Editing Reign in Blood

{{Featured article}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2021}}
{{Infobox album
| name         = Reign in Blood
| type         = studio
| artist       = [[Slayer]]
| cover        = Reign in blood.jpg
| alt          = An image of the album cover featuring a demonic creature being carried on a chair by two people on each side. These people are carrying it over a sea of blood where several heads of corpses are floating. In the top left corner of the album is Slayer's logo while in the bottom right corner is the album title "Reign in Blood".
| released     = October 20, 1986
| recorded     = January–March 1986 
| studio       = Hit City West, Los Angeles, California
| genre        = [[Thrash metal]] 
| length       = 28:55
| label        =
* [[Def Jam Recordings|Def Jam]]
* [[Geffen Records|Geffen]]
| producer     =
* [[Rick Rubin]]
* Slayer
| prev_title   = [[Hell Awaits]]
| prev_year    = 1985
| next_title   = [[South of Heaven]]
| next_year    = 1988
| misc         = {{Singles
 | name        = Reign in Blood
 | type        = studio
 | single1     = Postmortem
 | single1date = 1986
 | single2     = Criminally Insane (Remix)
 | single2date = 1987
}}

}}

'''''Reign in Blood''''' is the third studio album by American [[thrash metal]] band [[Slayer]], released on October 20, 1986, by [[Def Jam Recordings]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/FMQB-Album/1986/FMQB-1986-10-10.pdf|title=FMQB|page=46}}</ref><ref name=Decibel>"Touring Blood", ''[[Decibel Magazine]]'', April 2008, p. 57.</ref> The album was the band's first collaboration with producer [[Rick Rubin]], whose input helped the band's sound evolve. The release date of the album was delayed because of concerns regarding the lyrical subject matter of the opening track "[[Angel of Death (Slayer song)|Angel of Death]]", which refers to [[Josef Mengele]] and describes acts such as [[human experimentation]] that he committed at the [[Auschwitz concentration camp]].<ref name="Kerry King: Maniac. Guitar Legend. Botanist?">{{cite web |title=Kerry King: Maniac. Guitar Legend. Botanist? |author=Hess, Mike |publisher=Nighttimes.com |date=July 23, 2003 |url=http://www.nighttimes.com/nt_main.asp?aID=388 |access-date=January 5, 2007 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110711103745/http://www.nighttimes.com/nt_main.asp?aID=388 |archive-date=July 11, 2011  }}</ref> The band's members stated that they did not condone Nazism and were merely interested in the subject.<ref name="Slayer's Tom Araya on Satanism, serial killers and his lovable kids">{{cite web |title=Slayer's Tom Araya on Satanism, serial killers and his lovable kids |author=Cummins, Johnson |publisher=MontrealMirror.com |url=http://www.montrealmirror.com/ARCHIVES/2002/012402/music1.html |access-date=December 2, 2006 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20020831074030/http://www.montrealmirror.com/ARCHIVES/2002/012402/music1.html |archive-date=August 31, 2002  }}</ref>

''Reign in Blood'' was well received by both critics and fans, and was responsible for bringing Slayer to the attention of a mainstream metal audience. It is often mentioned among the greatest heavy metal records ever. Alongside [[Anthrax (American band)|Anthrax]]'s ''[[Among the Living]]'', [[Megadeth]]'s ''[[Peace Sells... but Who's Buying?]]'', and [[Metallica]]'s ''[[Master of Puppets]]'', ''Reign in Blood'' helped define the sound of the emerging US thrash metal scene in the mid-1980s, and has remained influential since. The album was Slayer's first to enter the [[Billboard 200|US ''Billboard'' 200]], peaking at number 94, and was certified Gold in 1992. In 2013, ''[[NME]]'' ranked it at number 287 in its list of [[NME's The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time|the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time]].<ref>{{usurped|1=[https://archive.today/20131124170335/http://www.rocklistmusic.co.uk/nme_500_greatest_albums_2013.htm Rocklist.net NME: The 500 Greatest Albums Of All Time : October 2013<!-- Bot generated title -->]}}</ref> In their 2017 listing of the 100 Greatest Metal albums of all time, ''[[Rolling Stone]]'' magazine ranked ''Reign in Blood'' at number six.<ref>{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-lists/the-100-greatest-metal-albums-of-all-time-113614/|title=The 100 Greatest Metal Albums of All Time|first1=Christopher R. |last1=Weingarten |first2=Tom |last2=Beaujour |first3=Hank |last3=Shteamer |first4=Kim |last4=Kelly |first5=Steve |last5=Smith |first6=Brittany |last6=Spanos |first7=Suzy |last7=Exposito |first8=Richard |last8=Bienstock |first9=Kory |last9=Grow |first10=Dan |last10=Epstein |first11=J. D. |last11=Considine |first12=Andy |last12=Greene |first13=Rob |last13=Sheffield |first14=Adrien |last14=Begrand |first15=Ian |last15=Christe |magazine=[[Rolling Stone]] |date=June 21, 2017}}</ref> 

==Background==
Slayer composed the material for ''Reign in Blood'' following their return from a tour of Europe. Guitarists Kerry King and Jeff Hanneman wrote much of the album's music on their own, and quickly taught it to drummer Dave Lombardo. The band recorded instrumental demos of the songs (which King described as "just the best 10 songs we had at that point") and took them to [[Brian Slagel]], the band's manager at the time.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Mudrian |first1=Albert |title=Precious Metal: Decibel Presents the Stories Behind 25 Extreme Metal Masterpieces |date=July 14, 2009 |publisher=Da Capo Press |page=49 }}</ref>

Following the positive reception Slayer's previous release ''[[Hell Awaits]]'' had received, the band's producer and manager [[Brian Slagel]] realized the band were in a position to hit the "big time" with their next album. Slagel negotiated with several record labels, among them [[Rick Rubin]] and [[Russell Simmons]]' Def Jam Recordings. However, Slagel was reluctant to have the band signed to what was at the time primarily a [[hip hop music|hip hop]] label. Slayer drummer [[Dave Lombardo]] was made aware of Rubin's interest, and he initiated contact with the producer. However, Slayer's remaining members were apprehensive of leaving [[Metal Blade Records]], with whom they were already under [[contract]].<ref name="An exclusive oral history of Slayer"/>

Lombardo contacted [[Columbia Records]], which was Def Jam's [[distribution (business)|distributor]], and managed to get in touch with Rubin, who along with photographer [[Glen E. Friedman]] agreed to attend one of the band's concerts. Friedman had produced [[Suicidal Tendencies]]'s [[Suicidal Tendencies (album)|self-titled debut album]], in which Slayer vocalist [[Tom Araya]] made a guest appearance in the music video for the album's single "[[Institutionalized (song)|Institutionalized]]", pushing Suicidal Tendencies's vocalist [[Mike Muir]]. Around this time, Rubin asked Friedman if he knew Slayer.<ref name="An exclusive oral history of Slayer"/>

Guitarist [[Jeff Hanneman]] was surprised by Rubin's interest in the band, and was impressed by his work with the hip hop acts [[Run-DMC]] and [[LL Cool J]]. During a visit by Slagel to a European music [[convention (meeting)|convention]], Rubin spoke with the band directly, and persuaded them to sign with Def Jam. Slagel paid a personal tribute to Rubin, and said that Rubin was the most passionate of all the label representatives the band were in negotiations with. Following the agreement, Friedman brought the band members to [[Seattle]] for two days of publicity shots, possible record shots, and photos for a tour book; Rubin felt no good photos of the band had been taken before that point. One of the photos was used on the back cover of the band's 1988 release ''[[South of Heaven]]''.<ref name="An exclusive oral history of Slayer"/>

