The 15 Best Slayer Songs of All Time

Slayer is a highly popular band known to every metalhead and even recognized by those outside the heavy metal community. Many people start their journey into metal with Slayer. However, most metal aficionados classify Slayer in the genre of thrash metal. So, what are the best Slayer songs? Let’s explore together.

Over approximately 40 years, Slayer has produced music at the highest level. They have significantly impacted thrash metal, both musically and lyrically. Today, it’s nearly impossible for a newly formed thrash metal band to not be influenced by, or compared to, Slayer.

For these reasons and more, Slayer is a popular thrash metal band with numerous excellent albums and standout tracks. Trying to encapsulate all of Slayer in just 3-4 songs wouldn’t do justice, right? Therefore, we’ve compiled a list of the 15 best Slayer songs. We believe this list will be beneficial, especially for those who are new to listening to Slayer.

Best Slayer Songs Every Metalhead Should Listen To

• At Dawn They Sleep
• Mandatory Suicide
• Hallowed Point
• Necrophiliac
• Hell Awaits
• Chemical Warfare
• Tormentor
• Dead Skin Mask
• War Ensemble
• Seasons in the Abyss
• South of Heaven
• Evil Has No Boundaries
• Black Magic
• Angel of Death
• Raining Blood

We tried to select many of the songs above based on their popularity and influence within the metal genre. Hopefully, we haven’t missed out on an incredible Slayer song. After all, we wouldn’t want any omission in the list of the best Slayer songs, right? Let’s take a closer look at these songs now. But we’d love to hear your list in the comments at the end of the article.

Related: The 25 Best Metallica Songs That Fans Should Listen

1 – At Dawn They Sleep

With sharp lyrics, this Slayer song is one of the mid-tempo tracks. ‘At Dawn They Sleep,’ the 3rd song of the ‘Hell Awaits‘ album, is undoubtedly one of the best Slayer songs. Particularly, the recurring ‘kill – kill – kill…‘ segment towards the end is a phrase that sticks in your head.

Like in all Slayer songs, intense violence and horror imagery fill this song. But if you haven’t listened to ‘At Dawn They Sleep‘ before, it’s a must-listen. It’s a crucial piece from the ‘Hell Awaits‘ album. You can listen for yourself, of course, below.

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2 – Mandatory Suicide

Starting with an impressive guitar riff, ‘Mandatory Suicide,’ the 5th song from the ‘South of Heaven‘ album, narrates the story of soldiers involved in war. The lyrics are quite striking, highlighting how soldiers are pushed into mandatory suicide in the war.

Generally, Anti-war propaganda is well-known in thrash metal bands, and ‘Mandatory Suicide‘ is one of the best examples. The song vividly portrays how soldiers are involuntarily sent to the frontlines, emphasizing the horrors of warfare. All in all, this song stands as one of the genre’s best anti-war tracks.

3 – Hallowed Point

‘Hallowed Point,’ the 6th song from the ‘Seasons in the Abyss‘ album, starts with an altogether fiery intro. I personally admire the guitar tones and riffs in this song; it’s a true Slayer masterpiece, after all.

The song’s lyrics, using simple yet effective words to depict the lethality of a weapon and its consequences, are clear and direct. The chorus is as follows:

Chorus 1

• Instinctive regression
• With intent to kill
• No regard of human life
• Or the blood spilled

Chorus 2

• The power of a gun
• Used with conviction
• Dispersed on excursions
• Randomly kills its victims

You can check out this emphatically live version of the song.

4 – Necrophiliac

One of Slayer‘s most undeniably disturbing songs, ‘Necrophiliac,’ is exactly what its name implies. It’s a song that might be uncomfortable for many due to its explicit content. But we don’t recommend reading the lyrics if you’re easily affected by such topics.

However, ‘Necrophiliac,’ from the ‘Hell Awaits‘ album, strikes an unquestionable resemblance to one of Slayer‘s most popular songs, ‘Raining Blood.’ The guitar riff that begins at 1:15 in ‘Necrophiliac‘ is rather  similar to the main riff in ‘Raining Blood.’ Hence, I’ve always linked these two songs. In any event, if you haven’t noticed this similarity before, try listening to these two songs back to back.

5 – Hell Awaits

Having a disturbing and eerie intro that truly sets the tone, ‘Hell Awaits,’ the first song from the album of the same name, describes a song one would hear before entering hell.

