Slayer - Haunting The Chapel - guest review

Slayer - Haunting The Chapel - guest review

Cover image of the reviewed item
Band
Slayer
Style
Thrash metal
Release date
April 1984
Reviewer
9.4
8.4
Tracklist
01. Chemical Warfare
02. Captor Of Sin
03. Haunting The Chapel
04. Aggressive Perfector [CD Re-release bonus]
Guest review by
spirit_inblack
November 09, 2006
Where should I start? This is the first EP that I ever bought and I can surely say that it was worth the $10 that I paid for it. The cover art isn't very unique at all by Slayer standards, but I do love the logo in white and red. It has a really evil look.

The production is amazing. The bass is more audible than in Show No Mercy and it gives the album more of a thick sound. I don't understand why this production wasn't used on Hell Awaits, and I can only dream of what Show No Mercy would have sounded like with such production.

Dave Lombardo has improved since Slayer's previous release and his drumming adds a lot to the music on this EP. The two guitarists have also become more technical since the last release and the song structures are now different. For example, at the start of Captor Of Sin there is a solo. How many Slayer songs have a solo at the start?

Chemical Warfare is indeed one of the best Slayer songs on this release, if not the best. It is really fast and I like the lyrics. The solos on this release are awesome and shredding, but there are one or two that are fairly weak (King's solo in Chemical Warfare for example).

The bonus track, Aggressive Perfector, is one of the earliest Slayer songs, but this version of the song is slow and the fast version found on Reign In Blood is a lot better.

If you like your early Slayer, then buy this. The lyrics are more intelligent than Show No Mercy, and the band pulls off a better performance, which is enhanced by the killer production job.

Overall, one of metal's best EP's.
Rating breakdown
Performance: 9
Songwriting: 10
Originality: 9
Production: 10
Written by spirit_inblack | November 09, 2006
Guest review disclaimer:
This is a guest review, which means it does not necessarily represent the point of view of the MS Staff.

Comments

Comments: 12 Visited by 104 users
spirit_inblack
harshhead

Posts: 715


Permalink
+1
11.11.2006 - 00:52
spirit_inblack
harshhead

Posts: 715


The title track is also a damn good track.
One thing I never really understood was why chemical warfare wasn't included on Live Undead.
Loading...
ThrashMetal_Rulz
Account deleted
Permalink
+1
02.04.2007 - 04:04
ThrashMetal_Rulz
Account deleted
Good review . It owns every other EP i've ever heard .
Loading...

Posts: 859


Permalink
+1
25.05.2007 - 00:32

Posts: 859


I agree, one of metals best EPs, I especially like Captor Of Sin.
Loading...

Posts: 499


Permalink
+1
17.06.2007 - 01:48

Posts: 499


This is actually my favorite Slayer album. Minute for minute, this album is truly excellent.
Loading...
Uirapuru
Liver Failure

Posts: 2955


Permalink
04.03.2008 - 13:21
Uirapuru
Liver Failure

Posts: 2955


its very good.. though show no mercy was better, but this one is really nice, beside beeing just an 4 track's EP.
----

----
member of the true crusade against old school heavy metal, early 80s thrash, NWOBHM, traditional doom, first and second wave black metal, old school death metal, US power metal, 70s prog rock and atmospheric doomsludgestoner. o/
Loading...

Posts: 276


Permalink
05.07.2008 - 12:48
Rating: 8

Posts: 276


This is the first Slayer recording I ever bought. I was looking for harder more aggressive music at the time and kept seeing these little black and white ads in Hit Parader magazine. Slayer just looked like they kicked ass(back then with no internet you didn't have much to go on except looks of the band and album cover and I got burnt a few times lol). The cassette looked so generic the cover was white with the artwork on the middle, on the side was red letters: Slayer Haunting the Chapel Restless metal blade. I was BLOWN away!! Chemical Warfare was and is the shit. It only had three songs on it and I wanted more. Next day I bought "Live Undead" because they didn't have "Show no Mercy". Not long after "Hell Awaits" came out and thats another story. One of the best EP's ever alongside "Tragic Serenades" by Celtic Frost.
Loading...

Posts: 75


Permalink
30.10.2008 - 23:33

Posts: 75


Captor of sin!!!! listen to the great cover by at the gates!!!
Loading...
Dangerboner
Lactation Cnslt

Posts: 7263


Permalink
+1
31.10.2008 - 01:54
Rating: 10
Dangerboner
Lactation Cnslt

Posts: 7263


Written by theflyingmachine on 17.06.2007 at 01:48

Minute for minute, this album is truly excellent.

I just wish that there were more minutes
Loading...

Posts: 499


Permalink
31.10.2008 - 18:02

Posts: 499


I listened to about 5 Slayer albums in succession the other day and have to think that Hell Awaits, Haunting the Chapel, and Reign in Blood are their best. South of Heaven, Seasons of the Abyss, and Divine Intervention are great, but they aren't as raw as the albums prior. But I find Haunting the Chapel to be their best...it is catchier and more coherent than Hell Awaits, and just a little more raw than Reign in Blood,
Loading...

Posts: 3
Permalink
31.12.2009 - 21:10

Posts: 3
I know those 4 songs wer good and all but were 4 songs really worth it? NOt that slayer is bad cuz thas my fav band but still
Loading...
Maco
Pvt Funderground

Posts: 3593


Permalink
03.01.2014 - 20:39
Maco
Pvt Funderground

Posts: 3593


This is awesome, and I prefer the "slower version" of Aggressive Perfector than the faster.
----
Crackhead Megadeth reigns supreme.
Loading...

Posts: 945
Permalink
10.03.2021 - 01:50
Rating: 8

Posts: 945
Very good Slayer EP. A classic one indeed!
Loading...

Hits total: 6408 | This month: 12