===Cover art===
The cover artwork was designed by [[Larry Carroll (artist)|Larry Carroll]], who at the time was creating political illustrations for ''[[The Progressive]]'', ''[[Village Voice]]'', and ''[[The New York Times]]''. Carroll was hired at Rubin's behest.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Mudrian |first1=Albert |title=Precious Metal: Decibel Presents the Stories Behind 25 Extreme Metal Masterpieces |date=July 14, 2009 |publisher=Da Capo Press |page=54 }}</ref> Despite its warm reception, the band members themselves originally did not like the image. King said, "Nobody in the band wanted that cover. We were stuck with it." He even described the artist as a "warped demented freak,"<ref>{{cite web |last1=Wiederhorn |first1=Jon |title=Fascinating Facts You Didn't Know About Slayer's 'Reign In Blood' |url=https://www.ranker.com/list/slayer-reign-in-blood/jon-wiederhorn |website=Ranker |access-date=1 August 2022}}</ref> although Carroll went on to make cover arts for their next two albums, ''[[South of Heaven]]'' (1988) and ''[[Seasons in the Abyss]]'' (1990), as well as ''[[Christ Illusion]]'' (2006). By a differing account, Araya recalled that he "thought it was amazing" and "liked it immediately". He also stated that there were three different variations of the album cover in its conceptual stages, with the final version incorporating elements of all three.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Mudrian |first1=Albert |title=Precious Metal: Decibel Presents the Stories Behind 25 Extreme Metal Masterpieces |date=July 14, 2009 |publisher=Da Capo Press |page=55 }}</ref>

It was believed that Columbia Records initially refused to release ''Reign in Blood'' because of the disturbing imagery. Araya refuted this claim in 2016 saying that it was because of the song "Angel of Death" and it had nothing to do with the cover art.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Loudwire |title=Slayer's Tom Araya - Wikipedia: Fact or Fiction? |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4e0QlzMlO_M |website=YouTube |date=March 9, 2016 |access-date=23 September 2022}}</ref>

===Recording and production===
''Reign in Blood'' was recorded and produced at Hit City West in Los Angeles with Rubin producing and [[Andy Wallace (producer)|Andy Wallace]] engineering.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Ferris |first1=D.X. |title=Reign in Blood |date=2008 |publisher=[[Continuum International Publishing Group|Continuum]] |page=89 |chapter=Recording Blood |series= [[33⅓]] |isbn= 978-1-4411-3241-3}}</ref> The album was the label boss' first professional experience with heavy metal, and his fresh perspective led to a drastic makeover of Slayer's sound. Steve Huey of [[AllMusic]] believed Rubin drew tighter and faster songs from the band and delivered a cleanly produced sound that contrasted sharply with their previous recordings.<ref name="Reign in Blood - Slayer">{{cite web |title=Reign in Blood – Slayer |author=Huey, Steve |website=[[AllMusic]] |url={{AllMusic|class=album|id=reign-in-blood-mw0000191741|pure_url=yes}} |access-date=January 5, 2007}}</ref> This resulted in drastic changes to Slayer's sound, and changed audiences' perception of the band. Araya has since stated their two previous releases were not up to par production-wise.<ref name="Slay Ride">{{cite web |title=Slay Ride |author=La Briola, John |publisher=Westword.com |date=July 22, 2004 |url=http://www.westword.com/2004-07-22/music/slay-ride/ |access-date=April 4, 2007 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141109235942/http://www.westword.com/2004-07-22/music/slay-ride/ |archive-date=November 9, 2014  }}</ref>
Guitarist [[Kerry King]] later remarked that "[i]t was like, 'Wow—you can hear everything, and those guys aren't just playing fast; those notes are on time.'"<ref name="An exclusive oral history of Slayer"/>

According to Araya, it was Hanneman's idea to add the scream for the introduction in "Angel of Death." Araya did several takes but ended up using the first one.<ref>Archived at [https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211211/4e0QlzMlO_M Ghostarchive]{{cbignore}} and the [https://web.archive.org/web/20160315105648/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4e0QlzMlO_M&gl=US&hl=en Wayback Machine]{{cbignore}}: {{cite web |last1=LoudWire |title=Slayer's Tom Araya - Wikipedia: Fact or Fiction? |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4e0QlzMlO_M |website=YouTube |date=March 9, 2016 |access-date=12 May 2021}}{{cbignore}}</ref> By a differing account, Araya stated the scream was done in two takes, with the second take going on to appear on the album.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Mudrian |first1=Albert |title=Precious Metal: Decibel Presents the Stories Behind 25 Extreme Metal Masterpieces |date=July 14, 2009 |publisher=Da Capo Press |pages=53–54 }}</ref>

The album's production is noted by the band Rubin's omission of [[reverberation]], which King said made the album sound "way more threatening". He compared the band's use of reverb on previous releases to the likes of Venom and Mercyful Fate, saying "we played in Reverb Land, for a lack of a better term." Upon hearing the album's mix, King said the band "[was] like, 'why didn't we think of that before?'"<ref>{{cite book |last1=Mudrian |first1=Albert |title=Precious Metal: Decibel Presents the Stories Behind 25 Extreme Metal Masterpieces |date=July 14, 2009 |publisher=Da Capo Press |page=50 }}</ref> Rubin himself said, "when I hear very fast music like Metallica, and the sounds are big sounds… the whole thing gets blurry, and you can't really hear it [...] If the music you're playing is fast and if the sounds are big, there's not enough space for those big sounds to happen next to each other. There's no punctuation; it becomes a blur [...] I didn't want it to be a blur of bass; I wanted it to be a pulse." Rubin's lack of experience as a heavy metal producer at the time allowed him to work outside the general tropes of the genre. He said, "I didn't have the baggage of what the old way of doing it was [...] And in this case, these forms of music were so new that the old way would've lessened their impact. It wouldn't have made them better." He limited his use of studio effects to what he felt was absolutely necessary. Rubin's approach to the album's production resulted in a "stripped-back, punchy" sound.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Barrios |first1=Joel |title=RICK RUBIN Explains The Unique Production Behind SLAYER's Reign In Blood: "I Was More Subtractive Than Additive, Getting Back To The Essence" |url=https://metalinjection.net/news/rick-rubin-explains-the-unique-production-behind-slayers-reign-in-blood-i-was-more-subtractive-than-additive-getting-back-to-the-essence |website=Metal Injection |access-date=November 3, 2024 |date=November 2, 2024}}</ref>

Hanneman later admitted that while the band was listening to [[Metallica]] and [[Megadeth]] at the time, they were finding the repetition of guitar riffs tiring. He said, "If we do a verse two or three times, we're already bored with it. So we weren't trying to make the songs shorter—that's just what we were into," which resulted in the album's short duration of 29 minutes.<ref name="An exclusive oral history of Slayer"/> The band realized the album's runtime only when they were finishing up with its mixing with engineer Andy Wallace. The band weren't sure whether they would have to hit the studio to create more material or just leave it, so they turned to Rubin. "His only reply was that it had 10 songs, verses, choruses and leads and that's what constituted an album. He didn't have any issue with it," Araya told Metal Hammer.<ref name="Slayer's 'Reign in Blood': 10 Facts Only Superfans Would Know">{{cite web |title=Slayer's 'Reign in Blood': 10 Facts Only Superfans Would Know |author=Schaffner, Lauryn |website=[[Loudwire]] |date=October 7, 2019 |url=https://loudwire.com/slayer-reign-in-blood-facts/ }}</ref>

King had stated that while hour-long records seem to be the trend, "[y]ou could lose this part; you could cut this song completely, and make a much more intense record, which is what we're all about."<ref name="An exclusive oral history of Slayer"/> When the record was completed, the band met with Rubin, who asked: "Do you realize how short this is?" Slayer members looked at each other, and replied: "So what?"<ref name="An exclusive oral history of Slayer"/> The entire album was on one side of a cassette; King stated it was "neat", as "You could listen to it, flip it over, and play it again."<ref name="An exclusive oral history of Slayer">{{cite web |title=An exclusive oral history of Slayer |publisher=[[Decibel Magazine]] |url=http://www.decibelmagazine.com/features_detail.aspx?id=4566 |access-date=January 3, 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061020200807/http://www.decibelmagazine.com/features_detail.aspx?id=4566 |archive-date=October 20, 2006}}</ref> The music is abrasive and faster than previous releases, helping to narrow the gap between [[thrash metal]] and its predecessor [[hardcore punk]],<ref name="Reign in Blood - Slayer"/> and is played at an average of 220 [[beats per minute]].<ref name="Andrew Haug speaks with Dave Lombardo from Slayer">{{cite web |title=Andrew Haug speaks with Dave Lombardo from Slayer |author=Haug, Andrew |publisher=Abc.net.au |date=October 13, 2006 |url=http://www.abc.net.au/triplej/racket/listen/audio_alpha_S.htm |access-date=February 9, 2007 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120720100637/http://www.abc.net.au/triplej/racket/listen/audio_alpha_S.htm |archive-date=July 20, 2012  }}</ref>

