5. Show No Mercy
This is where it all began. Slayer's first album, the beginning of their classic period, is undoubtedly the weakest that they put out in the 1980s - but it remains an awesome listen, especially with the benefit of hindsight. When it first arrived, Show No Mercy felt more like an EP than an album. It's only 35 minutes long. However, given the length of several of Slayer's other releases, it is now generally considered to be a full-length release. Regardless, SNM is as close as any Slayer album has ever come to being a "classic" heavy metal band. Just check out the artwork, which looks like something from a particularly controversial Judas Priest record sleeve. Check out the call-and-response vocals of opener Evil Has No Boundaries, or the early-80s sound (evocative of Ride The Lightning-era Metallica) of standout moments like The Antichrist and Black Magic. Perhaps the closest comparisons here are Venom's highly innovative 1982 release Black Metal and the music of Mercyful Fate, both of whom are clear inspirations on the sound forged here by a young Araya, King, Hanneman and Lombardo. However, Slayer are faster than either of those bands already here, drawing on a speed metal influence that would clearly inform their more extreme later releases. SNM is not perfect, and it isn't as good as the next four albums, but it is a fascinating snapshot of a moment in time - an exciting image of a band yet to fully find its sound.