In essence, this song extensively portrays hell, making references to Christian elements while using anti-religious imagery in ‘Hell Awaits.’ The album cover is another iconic Slayer illustration.

6 – Chemical Warfare

The first song from the ‘Haunting the Chapel‘ EP in 1984, ‘Chemical Warfare,’ is a noteworthy track. Many thrash metal bands have been greatly influenced by this song over the years. In fact, this song became a significant theme for many thrash metal bands, revolving around chemical warfare and weapons.

Thrash metal bands often create songs about chemical warfare to convey a message of protest. It’s important to realize that Slayer was one of the original bands to pioneer this trend. As a result, you’ll encounter songs about chemical and nuclear warfare in many famous thrash metal bands.

We’ve included a live version for your listening pleasure!

7 – Tormentor

The 7th song from Slayer‘s debut album, ‘Show No Mercy,’ Tormentor, is a fantastic track both lyrically and musically. As a result, the rhythm of this song is incredibly catchy and unforgettable.

‘Tormentor,’ similar to ‘Chemical Warfare,’ is an undoubtedly influential song to the thrash metal community. Following this song, many thrash and death metal bands started having a song named ‘Tormentor.’ Moreover, several bands took names like ‘adjective + Tormentor.’

Overall, the lyrics in ‘Tormentor’ are quite striking:

• Running from shadows
• Blinded by fear
• The horror of nightfall
• Is ever so near
• I slowly surround you
• As terror sets in
• Are you afraid of the night

   

8 – Dead Skin Mask

The 5th song from the ‘Seasons in the Abyss‘ album, ‘Dead Skin Mask,’ is perhaps one of Slayer’s most eerie songs. ‘Dead Skin Mask‘ is dedicated to Ed Gein, an American serial killer and corpse thief.

Responsible for at least 15 deaths, Ed Gein is considered one of the most psychopathic serial killers in history. Engaging in acts like intercourse with corpses, cannibalism, making clothes out of human skin, or covering walls with this skin, Gein died in a mental hospital at the age of 77.

As mentioned in ‘Dead Skin Mask,’ Ed Gein enjoyed wearing clothes made from women’s skin and dancing under the moonlight. The additional children’s voices towards the end of the song make it even more disturbing. It’s genuinely unsettling. The song ends as follows:

• Dance with the dead in my dreams (hello?)
• Listen to their hollowed screams (Mr. Gein?)
• The dead have taken my soul (let me outta here, Mr. Gein)
• Temptation’s lost all control (I don’t wanna play anymore, Mr. Gein)
• Dance with the dead in my dreams (Mr. Gein, this isn’t fun anymore)
• Listen to their hollowed screams (I don’t wanna play anymore, Mr. Gein)
• The dead have taken my soul (I want out of here, Mr. Gein!)
• Temptation’s lost all control (let me out now)

   

9 – War Ensemble

We can’t have a list of the best Slayer songs without ‘War Ensemble‘, the first song on the album ‘Seasons in the Abyss‘. Like many of their songs, it deals with the topic of the atrocities of war. Released in 1990, The song is universally considered one of Slayer‘s most defining songs. Featuring bold drums, face-peeling guitars, and violent lyrics, it’s the perfect example of Slayer‘s ferocious sound and criticism of society.

The band’s unapologetic attitude and distaste for authority cement their unquestionable influence in the heavy metal community.

10 – Seasons in the Abyss

The title track of the album, ‘Seasons in the Abyss,’ is undoubtedly one of the best Slayer songs. It starts very slow and calm, however, the song gradually gains pace. As a mid-tempo song, ‘Seasons in the Abyss‘ discusses life’s hardships and humanity’s journey inward less ferociously than others.

This single is open to interpretation and discussion, addressing the simplicity and fragility of human nature, how easily one can waver towards insanity, and much more. In fact, it’s a song where everyone can find a piece of themselves. ‘Seasons in the Abyss’ is generally considered one of the best Slayer songs.

11 – South of Heaven

The album’s title track, ‘South of Heaven,’ and the album’s opening song require discussion. Starting with a very slow and melodic guitar, ‘South of Heaven‘ is unquestionably one of the best Slayer songs. It is undoubtedly described as a Slayer masterpiece.