===Lombardo's departure===
[[File:Dave Lombardo 2009-06-23 8204.jpg|thumb|right|Lombardo (pictured) on departing Slayer: "I wasn't making any money. I think I had just gotten married, and I figured if we were gonna be doing this professionally—on a major label—I wanted my rent and utilities paid."]]
Following the album's recording sessions, Slayer embarked on the ''Reign in Pain'' tour with the bands [[Overkill (band)|Overkill]] in the United States and [[Malice (American band)|Malice]] in Europe; they also served as the opening act for [[W.A.S.P. (band)|W.A.S.P.]]'s U.S. tour in 1987. In late 1986, drummer Lombardo quit the band. To continue the tour Slayer enlisted [[Whiplash (band)|Whiplash]] drummer [[Tony Scaglione]].<ref name="An exclusive oral history of Slayer"/>

Rubin called Lombardo daily to insist he return, telling him: "Dude, you gotta come back in the band." Rubin offered Lombardo a salary, but he was still hesitant about returning; at this point Lombardo had been out of the band for several months. Lombardo returned in 1987; Rubin came to his house and picked him up in his [[Porsche]], taking him to a Slayer rehearsal.<ref name="An exclusive oral history of Slayer"/>

== Composition and music ==
''Reign In Blood'' is a [[thrash metal]] album that contains many [[tempo]] changes and [[Breakdown (music)|breakdowns]]. Eschewing traditional pop and rock song structures, the album's tracks are instead upon transitions between different guitar riffs. Joseph Schafer of ''[[Invisible Oranges]]'' characterized the general format of the albums tracks as "shocking open, memorable end, and a whole lot of velocity in-between." He further explained, "''Reign In Blood'' is a singular record with a singular purpose: [[adrenaline]]. They embodied it, they produced it. These songs increase heart rates. In effect the music sounds simple-to-understand and direct to the point of mathematical elegance."<ref>{{Cite web |last=Schafer |first=Joseph |title=Slayer's 'Reign in Blood' Turns 30 |url=https://www.invisibleoranges.com/slayers-reign-in-blood-turns-30/ |access-date=2025-03-26 |website=Invisible Oranges - The Metal Blog |language=en-US}}</ref>

==Critical reception==
{{Music ratings
|rev1 = [[AllMusic]]
|rev1score = {{Rating|5|5}}<ref name="allmusic_mw0000191741"/>
|rev2 = ''[[The Guardian]]''
|rev2score = {{Rating|5|5}}<ref>{{cite web|last1=Lawson|first1=Dom|title=Slayer: Reign in Blood vinyl reissue – review|url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2013/dec/19/slayer-reign-in-blood-review|website=The Guardian|access-date=December 9, 2013|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131221074925/http://www.theguardian.com/music/2013/dec/19/slayer-reign-in-blood-review|archive-date=December 21, 2013}}</ref>
|rev3 = ''[[Kerrang!]]''
|rev3score = {{Rating|5|5}}<ref>{{cite book |last=Russell |first=Xavier |title=[[Kerrang!]] |chapter=Blood Feast |volume=130|publisher=United Magazines Ltd. |date=October 2, 1986 |location=London, UK |page=18}}</ref> 
|rev4 = ''[[Rock Hard (magazine)|Rock Hard]]''
|rev4score = 9.5/10<ref>{{cite web |last=Schäfer |first=Wolfgang |title=Rock Hard |url=http://www.rockhard.de/megazine/reviewarchiv/review-anzeigen.html?tx_rxsearch_pi1%5Breview%5D=9086 |work=issue 19 |access-date=May 20, 2013 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924135008/http://www.rockhard.de/megazine/reviewarchiv/review-anzeigen.html?tx_rxsearch_pi1%5Breview%5D=9086 |archive-date=September 24, 2015  }}</ref> 
|rev5 = ''[[The Rolling Stone Album Guide]]''
|rev5score = {{Rating|4.5|5}}<ref>{{cite book |last=Brackett |first=Nathan |author2=Hoard, Christian  |title=The Rolling Stone Album Guide |publisher=Simon and Schuster |year=2004 |location=New York City, New York |pages=[https://archive.org/details/newrollingstonea00brac/page/n754 741]–742 |isbn=0-7432-0169-8 |url=https://archive.org/details/newrollingstonea00brac|url-access=registration |quote=rolling stone slayer album guide. }}</ref>
|rev6 = ''[[Spin Alternative Record Guide]]''
|rev6score = 10/10<ref name=Spin>Weisbard & Marks, 1995, p. 358.</ref>
|rev7 = ''[[Stylus Magazine]]''
|rev7score = A+<ref name="Reign in Blood"/>
|rev8 = ''[[The Village Voice]]''
|rev8score = B+<ref name=Christgau>{{cite news |last=Christgau |first=Robert |author-link=Robert Christgau |date=March 31, 1987 |url=http://www.robertchristgau.com/xg/cg/cgv3-87.php |title=Christgau's Consumer Guide |newspaper=[[The Village Voice]] |location=New York |access-date=April 28, 2013 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130507060203/http://www.robertchristgau.com/xg/cg/cgv3-87.php |archive-date=May 7, 2013  }}</ref>
}}
Although the album received no radio airplay, it was the band's first release to enter the ''Billboard'' 200, where it debuted at #127, and attained its peak position of 94 in its sixth week.<ref name="Billboard charts - Reign in Blood">{{cite magazine|title=Search results |magazine=Billboard.com |url=http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/esearch/searchResult.jsp?D=reign+in+blood&No=70&Ntt=reign+in+blood&Ntk=Keyword&Dx=mode+matchallpartial&Ntx=mode+matchallpartial&an=bbcom&Ex=1&Ns=FORMATTED_DATE%7C0&N=0&Nty=1 |access-date=October 15, 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071114180651/http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/esearch/searchResult.jsp?D=reign%2Bin%2Bblood&No=70&Ntt=reign%2Bin%2Bblood&Ntk=Keyword&Dx=mode%2Bmatchallpartial&Ntx=mode%2Bmatchallpartial&an=bbcom&Ex=1&Ns=FORMATTED_DATE |archive-date=November 14, 2007 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref name=Billboard>{{cite magazine |title=Artist Chart History |magazine=Billboard.com |url={{BillboardURLbyName|artist=slayer|chart=all}} |access-date=March 25, 2007}}</ref> The album also reached #47 on the [[UK Album Chart]],<ref name="1985-1986_discography">{{cite web|title=Slayer's 1985–1986 discography |publisher=Rockdetector.com |url=http://www.rockdetector.com/discography,8189.sm |access-date=January 1, 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070302092748/http://www.rockdetector.com/discography%2C8189.sm |archive-date=March 2, 2007 |url-status=dead }}</ref> and on November 20, 1992, it was [[RIAA certification|certified gold]] in the US.<ref name="RIAA - Artist Slayer">{{cite web|title=RIAA – Artist Slayer |publisher=RIAA.com |url=https://www.riaa.com/goldandplatinumdata.php?table=SEARCH |access-date=February 14, 2007 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070626050454/http://www.riaa.com/goldandplatinumdata.php?table=SEARCH |archive-date=June 26, 2007 }}</ref>

