Haunting the Chapel in Bloomington, MN

Boasting the awesome
"Chemical Warfare,"
a regular staple of
Slayer
's live shows, the
Haunting the Chapel
EP was a more crucial stepping stone in the legendary L.A. band's career development than many give it credit for. Issued in between the band's very promising debut and the following year's more sonically ripened
Hell Awaits
,
offers important clues about this transition period, which saw
's
rock
-based song structures give way to the non-linear, genre-defining style thereafter regarded as
thrash metal
's signature sound. Among the uniformly solid cuts here, the enduring fan favorite
"Captor of Sin"
is another highlight, making this a well-recommended release for committed
fans. [Some CD versions of
's debut,
Show No Mercy
, now feature
songs as bonus tracks.] ~ Eduardo Rivadavia