Slayer - Haunting the Chapel (1993 reissue)

 

Cost: $2.00 

Already had this and it wasn't in the best of shape, but I couldn't live with myself if I just left it in the bargain bin. Just a quick track-by-track of my opinions:

Chemical Warfare - Perfect example of upping Show No Mercy's extremity. As much as I love Hell Awaits, I'd pick this as a better song over any of those tracks.  Fantastic.

Captor of Sin - While I don't hate it, something about this song never clicked with me. Maybe it's too upbeat or something. Actually one of my least favorite early Slayer songs, along with "At Dawn They Sleep" and "Final Command."

Haunting the Chapel - Although rightfully largely overshadowed by "Chemical Warfare," this stands on its own merits as quite the evil metal hymn. Probably the most overtly blasphemous Slayer song. Love that end part!

Aggressive Perfector - Great speed metal. Easily stands both stylistically and quality-wise with the more traditional/speed/USPM material on Show No Mercy.

Slayer - Show No Mercy (1993 reissue)

 

Cost: $2.00 

 

Not going to bother with needless musical descriptions here. Absolute CLASSIC--one of the greatest metal albums ever. This is actually the first time I've ever had the album on CD by itself, as my OG '80s copy adds Haunting the Chapel as bonustracks, and my later European "Metal Classics" version has "Aggressive Perfector" and "Chemical Warfare" inserted at the end of each side of the album. Also nice to have something a bit more substantial to look at on the back cover, even if it's just a close-up of the swords logo.

Tattoo the Earth: The First Crusade compilation (2000)

Cost: $1.00

I paid $1 solely for the live version of Slayer's "Chemical Warfare."  Yeah, there are newish Slayer/Sepultura songs and a Nashville Pussy track, but who cares?  This is similar in concept and excecution to the Ozzfest compilations (i.e., filled with nu-crap and rock) and just as terrible.