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''Reign in Blood'' was critically acclaimed by the underground and mainstream music press. Reviewing for [[AllMusic]], Steve Huey awarded the album five out of five, describing it a "stone-cold classic."<ref name="allmusic_mw0000191741"/> ''[[Stylus Magazine]]'' critic Clay Jarvis awarded the album an A+ grade, calling it a "genre-definer," as well as "the greatest metal album of all time."<ref name="Reign in Blood">{{cite magazine|title=Reign in Blood |author=Jarvis, Clay |magazine=[[Stylus Magazine]] |date=September 1, 2003 |url=http://www.stylusmagazine.com/reviews/slayer/reign-in-blood.htm |access-date=April 7, 2007 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060511163047/http://www.stylusmagazine.com/reviews/slayer/reign-in-blood.htm |archive-date=May 11, 2006 }}</ref> Jarvis further remarked the song "Angel of Death" "smokes the asses of any band playing fast and/or heavy today. Lyrically outlining the horrors to come, while musically laying the groundwork for the rest of the record: fast, lean and filthy."<ref name="Reign in Blood"/> ''[[Kerrang!]]'' magazine described it as the "heaviest album of all time,"<ref name="Lostprophets scoop rock honours">{{cite news |title=Lostprophets scoop rock honours |work=BBC News |date=August 25, 2006 |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/5282780.stm |access-date=January 10, 2007 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120110205809/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/5282780.stm |archive-date=January 10, 2012  }}</ref> and listed the album at #27 among the "100 Greatest Heavy Metal Albums of All Time".<ref>{{cite book |last=Russell |first=Xavier |title=[[Kerrang!]] |chapter=Slayer 'Reign in Blood' |volume=222 |publisher=Spotlight Publications Ltd. |date=January 21, 1989 |location=London, UK}}</ref> ''[[Metal Hammer]]'' magazine named it "the best metal album of the last 20 years" in 2006.<ref name="Golden Gods Awards Winners">{{cite magazine |title=Golden Gods Awards Winners |magazine=[[Metal Hammer]] |date=June 13, 2006 |url=http://www.metalhammer.co.uk/news/article/?id=44410 |access-date=January 10, 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061209200931/http://www.metalhammer.co.uk/news/article/?id=44410 <!--Added by H3llBot-->|archive-date=December 9, 2006}}</ref> [[Q (magazine)|''Q Magazine'']] ranked ''Reign in Blood'' among their list of the "50 Heaviest Albums of All Time",<ref name="Q 50 Heaviest Albums of All Time">{{cite magazine |title=Q 50 Heaviest Albums of All Time |magazine=[[Q (magazine)|Q]] |url=http://www.rocklistmusic.co.uk/qlistspage2.html |access-date=January 10, 2007 |url-status=usurped |archive-url=http://archive.wikiwix.com/cache/20110224060525/http://www.rocklistmusic.co.uk/qlistspage2.html |archive-date=February 24, 2011  }}</ref> and ''[[Spin (magazine)|Spin Magazine]]'' ranked the album #67 on their list of the "100 Greatest Albums, 1985–2005".<ref name="100 Greatest Albums, 1985-2005">{{cite magazine |title=100 Greatest Albums, 1985–2005 |magazine=Spin |date=June 20, 2005 |url=http://www.spin.com/features/magazine/covers/2005/06/0507_cover_greatest_albums/ |access-date=April 9, 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070312105828/http://www1.spin.com/features/magazine/covers/2005/06/0507_cover_greatest_albums/ <!--Added by H3llBot--> |archive-date=March 12, 2007}}</ref> Critic Chad Bowar stated: "1986's ''Reign in Blood'' is probably the best thrash album ever recorded."<ref>{{cite web |title=What is Thrash metal? |author=Bowar, Chad |publisher=heavymetal.about.com |url=http://heavymetal.about.com/od/heavymetal101/a/101_thrash.htm |access-date=May 2, 2008 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080705154924/http://heavymetal.about.com/od/heavymetal101/a/101_thrash.htm |archive-date=July 5, 2008  }}</ref> In August 2014, ''[[Revolver (magazine)|Revolver]]'' placed the album on its "14 Thrash Albums You Need to Own" list.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.revolvermag.com/news/14-thrash-albums-you-need-to-own.html |title=14 Thrash Albums You Need to Own |date=August 29, 2014 |work=[[Revolver (magazine)|Revolver.com]] |access-date=August 30, 2014 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140831025645/https://www.revolvermag.com/news/14-thrash-albums-you-need-to-own.html |archive-date=August 31, 2014  }}</ref> In 2017, it was ranked 6th on ''[[Rolling Stone]]''{{'s}} list of "100 Greatest Metal Albums of All Time".<ref>{{cite magazine|last1=Grow|first1=Kory|title=100 Greatest Metal Albums of All Time|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/lists/the-100-greatest-metal-albums-of-all-time-w486923/anthrax-among-the-living-1987-w486946?|magazine=[[Rolling Stone]]|publisher=Wenner Media LLC|access-date=June 22, 2017|date=June 21, 2017|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170624025337/http://www.rollingstone.com/music/lists/the-100-greatest-metal-albums-of-all-time-w486923/anthrax-among-the-living-1987-w486946|archive-date=June 24, 2017}}</ref>

Adrien Begrand of [[PopMatters]] observed that "[t]here's no better song to kick things off than the masterful 'Angel of Death', one of the most monumental songs in metal history, where guitarists Kerry King and Jeff Hanneman deliver their intricate riffs, drummer Dave Lombardo performs some of the most powerful drumming ever recorded, and bassist/vocalist Tom Araya screams and snarls his tale of Nazi war criminal Josef Mengele."<ref name="The Devil in Music">{{cite web
 |title       = The Devil in Music
 |author      = Begrand, Adrien
 |publisher   = Popmatters.com
 |date        = January 23, 2004
|url         = http://www.popmatters.com/music/reviews/s/slayer-soundtrack.shtml
 |access-date  = February 22, 2007
|url-status     = live
 |archive-url  = https://web.archive.org/web/20070315203558/http://www.popmatters.com/music/reviews/s/slayer-soundtrack.shtml
 |archive-date = March 15, 2007
|df          = dmy-all
}}</ref> When asked why ''Reign in Blood'' has retained its popularity, King replied: "If you released ''Reign in Blood'' today, no one would give a shit. It was timing; it was a change in sound. In thrash metal at that time, no one had ever heard good production on a record like that. It was just a bunch of things that came together at once."<ref name="Kerrang! interview with Kerry King about God Hates Us All album">{{cite web | title = Kerrang! interview with Kerry King about God Hates Us All album | publisher = Slayersaves | url = http://www.slayersaves.com/interviews_kerry2.htm | access-date = February 20, 2007 | url-status = live | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110809151239/http://www.slayersaves.com/404.php | archive-date = August 9, 2011 | df = dmy-all }}</ref> ''[[Decibel (magazine)|Decibel]]'' inducted ''Reign in Blood'' into the Decibel Magazine Hall of Fame in November 2004, being the first album to earn such award.<ref name="dB HoF">{{cite web|last1=Chase|first1=Jesse|title=Slayer – "Reign in Blood"|url=https://www.decibelmagazine.com/2004/11/02/slayer-reign-in-blood/|website=[[Decibel (magazine)|Decibel]]|date=November 2, 2004 |access-date=May 11, 2018}}</ref>

Not all retrospective assessments have been positive. Joseph Schafer of ''[[Invisible Oranges]]'' claimed what he saw as "worship" of the album within the heavy metal community to be "misguided". He wrote, In true antichristian fashion, ''Reign in Blood'' is a [[golden calf]] that deserves to be slaughtered, or at least bled out a little. [...] The various decisions that Slayer made [...] Tom Araya’s consonant-riddled vocal bark, abbreviated song lengths, Kerry King and Jeff Hanneman’s tremolo-bar destroying dive-bomb guitar solos, every bugfuck nuts fill Dave Lombardo performs. Every single one of those individual ideas is more interesting than the songs they are in. ''Reign in Blood'' is, in every sense, much less than the sum of its more-interesting parts."<ref>{{Cite web |last=Schafer |first=Joseph |title=Slayer's 'Reign in Blood' Turns 30 |url=https://www.invisibleoranges.com/slayers-reign-in-blood-turns-30/ |access-date=2025-03-26 |website=Invisible Oranges - The Metal Blog |language=en-US}}</ref>

==Legacy==
''Reign in Blood'' is regarded by critics as one of the most influential and extreme thrash metal albums.<ref name="Reign in Blood - Slayer"/> In its "Greatest Metal Bands Of All Time" poll, [[MTV]] praised Slayer's "downtuned rhythms, infectious guitar licks, graphically violent lyrics and grisly artwork," which they stated "set the standard for dozens of emerging thrash bands," while "Slayer's music was directly responsible for the rise of [[death metal]]." MTV described ''Reign in Blood'' as essential listening,<ref name="Why They Rule - #6 Slayer">{{cite web
 |title=Why They Rule – #6 Slayer 
 |publisher=MTV 
 |url=http://www.mtv.com/bands/m/metal/greatest_metal_bands/071406/index7.jhtml 
 |access-date=January 18, 2006 |url-status=dead 
 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060718224746/http://www.mtv.com/bands/m/metal/greatest_metal_bands/071406/index7.jhtml
 |archive-date=July 18, 2006
}}</ref> and the album was ranked number 7 on [[IGN]]'s "Top 25 Most Influential Metal Albums".<ref name="IGN Top 25 Metal Albums">{{cite web
 |title       = IGN Top 25 Metal Albums
 |author      = D. Spense, T. Ed
 |website   = IGN
 |date        = January 19, 2007
|url         = http://au.music.ign.com/articles/755/755929p6.html
 |access-date  = January 26, 2007
|url-status     = live
 |archive-url  = https://web.archive.org/web/20110713005053/http://au.music.ign.com/articles/755/755929p6.html
 |archive-date = July 13, 2011
|df          = dmy-all
}}</ref>
[[File:SlayerliveB&W.jpg|thumb|left|"Raining Blood" and "Angel of Death" have been played at almost every show.]]

