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Slayer - South Of Heaven



8.7 | 1672 votes |
Release date: 5 July 1988
Style: Thrash metal

Owners:

2176 have it
98 want it
1 trades it


01. South Of Heaven
02. Silent Scream
03. Live Undead
04. Behind The Crooked Cross
05. Mandatory Suicide
06. Ghosts Of War
07. Read Between The Lies
08. Cleanse The Soul
09. Dissident Aggressor [Judas Priest cover]
10. Spill The Blood

Top 20 albums of 1988: 7
Top 200 albums of all time: 158
Featured in "Getting Into: Slayer"

Guest review by
un4givendemon
Rating:
9.2
It's been 20 years since a masterpiece was left to us here on earth. 20 years of bleeding ears and head-banging; 20 years of Thrash at its finest. "South of Heaven" is not only a milestone for metal; it created a standard for all Thrash to follow. Slayer burst onto the scene like only Satan's minions could and rocked our bodies until our brains were sore. This album is fierce; it's powerful; it's metal.

Read more ››
published 09.09.2007 | Comments (30)

Guest review by
Stuart
Rating:
9.5
After the worldwide exposure Slayer received for their previous release, Reign in Blood, the anticipation for its follow-up was immense. They had already pushed the boundaries of Thrash Metal to its extremities, what could they possibly come up with to tread anywhere even close to that? In South of Heaven they gave the perfect answer to all the sceptics.

Read more ››
published 16.04.2008 | Comments (3)

Found in 94 lists
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Comments page 2 / 2

Comments: 47   Visited by: 1481 users
25.04.2017 - 00:57
Rating: 10
Redel

Best Slayer, together with SITA.
Not a single second on this album I would want to miss.
Mandatory suicide is insane.
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18.11.2018 - 17:43
Rating: 7
Artorix Carlsson
Glorious
I don't think this album is bad but for me personally it just seems a bit overrated. Hardly any of the songs stand out and the cover of Dissident Aggressor is a bit low energy. For me it's the weakest of their first 5 albums. I don't want to start a riot but can someone explain to me why so many people think it's so great?
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01.04.2020 - 20:29
Maco
Pvt Funderground
This album, along with Reign In Blood, Hell Awaits, Haunting The Chapel, Show No Mercy and Decade Of Aggression are the essential Slayer.
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Crackhead Megadeth reigns supreme.
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01.04.2020 - 20:40
Rating: 9
JoHn Doe

My favorite Slayer album.
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I thought the two primary purposes for the internet were cat memes and overreactions.
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01.04.2020 - 21:24
nikarg

Written by JoHn Doe on 01.04.2020 at 20:40

My favorite Slayer album.

Mine too, and I used to not like it back then. What a noob I was, every track here is 10/10, the riffs are haunting af and Lombardo is just insanely good.
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01.04.2020 - 21:27
Rating: 10
Redel

Written by Maco on 01.04.2020 at 20:29

This album, along with Reign In Blood, Hell Awaits, Haunting The Chapel, Show No Mercy and Decade Of Aggression are the essential Slayer.

You have to add Seasons to this list to make it complete, you really have to.
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01.04.2020 - 21:29
Rating: 10
Redel

Written by nikarg on 01.04.2020 at 21:24

Mine too, and I used to not like it back then. What a noob I was, every track here is 10/10, the riffs are haunting af and Lombardo is just insanely good.

Exactly my words -- except for: I already hailed this album back then.
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01.04.2020 - 21:37
nikarg

Written by Redel on 01.04.2020 at 21:29

Exactly my words -- except for: I already hailed this album back then.

My best friend was telling me "wow man, this is their best album, so technical, so evil, so riffy" and I was like "nah, they are wimps, they slowed down and softened their sound, they went commercial"

But really, after Reign In Blood, there was no point to go faster, and they did the impossible; they released an album that was better than RIB. Really, everything Slayer did from the beginning up to - and including Seasons - is mindblowing. And it was the only band from the Big 4 that all its members were fantastic.
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01.04.2020 - 21:45
Rating: 10
Redel

Written by nikarg on 01.04.2020 at 21:37

But really, after Reign In Blood, there was no point to go faster, and they did the impossible; they released an album that was better than RIB. Really, everything Slayer did from the beginning up to - and including Seasons - is mindblowing.


This man, so much this.
(You do realize that I am -- intentionally -- using the same words you gave me in an answer on another thread the other day -- and I am just fooling around here for no good reason )
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01.04.2020 - 21:49
nikarg

Written by Redel on 01.04.2020 at 21:45

This man, so much this.
(You do realize that I am -- intentionally -- using the same words you gave me in an answer on another thread the other day -- and I am just fooling around here for no good reason )

Yes, I do.
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02.04.2020 - 21:53
Maco
Pvt Funderground
Written by Redel on 01.04.2020 at 21:27

You have to add Seasons to this list to make it complete, you really have to.

Maybe the title track and War Ensemble but that's it
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Crackhead Megadeth reigns supreme.
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03.12.2021 - 21:58
Rating: 8
F3ynman2000
Nocturnal Bro
Nice transitional album between Reign in Blood and Seasons in the Abyss. I'm still not a fan of the whining guitar solos, but they also have more slower moody riffs (traces were seen in the previous album, and then finally embraced in the following album).

Good songs overall - the drumming and riffs being the highlights as always. My favorite tracks are the title track, Ghosts of War, Silent Scream - Behind the Crooked Cross, Mandatory Suicide, and Spill the Blood are cool as well, and I liked the Judas Priest cover
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25.08.2022 - 21:59
Rating: 9
Cynic Metalhead
Paisa Vich Nasha
Damn, "Spill The Blood" leaves me ecstatic EVERY fucking TIME.

Such a lethal closure.
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26.08.2022 - 00:15
gavdann

Slayer got so much shit when this was released and I could never understand why. So what if they dialled back the speed a bit, it's full of classics.
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26.08.2022 - 00:46
A Real Mönkey

I’ve always preferred this to Reign In Blood: slower Slayer (Slowyer if you will) is way more interesting.
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"Change the world. My final message. Goodbye."

~Last words of Harambe, seconds before he was shot, according to child he shielded from gunfire
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26.08.2022 - 17:25
Rating: 8
Boxcar Willy
yr a kook
I like most classic Slayer, but I agree this was a nice change in pace (literally) from their SOP. The South Of Heaven riff is constantly stuck in my head.
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14:22 - Marcel Hubregtse
I do your mum

DESTROY DRUM TRIGGERS
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08.02.2024 - 11:05
Rating: 9
nonZero

I remember staring at the album artwork for this album back in school when I managed to buy a copy without my parents knowing, taking in all the details. The music itself was just as good, this is probably my most listed-to Slayer album after Reign in Blood.

9.0/10 for me - the title track is the standout song. 'Silent Scream', 'Mandatory Suicide' and 'Spill the Blood' are all also fantastic.
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