Black Magic: Slayer’s Show No Mercy at 40
Looking back on the metal kings’ underrated debut LP
While most consider Slayer’s 1986 album Reign in Blood their masterpiece, it’s best not to underestimate the value and importance of their debut, 1983’s Show No Mercy.
While they would certainly perfect their sound in the intervening years, all the elements that made them great existed and were well-executed on Show No Mercy.
The record came out on the burgeoning Metal Blade Records, their contract resulting from label founder Brian Slagel witnessing the group open up for Bitch (another Metal Blade artist) at the Woodstock Club in Anaheim California. After hearing them covering Iron Maiden, he invited Slayer to appear on the third volume of the label’s popular compilation series Metal Massacre. If he was looking for another New Wave of British Heavy Metal-inspired melodic metal band though, he was in for a surprise.
Slayer took the speed of Venom but performed with greater technical aptitude. They took the group’s satanic imagery, as well as Mercyful Fate’s similar evil vibes, and gave it a more down-and-dirty makeover. Slayer may not have been serious Satanists, but it felt like they were. Their sound was dark and ominous, and also more brutal than the metal that came before them.
In case there was any doubt about what vibe they were going for, Show No Mercy opens with the one-two punch of “Evil Has No Boundaries” and “The Antichrist”. The opener kicks off with a high-pitched scream and an incendiary guitar lead. When the verse kicks in, Slayer arrives damn near fully-formed. There’s not much to this sound that they wouldn’t still be doing for years to come. Vocalist/bassist Tom Araya barks out lines with authority while King and Hanneman create the blueprint for the darkest thrash metal to come. And Dave Lombardo displays why he will be one of the best rock and metal drummers for decades to follow. Amazingly, due to the cymbals bleeding into the drum microphones, he had to perform them separately from one another. This odd studio workaround does not diminish his performance. Also of note, future thrash and death metal drummer extraordinaire Gene Hoglan is part of the group of eight screaming “Evil!” during the chorus.
“The Antichrist” only lets off the gas just a little but was still more furious than most of Slayer’s contemporaries. The sped-up NWOBHM riffing nods a bit towards Metallica’s Kill ‘em All debut, which came out earlier the same year, but overall the tune is unmistakable Slayer.
Seeing as Slayer had already formed much of its sonic identity, it’s not surprising that Show No Mercy produced many songs that would be live staples for years. “Die By the Sword” bears a certain resemblance to classic Motörhead, but the ominous groove riffs of the chorus and bridge are pure Slayer. “Black Magic” sounds like Slayer through-and-through, and displays their already considerable songwriting skills. The song’s opening is full of tension, and when they break into full-on thrash, the effect is explosive. Both tunes along with “The Antichrist” appear on both 1984’s Live Undead and 1991’s Live: Decade of Aggression. “The Antichrist” and “Fight Till Death” also appear on their Soundtrack to the Apocalypse box set.
VIDEO: Slayer performs “Black Magic” Live
Not all the songs stuck around with the band for the longer term, but they are still great deep cuts. The final four songs, “Tormentor,” “The Final Command,” “Crionics” and the title track seem to nod a bit more directly to their influences but one can certainly hear where they were headed, particularly in the guitar interplay between Kerry King and Jeff Hanneman. That being said, the thin guitar riff that opens “The Final Command” and the attempted melodic chorus of “Tormentor” are experiments best left behind.
It’s difficult to overstate the importance of Slayer. They have always been one of the most popular metal bands in the world and have reached such heights without really compromising their sound. Some of the stylistic directions they explored later in their career may not have been embraced by all their fans, but Slayer remained dark and heavy from start to finish.
Show No Mercy was a mission statement, an escalation of the aggression metal was capable of. One could already hear the possibilities of extreme metal oozing from Show No Mercy, but Slayer created such violent music while crafting memorable songs.
And while Reign in Blood will always be considered Slayer’s pinnacle, Show No Mercy is where it all started and is easily a classic in its own right.
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November 3, 2021 -
I’ll never forget getting metal massacre 2 or 3, I can’t remember which, the one that had die by the sword and motor breath, My least favorite song by Metallica until load came out!! So my first impression of each band was this, I said to my friend Wendell, look at this band, Metallica they named themselves after a fucking Godzilla monster!! What a bunch of poseurs and my disdain for them has only grown while my love for Slayer has grown exponentially. Yes show no Mercy is the best. And they never failed us all the way to the end. Fuck yeah!!!!
Seen that tour twice at The country Club in Reseda California. Was blown away as never before. Even went to after party at a local house where Tom was relaxing on the living room couch. We never though they would become worldwide as they did.
My first experience with Slayer was Haunting the Chapel. I remember being heavy into Venom at the the time. Slayer just took it to another level. King’s lead solos on the title track is massive to say the least. Watching it live at the Dynamo is the kicker especially at a time where there was next to no Speedmetal at all and bands were scrambling to be the ones with something to offer. Then I heard Show No Mercy. My jaw was on the ground. When I was done picking it up off the ground and affixing it back on my skull I finished listening to an album by a band that sounded fully seasoned by time and experience. They were basically still kids at the time. Where did this stylistic approach come from? They never really went back to that exact nuance of af a start but built off from it for a Rollercoaster of a ride into the future. Great article Todd and I’m glad to have experience Metal (I believe should always be capitalized) at its initial brain wrinkle introduction.