Asked during a press tour for 1994's ''[[Divine Intervention (Slayer album)|Divine Intervention]]'' about the pressure of living up to ''Reign in Blood'', King replied that the band did not try to better it, but just wanted to make music.<ref name="An exclusive oral history of Slayer"/> In 2006, ''[[Blabbermouth.net|Blabbermouth]]'''s Don Kaye drew a comparison to the band's 2006 album ''[[Christ Illusion]]'', and concluded, "Slayer may never make an album as incendiary as ''Reign in Blood'' again."<ref name="SLAYER Christ Illusion (American)">{{cite news
 |title=Slayer Christ Illusion (American) 
 |author=Kaye, Don 
 |work=Blabbermouth.net 
 |url=http://www.blabbermouth.net/showreview.aspx?reviewID=817 
 |access-date=February 20, 2007 |url-status=dead 
 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120911005300/http://www.blabbermouth.net/showreview.aspx?reviewID=817 
 |archive-date=September 11, 2012 }}</ref>

Rapper [[Necro (rapper)|Necro]] was heavily influenced by the album, and has remarked that it takes him back to the 1980s, "when shit was pure".<ref name="Death-Rapper NECRO To Make European Live Debut In London">{{cite news
 | title = Death-Rapper Necro to Make European Live Debut in London
 | work = Blabbermouth.net
 | date = November 27, 2006
| url = http://www.blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=62868
 | access-date = January 18, 2006}}</ref> [[Ektomorf]] vocalist Zoltán Farkas describes the album as one of his primary influences.<ref name="Interview with Zoltan Farkas of Ektomorf">{{cite web
 | title = Interview with Zoltan Farkas of Ektomorf
 | author = Yiannis, D
 | publisher = Metal-Temple
 | date = November 12, 2006
| url = http://www.metal-temple.com/interview.asp?id=320
 | access-date = February 18, 2007 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20061118075949/http://metal-temple.com/interview.asp?id=320 | archive-date = November 18, 2006}}</ref> [[Paul Mazurkiewicz]] of [[Cannibal Corpse]] stated Lombardo's performance on the album helped him play faster throughout his career.<ref name="Interview With Paul Mazurkiewicz of Cannibal Corpse">{{cite web
 |title       = Interview with Paul Mazurkiewicz of Cannibal Corpse
 |author      = Wilson, David L.
 |publisher   = Metal-rules.com
 |date        = December 13, 1999
|url         = http://www.metal-rules.com/interviews/cannibal.htm
 |access-date  = February 9, 2007
|url-status     = live
 |archive-url  = https://web.archive.org/web/20110522212057/http://www.metal-rules.com/interviews/cannibal.htm
 |archive-date = May 22, 2011
|df          = dmy-all
}}</ref>
Kelly Shaefer of [[Atheist (band)|Atheist]] said: "When ''Reign in Blood'' came out it changed everything! That is easily the best [[extreme metal]] record ever!"<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.metalcrypt.com/pages/interviews.php?intid=348|title=Tribute to Jeff Hanneman (1964–2013)|publisher=metalcrypt.com|date=June 8, 2013|access-date=November 5, 2013|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131029195654/http://www.metalcrypt.com/pages/interviews.php?intid=348|archive-date=October 29, 2013}}</ref>

Hanneman said that the album was his personal favorite, reasoning it was "so short and quick and to the point".<ref name="Knac.com interview with Jeff Hanneman">{{cite web |author=Steffens, Charlie |date=May 30, 2006 |title=Interview with Slayer Guitarist Jeff Hanneman |url=http://www.knac.com/article.asp?ArticleID=4653 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071016071440/http://knac.com/article.asp?ArticleID=4653 |archive-date=October 16, 2007 |access-date=January 5, 2007 |publisher=KNAC.com |df=dmy-all}}</ref>

[[Paul Bostaph]] – Slayer's drummer from 1992 to 2001, and from 2013 to 2019 – first heard the record while a member of [[Forbidden (band)|Forbidden]]. At a party, he walked towards music he heard from another room and approached Forbidden guitarist Craig Locicero. Asked what was playing, Locicero shouted, "The new Slayer record." After listening closely, Bostaph looked at Locicero, and concluded his band was "fucked".<ref name="An exclusive oral history of Slayer"/>

[[Dave Brockie|Oderus Urungus]] of [[Gwar]] cited 'Altar of Sacrifice' as his favourite Slayer song: "It's the one I would always play for my friends when I was getting into Slayer. They would get this glazed look in their eyes and worship the [[Loudspeaker|speakers]] while doing the [[sign of the horns|devil-horn thing]]."<ref>{{cite magazine|first=Jason|last=Arnopp|author-link=Jason Arnopp|title=The Kerrang! Challenge|magazine=[[Kerrang!]]|date=September 20, 1997|page=53}}</ref>

In 2006, the album won a ''[[Metal Hammer]]'' award for Best Album of the Last 20 Years.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.antimusic.com/news/06/june/1412.shtml|title=Metal Hammer Golden Gods Awards – antiMUSIC News|website=www.antimusic.com|access-date=May 4, 2018|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180119120140/http://www.antimusic.com/news/06/june/1412.shtml|archive-date=January 19, 2018}}</ref> That same year, the album's cover art was featured in [[Blender (magazine)|''Blender Magazine'']]'s 2006 "top ten heavy metal album covers of all time."<ref name="The Top Ten Greatest Heavy Metal Album Covers of All Time">{{cite magazine|title=The Top Ten Greatest Heavy Metal Album Covers of All Time |author=Popoff, Martin, Dunn, Sam and McFadyen, Scot |magazine=[[Blender (magazine)|Blender Magazine]] |url=http://www.blender.com/guide/articles.aspx?id=1946 |access-date=January 9, 2007 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/20061019112453/http://www.blender.com/guide/articles.aspx?id=1946 |archive-date=October 19, 2006 }}{{cbignore}}</ref>

In 2005, ''[[Rock Hard (magazine)|Rock Hard]]'' ranked the album at number six on its list of the "500 Greatest Rock & Metal Albums of All Time."<ref>{{cite book |last=Schäfer |first=Wolfgang |title=Best of Rock & Metal - Die 500 stärksten Scheiben aller Zeiten |publisher=[[Rock Hard (magazine)|Rock Hard]] |year=2005 |isbn=3-89880-517-4 |editor-last=Rensen |editor-first=Michael |page=227 |language=de |trans-title=The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time |chapter=Reign in Blood |access-date=May 8, 2024 |chapter-url=https://www.rockhard.de/reviews/slayer-reign-in-blood}}</ref> In 2016, ''[[Loudwire]]'' ranked ''Reign in Blood'' #1 among Slayer's eleven studio albums.<ref name="slank">{{cite web|title=Slayer Albums Ranked|url=http://loudwire.com/slayer-albums-ranked/|website=[[Loudwire]]|access-date=January 25, 2018|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180126012712/http://loudwire.com/slayer-albums-ranked/|archive-date=January 26, 2018}}</ref> In 2013, ''[[NME]]'' ranked it at number 287 in its list of [[NME's The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time|the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time]].<ref>{{usurped|1=[https://archive.today/20131124170335/http://www.rocklistmusic.co.uk/nme_500_greatest_albums_2013.htm Rocklist.net NME: The 500 Greatest Albums Of All Time : October 2013<!-- Bot generated title -->]}}</ref>

