Reign In Blood might get all the press for people talking about landmark heavy metal albums, but Hell Awaits gave us the DNA of Slayer. That album came out 40 years ago, and in 2026 and Metal Blade Records is planning a reissue of the album to celebrate. Slayer started off in 1981 in the early days of thrash metal and quickly cemented themselves as one of the premier bands of the genre alongside Metallica, Megadeth, and Anthrax. Their second album, Hell Awaits set a new standard for the sonic assault known as thrash metal.
It was released in April of 1985 by Metal Blade Records and was a departure from their previous album, Show No Mercy. It was longer, more progressive, and showed off a more technical side of the band.
“Jeff and I were still trying to figure out who we were as musicians, and we were both infatuated with Mercyful Fate’s Melissa album during the writing process for Hell Awaits,” King says. “That’s why there’s so few songs and most of ‘em are pretty long. That’s the only time anything like that ever happened with us.”
The reissue arrives May 15th, 2026 in three physical formats and digitally. Preorders are available now at metalblade.com/slayer.
Hell Awaits Physical Release Details
Vinyl Box Set:
3 LPs total: 7-track Hell Awaits + 18-track live bonus audio (Live From Bochum 1985):
– 60-page book (12” size)
– Hell Awaits album (in gatefold sleeve, 1xLP) mastered and restored from original 1985 production tapes by Patrick W. Engel at Temple Of Disharmony in February 2025. Vinyl color = Fire Splatter
– Live From Bochum 1985 (in gatefold sleeve, 2xLP) – 18 live tracks never before released physically or digitally
– Replica ticket from the Bochum show
– Replica Hell Awaits tour laminate
– Hell Awaits tour poster (German dates)
– Slipmat
– Band posters
– Replica merch flyer
– Replica Satanic Wehrmacht newsletter
– 2 flyers
“Blood” Filled Liquid Vinyl (SLAYER store exclusive – Ltd. 666 worldwide):
7-track Hell Awaits album mastered and restored from original 1985 production tapes by Patrick W. Engel at Temple Of Disharmony in February 2025
– “Blood” filled liquid vinyl – gatefold
CD Earbook:
Earbook includes 3xCDs – 7-track Hell Awaits CD + 18-track live bonus audio (Live From Bochum 1985):
– Hell Awaits album (1xCD) mastered and restored from original 1985 production tapes by Patrick W. Engel at Temple Of Disharmony in February 2025
– Live From Bochum 1985 (2x CD) 18 live tracks never before released physically or digitally
– 60-page 11” book
– Poster
Digital:
Includes 7-track Hell Awaits + 18-track live bonus audio (Live From Bochum 1985):
SLAYER – Hell Awaits (40th Anniversary) Track Listing:
1. Hell Awaits
2. Kill Again
3. At Dawn They Sleep
4. Praise Of Death
5. Necrophiliac
6. Crypts Of Eternity
7. Hardening Of The Arteries
8. Hell Awaits (Live From Bochum 1985)
9. Aggressive Perfector (Live From Bochum 1985)
10. Captor Of Sin (Live From Bochum 1985)
11. The Final Command (Live From Bochum 1985)
12. Kill Again (Live From Bochum 1985)
13. Crypts Of Eternity (Live From Bochum 1985)
14. Fight Till Death (Live From Bochum 1985)
15. Necrophiliac (Live From Bochum 1985)
16. Haunting The Chapel (Live From Bochum 1985)
17. Hardening Of The Arteries (Live From Bochum 1985)
18. Black Magic (Live From Bochum 1985)
19. Die By The Sword (Live From Bochum 1985)
20. The Antichrist (Live From Bochum 1985)
21. At Dawn They Sleep (Live From Bochum 1985)
22. Show No Mercy (Live From Bochum 1985)
23. Evil Has No Boundaries (Live From Bochum 1985)
24. Chemical Warfare (Live From Bochum 1985)
25. Praise Of Death (Live From Bochum 1985)
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