Hell Awaits<\/strong> is the second studio album by American thrash metal band Slayer<\/strong>. Originally released in 1985, it marked a major step forward in the band\u2019s sound, pushing their music into darker, faster and more aggressive territory and helping define the extreme edge of 1980s thrash metal.<\/p>\n This special 40th Anniversary Edition 3LP Box Set<\/strong> expands the original album with additional material and a previously unreleased full concert recording from Bochum, 1985<\/strong>. The main album includes Hell Awaits<\/strong>, Kill Again<\/strong>, At Dawn They Sleep<\/strong>, Praise Of Death<\/strong>, Necrophiliac<\/strong>, Crypts Of Eternity<\/strong> and Hardening Of The Arteries<\/strong>.<\/p>\n The box set includes the original album on Fire Splatter Vinyl<\/strong> and a separate 2LP 180 gram black vinyl<\/strong> edition of Live From Bochum 1985<\/strong>. The package also includes a 60-page book<\/strong>, slipmat<\/strong>, posters<\/strong> and reproductions of original tour memorabilia, making it a substantial collector\u2019s edition for Slayer fans.<\/p>\n Released by Metal Blade<\/strong> on 15 May 2026<\/strong>, this edition celebrates one of Slayer\u2019s most important early albums with expanded archival content and premium physical presentation.<\/p>\n Artist: Slayer<\/strong> On a good hi-fi system, Hell Awaits<\/strong> should sound dense, raw and aggressive: distorted guitars pushed forward, fast double-kick drumming, intense vocal delivery and a darker overall atmosphere than the band\u2019s debut. The live material should add even more immediacy, with the energy and rough edge of Slayer\u2019s 1985 stage sound preserved in full.<\/p>\n
\nLabel: Metal Blade<\/strong>
\nRelease date: 15 May 2026<\/strong>
\nCatalog number: 16198-1<\/strong>
\nEAN: 0039841619812<\/strong><\/p>\nWatch the Official Trailer<\/h3>\n