==Live performances==
<!-- Deleted image removed: [[File:HannemanRainingblood.jpg|thumb|right|The band literally used the concept of raining blood on their 2004 DVD ''[[Still Reigning]]''|{{Deletable image-caption|1=Monday, December 29, 2008|date=March 2012}}]] -->
The tracks "[[Raining Blood]]" and "Angel of Death" have become almost permanent additions to Slayer's live set, and were Hanneman's favorite tracks to play live.<ref>{{cite web
 |title=Knac.com interview with Jeff Hanneman 
 |author=Davis, Brian 
 |publisher=KNAC.com 
 |date=July 26, 2004 |url=http://www.knac.com/article.asp?ArticleID=3153 
 |access-date=December 13, 2006 |url-status=dead 
 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070928010337/http://www.knac.com/article.asp?ArticleID=3153 
 |archive-date=September 28, 2007 }}</ref> The band played ''Reign in Blood'' in its entirety throughout the fall of 2004, under the tour banner "Still Reigning". In 2004, a live DVD of the [[Still Reigning|same name]] was released, which included a finale with the band covered in fake blood during the performance of "Raining Blood".<ref name="Slayer: Still Reigning The landmark metal album performed in its entirety.">{{cite web
 |title       = Slayer: Still Reigning The landmark metal album performed in its entirety
 |author      = Patrizio, Andy
 |website   = IGN
 |date        = January 11, 2005
|url         = http://au.dvd.ign.com/articles/579/579116p1.html
 |access-date  = February 5, 2007
|url-status     = live
 |archive-url  = https://web.archive.org/web/20110713004403/http://au.dvd.ign.com/articles/579/579116p1.html
 |archive-date = July 13, 2011
|df          = dmy-all
}}</ref>

King later said that while the idea of playing ''Reign in Blood'' in its entirety was suggested before by their [[booking agency]], it was met with little support. The band ultimately decided they needed to add more excitement to their live shows, and to avoid repetition incorporated the ideas of raining blood.<ref>{{cite web
 |title       = Kerry King of Slayer
 |publisher   = Metal-Rules.com
 |date        = November 4, 2004
|url         = http://www.metal-rules.com/zine/index.php?option=content&task=view&id=44
 |access-date  = February 13, 2007
|url-status     = dead
 |archive-url  = https://web.archive.org/web/20110522212035/http://www.metal-rules.com/zine/index.php?option=content&task=view&id=44
 |archive-date = May 22, 2011
|df          = dmy-all
}}</ref> When asked about using fake blood in future performances, King remarked: "It's time to move on, but never say never. I know Japan never saw it, South America and Australia never saw it. So you never know."<ref name="Songs about God and Satan – Part 1: An Interview with Slayer's Kerry King">{{cite web
 |title       = Songs about God and Satan – Part 1: An Interview with Slayer's Kerry King
 |author      = Atkinson, Peter
 |publisher   = KNAC.com
 |date        = April 24, 2006
|url         = http://www.knac.com/article.asp?ArticleID=4550
 |access-date  = February 9, 2007
|url-status     = live
 |archive-url  = https://web.archive.org/web/20101126003842/http://knac.com/article.asp?ArticleID=4550
 |archive-date = November 26, 2010
|df          = dmy-all
}}</ref> In 2008 the band performed ''Reign in Blood'' in its entirety once again, this time in [[Paris]], France, during the third European [[Unholy Alliance Tour]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.setlist.fm/setlist/slayer/2008/le-zenith-paris-france-73d69ef1.html |title=Slayer Concert Setlist at Le Zénith, Paris on November 11, 2008 |publisher=setlist.fm |access-date=August 17, 2012 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151017053306/http://www.setlist.fm/setlist/slayer/2008/le-zenith-paris-france-73d69ef1.html |archive-date=October 17, 2015  }}</ref>

Although it was omitted from a number of concerts because of short time allotments, Slayer have often said that they enjoy playing the album in its entirety. According to Hanneman: "We still enjoy playing these songs live. We play these songs over and over and over, but they're good songs, intense songs! If it were melodic songs or some kind of boring 'clap your hands' song, you'd be going crazy playing those every night. But our songs are just bam-bam-bam-bam, they're intense."<ref name="SLAYER - Jeff Hanneman">{{cite web
 |title       = Slayer — Jeff Hanneman
 |author      = Lahtinen, Luxi
 |publisher   = Metal-Rules.com
 |date        = December 18, 2006
|url         = http://www.metal-rules.com/zine/index.php?option=content&task=view&id=737
 |access-date  = February 27, 2007
|url-status     = dead
 |archive-url  = https://web.archive.org/web/20110714075111/http://metal-rules.com/zine/index.php?option=content&task=view&id=737
 |archive-date = July 14, 2011
|df          = dmy-all
}}</ref> The band was on stage for 70 minutes, which allowed only seven or eight additional songs to be played following the album's play. King stated this arrangement "alienates too many people". In the [[The Unholy Alliance Tour#Europe 2004|Unholy Alliance Tour]] of 2004, however, the album was played in its entirety during Slayer's set as the last ten songs to end the show.<ref name="Kerry King of SLAYER">{{cite web
 |title       = Kerry King of Slayer
 |author      = Lahtinen, Luxi
 |publisher   = Metal-Rules.com
 |date        = April 11, 2004
|url         = http://www.metal-rules.com/zine/index.php?option=content&task=view&id=44
 |access-date  = February 20, 2007
|url-status     = dead
 |archive-url  = https://web.archive.org/web/20110522212035/http://www.metal-rules.com/zine/index.php?option=content&task=view&id=44
 |archive-date = May 22, 2011
|df          = dmy-all
}}</ref> The album was performed live at the [[All Tomorrow's Parties (music festival)|I'll Be Your Mirror London]] festival in May 2012.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.atpfestival.com/events/ibymlondon2012.php |title=I'll Be Your Mirror London 2012 curated by Mogwai & ATP – All Tomorrow's Parties |publisher=Atpfestival.com |access-date=August 17, 2012 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130217020124/http://www.atpfestival.com/events/ibymlondon2012.php |archive-date=February 17, 2013  }}</ref> In May 2014, it was announced that Slayer would perform the album in its entirety at [[Riot Fest]] in Chicago and Denver.<ref name="Riot Fest 2014 Lineup Manages To Get More Insane 10 Bands Will Perform 10 Classic Albums In Full">{{cite web
 |title       = Riot Fest's 2014 lineup gets more insane: 10 bands will perform classic albums in full
 |author      = Young, Alex
 |publisher   = consequence.net
 |date        = May 15, 2014
|url         = http://consequence.net/2014/05/riot-fests-2014-lineup-manages-to-get-more-insane-10-bands-will-perform-classic-albums-in-full/
 |access-date  = June 6, 2014
|url-status     = live
 |archive-url  = https://web.archive.org/web/20140619000009/http://consequence.net/2014/05/riot-fests-2014-lineup-manages-to-get-more-insane-10-bands-will-perform-classic-albums-in-full/
 |archive-date = June 19, 2014
|df          = dmy-all
}}</ref>

==Controversy==
Slayer decided to abandon some of the earlier [[Satanism|Satanic]] themes explored on their previous album ''[[Hell Awaits]]'', with Araya describing their new themes as "more on a social level".<ref name="Slayer - Tom Araya - January 2007">{{cite web
 |title       = Slayer – Tom Araya – January 2007
 |author      = Gargano, Paul
 |publisher   = Maximum Ink Music Magazine
 |url         = http://www.maximumink.com/articles.php?articleId=1084
 |access-date  = January 24, 2007
|url-status     = live
 |archive-url  = https://web.archive.org/web/20120303034211/http://www.maximumink.com/articles.php?articleId=1084
 |archive-date = March 3, 2012
|df          = dmy-all
}}</ref> Hanneman was inspired to write "Angel of Death" after he read a number of books on [[Josef Mengele]] during a Slayer tour.<ref name=":0" /> Def Jam's distributor, [[Columbia Records]], refused to distribute the album because of the song, particularly its lyrics describing [[the Holocaust]]. ''Reign in Blood'' was eventually distributed by [[Geffen Records]]; however, due to the controversy, it did not appear on Geffen's release schedule and the Geffen logo was not put on the album.<ref name="An exclusive oral history of Slayer" /> The song led to accusations of Nazi sympathizing and [[racism]], which have followed the band throughout their career.<ref name="Kerry King: Maniac. Guitar Legend. Botanist?" /> Hanneman has stated that people misinterpret the lyrics, and clarified: "[t]here's nothing I put in the lyrics that says necessarily he was a bad man, because to me&nbsp;— well, isn't that obvious[?] I shouldn't have to tell you that."<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=Davis |first=Brian |date=July 26, 2004 |title=KNAC.COM - Features - Interview With Slayer's Jeff H |url=https://www.knac.com/article.asp?ArticleID=3153 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241204211311/https://www.knac.com/article.asp?ArticleID=3153 |archive-date=December 4, 2024 |access-date=2025-03-05 |website=KNAC.com}}</ref>

