expendable Youth”

2. Reign in Blood (1986)

“Reign in Blood” is one of, if not the best thrash metal record of all time. From beginning to end, it’s a relentless onslaught of no reverb and iconic riff after iconic riff. That one dude with the really long beard along with Slayer themselves nailed it with this one. There isn’t much else to say here other than if you haven’t heard this then I’m surprised you’re reading this.

Play it Again: “Angel of Death”
Skip it: “Raining Blood,” because every 14-year old wearing a Pantera shirt uses that riff while testing out a Jackson at Guitar Center.

1. Show No Mercy (1983)

Slayer’s debut, and their best. Not one other record of theirs compares to the fast, evil, cult heavy metal sound of “Show No Mercy.” It was a game changer for thrash and made Metallica look like Peter, Paul, and Mary in comparison. Each song is memorable, heavy as fuck, and written with pure aggression. Tom’s vocals are by far the best on this album, and so is the overall production. I can honestly say, without hyperbole, that this is the greatest heavy metal album to feature Kerry King on guitar. A total essential.

“Play it Again: “The Antichrist”
Skip it: If you skip any song off this record, when you leave this mortal coil, may you spend all eternity in the kingdom of heaven.

Every Metallica Album Ranked

Every Every Time I Die Album Ranked

Every Slayer Album Ranked