Touching on chaos, the evils of humanity, darkness, and moral illusions, this song’s lyrics are thought-provoking. But you must read the lyrics to understand this song fully. On balance, it’s known as a highly interpretable and reflective piece.

12 – Evil Has No Boundaries

The opening song from the ‘Show No Mercy‘ album, ‘Evil Has No Boundaries,’ is a short, very fast, powerful, and daring thrash piece. Basically, it’s like an ode to Satan and evil, displaying Slayer’s capacity to push boundaries. After brief guitar notes, an indescribable scream introduces an explicitly strong guitar riff.

‘Evil Has No Boundaries‘ has unquestionably memorable choruses. The screams and catchy choruses frequently used in early Slayer albums are highly essential. Therefore, ‘Evil Has No Boundaries‘ stands as one of the best Slayer songs to understand their overall style.

13 – Black Magic

Another best Slayer song from the ‘Show No Mercy‘ album is undoubtedly ‘Black Magic.’ It’s my personal favorite Slayer song and features outstanding guitar solos and iconic screams.

What makes this song special for me is undoubtedly the screams. While Tom Araya‘s screams are iconic, the pronunciation of ‘lust’ in ‘Black Magic‘s’ lyrics is made entirely through a scream.

Beyond its intense speed and wildness, ‘Black Magic‘ from a lyrical perspective worships Satan. Apart from the screams, the guitars in this song deserve accolades. This song lives up to its name, enveloping you like a black magic, making it impossible to stop listening.

14 – Angel of Death

Undoubtedly one of the best Slayer songs, ‘Angel of Death,’ has numerous things to say. It’s been listened to extensively because it’s a great song. With over 92 million plays on Spotify, this song is one of the best examples of thrash metal. ‘Angel of Death‘ is a song every metalhead knows by heart and has become synonymous with Slayer over the years. Many other metal bands, such as Monstrosity, 8 Bit Arcade and Carnifex, have covered it.

There are many opinions to be given about ‘Angel of Death.’ One reason it’s such a great song is the thematic portrayal of Nazi Germany’s genocide and brutality. The song starts directly with the word ‘Auschwitz.’ As known, this was the largest concentration and forced labor camp established by Nazi Germany during World War II.

Creating a song directly addressing and representing one of the most impactful and distressing historical events, ‘Angel of Death,’ is one of the best Slayer songs.

Moreover, ‘Angel of Death‘ has an incredibly harsh tone. Even if someone doesn’t understand English, they could be horrified just by listening to the tone. That’s one of the song’s strong aspects.

Slayer’s style for this song’s screams and guitar solos also displays huge creativity. ‘Angel of Death‘ was shaped through great craftsmanship. It’s evident.

15 – Raining Blood

Arguably the most well-known and listened-to Slayer song is ‘Raining Blood.’ The final track from the ‘Reign in Blood‘ album is undeniably iconic. Rain sounds, thunder, and drums cleverly set the stage for this song.

Following the intro, perhaps the most unforgettable guitar riff in the world enters the scene. The riff, repeated in many parts of the song, is the foundation of incredible musicality.

How could the situation of blood raining from the skies be better described? Slayer achieved this magnificently. The thunderous sounds at both the beginning and end of the song add an incredible atmosphere to it. Slayer truly did everything necessary to make you feel like blood is pouring down on you.

In conclusion, ‘Raining Blood,’ unquestionably one of the best Slayer songs, is a thrash metal legend. It’s one of the most covered Slayer songs and has garnered over 184 million plays on Spotify.

What Are The Album Sales From The Best Slayer Songs?

It’s one thing to make a list of the best Slayer songs, but wouldn’t it be nice to know how those songs drove album sales? Here is a list of album sales associated with each song.

Albums	Songs	Years	Sales
Reign In Blood	Raining Blood; Angel of Death	1986	816,000
South of Heaven	Mandatory Suicide; South of Heaven	1988	610,000
Seasons in the Abyss	Hallowed Point; Dead Skin Mask; War Ensemble; Seasons in the Abyss	1990	550,000
Show No Mercy	Tormentor; Evil Has No Boundaries; Black Magic	1983	100,000
Hell Awaits	Hell Awaits, 1985	1985	40,000
Haunting the Chapel	Haunting the Chapel, 1984	1984	40,000

That wraps up our list of the best Slayer songs. We hope it was useful for you. What is your favorite Slayer song? Feel free to share your thoughts, or your own list, in the comments below.