==Song covers==
"Raining Blood" was covered by [[Tori Amos]] on her 2001 album ''[[Strange Little Girls]]''. King has admitted that he thought the cover was odd: "It took me a minute and a half to find a spot in the song where I knew where she was. It's so weird. If she had never told us, we would have never known. You could have played it for us and we'd have been like, 'What's that?' Like a minute and a half through I heard a line and was like, 'I know where she's at!'". The band, however, liked the cover enough to send Slayer T-shirts to her.<ref name="A Conversation With Kerry King">{{cite web
 |title       = A Conversation with Kerry King
 |author      = Barker, Samuel
 |publisher   = Rockzone.com
 |date        = February 9, 2002
|url         = http://www.rockzone.com/interviews/slayer.shtml
 |access-date  = February 9, 2007
|url-status     = live
 |archive-url  = https://web.archive.org/web/20110715195928/http://www.rockzone.com/interviews/slayer.shtml
 |archive-date = July 15, 2011
|df          = dmy-all
}}</ref> The song was also covered by [[Malevolent Creation]], [[Chimaira]], [[Vader (band)|Vader]], [[Dokaka]], [[Reggie and the Full Effect]] and [[Killick Erik Hinds]], who covered the entire album on a [[H'arpeggione]].<ref name="RIB - Erik Hinds">{{cite web
|title=RIB – Erik Hinds
|author=Couture, François
|website=Allmusic
|url={{AllMusic|class=album|id=reign-in-blood-mw0000490316|pure_url=yes}}
|access-date=April 7, 2007}}</ref> "Raining Blood" was also covered by the New Zealand drum and bass band [[Concord Dawn]] on their 2003 album ''[[Uprising (Concord Dawn album)|Uprising]]'', and by Nashville, Tennessee band Asschapel on their 7" "Satanation". A medley of "Raining Blood" and "Postmortem" appears on [[Body Count (band)|Body Count]]'s 2016 album ''[[Bloodlust (Body Count album)|Bloodlust]]'', preceded by a short monologue by lead singer [[Ice-T]] where he names Slayer as both a major influence on Body Count and as one of his favorite bands of all time "and always will be"; a video for Body Count's version was released in August 2017.

In 2005, the Slayer tribute band Dead Skin Mask released an album with eight Slayer tracks, including "Angel of Death".<ref name="SLAYER Tribute Band DEAD SKIN MASK To Release CD">{{cite news|title=Slayer Tribute Band Dead Skin Mask to Release CD|work=Blabbermouth.net|date=December 23, 2004 |url=http://www.blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=30716
|access-date=March 11, 2007}}</ref> Death metal band [[Monstrosity (band)|Monstrosity]] covered the song in 1999,<ref name="Interview With Monstrosity's Lee Harrison">{{cite web|title=Interview with Monstrosity's Lee Harrison|author=Lehtinen, Arto|publisher=Metal-Rules.com|url=http://metal-rules.com/interviews/Monstrosity-2003.htm|access-date=March 14, 2007|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130517162551/http://metal-rules.com/interviews/Monstrosity-2003.htm|archive-date=May 17, 2013}}</ref> while the track was featured on the classical band [[Apocalyptica]]'s 2006 album ''[[Amplified / A Decade of Reinventing the Cello]]''.<ref name="APOCALYPTICA: 'Amplified' Collection To Feature New Recordings">{{cite news
|title=Apocalyptica: 'Amplified' Collection to Feature New Recordings
|work=Blabbermouth.net
|date=April 4, 2004
|url=http://www.blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=50571
|access-date=March 21, 2007}}</ref> A Slayer tribute album titled ''Al Sur del Abismo (Tributo Argentino a Slayer)'', compiled by Hurling Metal Records, featured sixteen tracks covered by [[Argentines|Argentinian]] metal bands, including Asinesia's version of "Angel of Death".<ref name="SLAYER: Argentine Tribute Album Detailed ">{{cite news
|title=Slayer: Argentine Tribute Album Detailed
|work=Blabbermouth.net
|date=June 10, 2006
|url=http://www.blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=53522
|access-date=March 11, 2007}}</ref>

==Popular culture==
"Raining Blood" was featured in the ''[[South Park]]'' episode, "[[Die Hippie, Die]]", which aired on March 16, 2005.<ref name="Die Hippie, Die">{{cite web
 | title = Die Hippie, Die
 | publisher = Southparkstudios.com
 | url = http://www.southparkstudios.com/show/display_episode.php?season=9&id1=902&id2=02&tab=10
 | access-date = February 13, 2007 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070929123845/http://www.southparkstudios.com/show/display_episode.php?season=9&id1=902&id2=02&tab=10 | archive-date = September 29, 2007}}</ref> The plot centers on the town of South Park, which has been overrun by [[hippies]]. [[Eric Cartman]] states "Hippies can't stand [[death metal]]" and proceeds to drill through a hippie concert onto the main stage to change the audio to "Raining Blood", making the hippies run away. King found the episode humorous and expressed his appreciation for the show, ending the interview with "It was good to see the song being put to good use, if we can horrify some hippies we've done our job."<ref name="Songs about God and Satan – Part 1: An Interview with Slayer's Kerry King" /> "Angel of Death" also appears in several movies, including ''[[Gremlins 2: The New Batch|Gremlins 2]]'', at the point when the character Mohawk turns into a spider,<ref name="Gremlins 2: The New Batch (1990)">{{cite web
 |title       = Gremlins 2: The New Batch (1990)
 |publisher   = Joblo.com
 |url         = http://www.joblo.com/arrow/reviews.php?id=399
 |access-date  = February 18, 2007
|url-status     = dead
 |archive-url  = https://web.archive.org/web/20110923080510/http://www.joblo.com/arrow/reviews.php?id=399
 |archive-date = September 23, 2011
|df          = dmy-all
}}</ref> ''[[Jackass: The Movie]]'', where it is played during a car stunt scene, and in the 2005 [[Iraq War]] documentary ''[[Soundtrack to War]]''.<ref name="JACKASS CD">{{cite web
 |title       = Jackass soundtrack
 |publisher   = Cduniverse.com
 |url         = http://www.cduniverse.com/search/xx/music/pid/5272446/a/Jackass.htm
 |access-date  = February 18, 2007
|url-status     = live
 |archive-url  = https://web.archive.org/web/20101228143743/http://www.cduniverse.com/search/xx/music/pid/5272446/a/Jackass.htm
 |archive-date = December 28, 2010
|df          = dmy-all
}}</ref><ref name="Soundtrack to war">{{cite web
 |title       = Soundtrack to war
 |publisher   = Soundtracktowar.com
 |url         = http://www.soundtracktowar.com/
 |access-date  = February 18, 2007
|url-status     = live
 |archive-url  = https://web.archive.org/web/20130618225003/http://soundtracktowar.com/
 |archive-date = June 18, 2013
|df          = dmy-all
}}</ref>

