South of Heaven

by Slayer

South of Heaven cover art
  • Type: Album
  • Released: 5 July 1988
  • Label: Def Jam
  • Country: United States
  • Length: 36:54
  • Community rating: 3.96/5 from 13 ratings

Artists on this release: Tom Araya, Kerry King, Jeff Hanneman, Rick Patrick, Paul Bostaph, Dave Lombardo

Album Notes & Community Reviews

Deliberately pulling back the tempo following the breakneck speed of its predecessor 'Reign in Blood', 'South of Heaven' thrives on menacing, mid-paced grooves and suffocating dread. The slower, more calculated tempos allowed the band to cultivate a profoundly dark, infernal atmosphere, prioritizing heavy, ominous riffing and Dave Lombardo's precise drum work. It proved Slayer could retain their unmatched intensity and anti-religious edge without relying purely on relentless speed.

Genres

Descriptors: death, war, fast, abrasive, ferocious

Tracklist

  1. South Of Heaven (4:58)
  2. Silent Scream (3:06)
  3. Live Undead (3:50)
  4. Behind The Crooked Cross (3:14)
  5. Mandatory Suicide (4:05)
  6. Ghosts Of War (3:53)
  7. Read Between The Lies (3:20)
  8. Cleanse The Soul (3:02)
  9. Dissident Aggressor (2:35)
  10. Spill The Blood (4:49)

Credits

More from Slayer: full discography