Slayer released the 1986 thrash-metal album Reign in Blood. It was the American band’s third studio album and arrived on October 20, 1986, through Def Jam Recordings, with Rick Rubin producing alongside the band.
Recorded in Los Angeles, the album is renowned for its extremely fast tempos, concise songwriting, and aggressive production. Its best-known tracks include “Angel of Death,” “Raining Blood,” and “Postmortem.” The opening song’s references to Nazi doctor Josef Mengele created controversy and delayed the album’s release, although Slayer stated that the song did not endorse Nazism.
Reign in Blood was initially unusual because Def Jam was primarily associated with hip-hop, but the release helped bring Slayer to a broader metal audience. It became the band’s first album to enter the Billboard 200 and was certified Gold in the United States in 1992. Dark Angel, Sodom, and Kreator were also important thrash bands, but none released this album.