"Angel of Death" was featured in the multi–platform video game ''[[Tony Hawk's Project 8]]''. Nolan Nelson, who selected the soundtrack for the game, asserts: "one of the greatest heavy metal songs ever recorded. Don't know who Slayer is? I feel sorry for you."<ref name="Electro vs. Metal – Music is the key of life.">{{cite web
 |title       = Electro vs. Metal – Music is the key of life
 |website   = IGN
 |url         = http://blogs.ign.com/Project8team/2006/11/07/36240/
 |access-date  = February 18, 2007
|url-status     = dead
 |archive-url  = https://web.archive.org/web/20100310214516/http://blogs.ign.com/Project8team/2006/11/07/36240/
 |archive-date = March 10, 2010
|df          = dmy-all
}}</ref> "Raining Blood" is also one of the songs featured in ''[[Guitar Hero 3: Legends of Rock]]'' and later ''[[Guitar Hero Smash Hits]]'', and is considered one of the most difficult songs in the game, if not the hardest of the career song list.<ref name="Raining Blood 5 Expert Guide">{{cite web
 |title       = Raining Blood 5* Expert Guide
 |author      = bjwdestroyer
 |publisher   = Scorehero.com
 |date        = November 3, 2007
|url         = http://www.scorehero.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=35238
 |access-date  = June 5, 2008
|url-status     = live
 |archive-url  = https://web.archive.org/web/20110724165606/http://www.scorehero.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=35238
 |archive-date = July 24, 2011
|df          = dmy-all
}}</ref>
"Angel of Death" and "Raining Blood" are both available as [[Downloadable content|DLC]] for ''[[Rocksmith 2014]]'' and for the [[Rock Band (series)|''Rock Band'']] series.

In season 1, episode 6 of ''[[The Leftovers (TV series)|The Leftovers]]'', the character Nora Durst (played by [[Carrie Coon]]) pays a prostitute to shoot her in the chest while she wears a Kevlar vest, playing "Angel of Death" to mask the sound of gunfire.<ref name="Vulture Recap">{{cite web
 |title       = The Leftovers Recap: Just Shoot Me
 |author      = Kelly Braffet
 |publisher   = Vulture
 |date        = August 3, 2014
|url         = https://www.vulture.com/2014/08/leftovers-recap-season-1-e6-guest-nora-holy-wayne.html
 |access-date  = November 8, 2022
|url-status     = live
 |archive-url  = https://web.archive.org/web/20220519064919/https://www.vulture.com/2014/08/leftovers-recap-season-1-e6-guest-nora-holy-wayne.html
 |archive-date = May 19, 2022
|df          = dmy-all
}}</ref><ref name="HBO Episode Summary">{{cite web
 |title       = The Leftovers Season 1 Episode 6
 |author      = HBO Staff
 |publisher   = HBO
 |date        = August 3, 2014
|url         = https://www.hbo.com/the-leftovers/season-1/6-guest
 |access-date  = November 8, 2022
|url-status     = live
 |archive-url  = https://web.archive.org/web/20220725025128/https://www.hbo.com/the-leftovers/season-1/6-guest
 |archive-date = July 25, 2022
|df          = dmy-all
}}</ref>

==Track listing==
{{Track listing
| headline = Side one
| title1 = [[Angel of Death (Slayer song)|Angel of Death]]
| lyrics1 = [[Jeff Hanneman]]
| music1 = Hanneman
| length1 = 4:51
| title2 = Piece by Piece
| lyrics2 = [[Kerry King]]
| music2 = King
| length2 = 2:02
| title3 = Necrophobic
| lyrics3 = {{hlist|Hanneman|King}}
| music3 = {{hlist|Hanneman|King}}
| length3 = 1:40
| title4 = Altar of Sacrifice
| lyrics4 = King
| music4 = Hanneman
| length4 = 2:50
| title5 = Jesus Saves
| lyrics5 = King
| music5 = {{hlist|Hanneman|King}}
| length5 = 2:54
}}
{{track listing
| headline = Side two
| title6 = Criminally Insane
| lyrics6 = {{hlist|Hanneman|King}}
| music6 = {{hlist|Hanneman|King}}
| length6 = 2:23
| title7 = Reborn
| lyrics7 = King
| music7 = Hanneman
| length7 = 2:11
| title8 = Epidemic
| lyrics8 = King
| music8 = {{hlist|Hanneman|King}}
| length8 = 2:23
| title9 = Postmortem
| lyrics9 = Hanneman
| music9 = Hanneman
| length9 = 3:27
| title10 = [[Raining Blood]]
| lyrics10 = {{hlist|Hanneman|King}}
| music10 = Hanneman
| length10 = 4:14
| total_length = 28:55
}}

{{Track listing
| headline = 1998 re-issue bonus tracks
| title11 = Aggressive Perfector
| lyrics11 = {{hlist|Hanneman|King}}
| music11 = {{hlist|Hanneman|King}}
| length11 = 2:30
| title12 = Criminally Insane
| note12 = [[remix]]
| lyrics12 = {{hlist|Hanneman|King}}
| music12 = {{hlist|Hanneman|King}}
| length12 = 3:18
| total_length = 34:43
}}

==Personnel==
* [[Tom Araya]]&nbsp;– bass, vocals
* [[Kerry King]]&nbsp;– guitars
* [[Jeff Hanneman]]&nbsp;– guitars
* [[Dave Lombardo]]&nbsp;– drums

'''Production'''
* [[Larry Carroll (artist)|Larry Carroll]]&nbsp;– artwork
* [[Rick Rubin]]&nbsp;– [[record producer|production]]
* [[Andy Wallace (producer)|Andy Wallace]]&nbsp;– [[audio engineering|engineering]]
* [[Howie Weinberg]]&nbsp;– [[audio mastering|mastering]]

==Charts==
{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders"
|-
!scope="col"|Chart (1986-1987)
!scope="col"|Peak<br/>position
|-
{{album chart|UK2|47|date=19870426|rowheader=true|access-date=November 8, 2023}}
|-
{{album chart|Billboard200|94|artist=Slayer|rowheader=true|access-date=November 8, 2023}}
|}

{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders"
|-
!scope="col"|Chart (2006)
!scope="col"|Peak<br/>position
|-
{{album chart|Ireland2|80|artist=Slayer|rowheader=true|access-date=November 8, 2023}}
|-
{{album chart|UKRock|9|date=20060820|rowheader=true|access-date=November 8, 2023}}
|}

{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders"
|-
!scope="col"|Chart (2009)
!scope="col"|Peak<br/>position
|-
{{album chart|Oricon|264|M|url=http://www.oricon.co.jp/prof/97164/products/830913/1/|title=レイン・イン・ブラッド – スレイヤー – Oricon Style|rowheader=true}}
|}

{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders"
|-
!scope="col"|Chart (2022)
!scope="col"|Peak<br/>position
|-
{{album chart|Poland|48|id=1463|rowheader=true|access-date=November 8, 2023}}
|}

==Certifications==
{{Certification Table Top}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=United Kingdom|artist=Slayer|title=Reign in Blood|award=Silver|type=album|relyear=1086|certyear=2023|id=19172-1879-2|accessdate=28 July 2023|refname="BPI"}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=United States|artist=Slayer|title=Reign in Blood|type=album|award=Gold|relyear=1986|certyear=1992|accessdate=28 July 2023|refname="RIAA"}}
{{Certification Table Bottom|nosales=true|streaming=true}}

==References==
{{Reflist|refs=
<ref name="allmusic_mw0000191741">{{cite web|last1=Huey|first1=Steve|title=Slayer – Reign in Blood|url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/reign-in-blood-mw0000191741|website=AllMusic|access-date=February 22, 2017|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141014044933/http://www.allmusic.com/album/reign-in-blood-mw0000191741|archive-date=October 14, 2014}}</ref>
}}

===Notes===
* {{cite book |last=Weisbard |first=Eric |author2=Marks, Craig |title=Spin Alternative Record Guide |publisher=Vintage Books |year=1995 |isbn=0-679-75574-8}}

==External links==
<!-- This is a licensed stream for the album, which is allowed under Wikipedia polices -->
* [https://archive.today/20130416130920/http://www.radio3net.ro/dbartists/supersearch/UmVpZ24gaW4gQmxvb2Q=/Reign%20in%20Blood ''Reign in Blood''] ([[Adobe Flash]]) at [[Radio3Net]] (streamed copy where licensed)

{{Slayer}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Reign In Blood}}
[[Category:1986 albums]]
[[Category:Albums produced by Rick Rubin]]
[[Category:Def Jam Recordings albums]]
[[Category:American Recordings (record label) albums]]
[[Category:Slayer albums]]