Show No Mercy is a Metal album by Slayer, originally released in 1983. On Gatefold: 196 pressings tracked, owned by 28 collectors.
About
In 1983, Slayer was still a fledging underground group based out of Tom Araya’s parents’ garage in the South Gate neighborhood of Los Angeles. Araya and his bandmates — guitarists Kerry King and Jeff Hanneman and drummer Dave Lombardo — had started out playing Iron Maiden and Judas Priest covers at local parties, but after hearing Metallica they set about creating a sound that was darker and more ferocious than anything that had come before. Financed by Araya (who worked as a respiratory therapist), <i>Show No Mercy</i> shows traces of British Heavy Metal, particularly in the dueling guitars of “Face the Slayer” and the galloping rhythm of “Crionics.” However, most of the album reaches new levels of muscle and rage. “Evil Has No Boundaries,” “The Antichrist” and “Black Magic” pair blistering riffs with satanic proclamations. The guitar solos are searing and deranged — surges of totally untamed electrocution. Though it sounds tame in comparison to Slayer’s subsequent work, <i>Show No Mercy</i> will always be an incendiary statement.
via Apple Music
The Clerk says
The Clerk knows this whole record — the pressing quirks, the credits, the take.
Tracklist
Side A
- A1Evil Has No Boundaries
- A2The Antichrist
- A3Die By The Sword
- A4Fight Till Death
- A5Metalstorm / Face The Slayer
Side B
- B1Black Magic
- B2Tormentor
- B3The Final Command
- B4Crionics
- B5Show No Mercy
Sound DNA
- Metal
- Thrash Metal
- raw
- aggressive
- primal
Originally released: 3rd December 1983 in the US by Metal blade Records.
Slayer was the opening act for Bitch at the Woodstock Club, L.A., performing eight songs (six of them covers). While performing an Iron Maiden cover "Phantom of the Opera", the band was spotted by Brian Slagel who had recently founded Metal Blade Records. He met with the band backstage and asked them to participate on the upcoming Metal Massacre Volume III and the band agreed. This appearance created underground buzz, which led to Slagel signing contract the band with Metal Blade Records.
The album was self-financed by the savings of Tom Araya, who was employed as a respiratory therapist, and money borrowed from Kerry King's father. On recording the drums, Slagel wanted drummer Dave Lombardo to play without using cymbals due to the amount of noise they made, as he was unsure if he could siphon the noise out, which he eventually did.
Touring extensively promoting the album, the band brought close friends and family members along the trip, who helped backstage with lighting and sound.
"Evil Has No Boundaries" Gene Hoglan, later known as the drummer for bands like Dark Angel and Death, provided backing vocals on the song.
Kevin Reed, a friend of the band, set up the drums and lighting when touring with the band. Reed's father, Lawrence R. Reed, drew the Minotaur (Cretan mythical creature) with a sword on the album's cover.
Although the album was criticized for its poor production quality, it became Metal Blade's highest-selling release and one of the best-selling independent records of all time. 5.000 copies was the label's average.. Show No Mercy went on to sell between 15,500 and 20,000 copies in the United States, it also went on to sell more than 15,000 overseas, as Metal Blade had worldwide rights
Show No Mercy was met with polarized opinions when it was issued, but in some recent reviews it came to be considered a classic album.
Some reissues include extra track(s): "Aggressive Perfector" (originally recorded for the compilation Metal Massacre Volume III in 1983), "Chemical Warfare" or the EP Haunting The Chapel.
1983 US tan labels (original 10-song tracklist) (opens in a new tab)
1984
Japan (opens in a new tab)
US silver labels (opens in a new tab)
Canada black labels (opens in a new tab) I white labels (opens in a new tab)
EU (opens in a new tab)
EU & UK (opens in a new tab)
1986 Brazil (opens in a new tab)
1987
US silver labels with barcode (opens in a new tab)
US chain labels (opens in a new tab)
picture disc (opens in a new tab)
1988 US (opens in a new tab)
1989 EU (opens in a new tab)
1993 South Korea (opens in a new tab)
2005 500 red (opens in a new tab)
2008 red blood transparent / black merge (opens in a new tab)
2009 double LP
white (opens in a new tab)
grey (opens in a new tab)
black (opens in a new tab)
2013 500 red / gray bi-color (opens in a new tab)
2015
red translucent (opens in a new tab)
green translucent (opens in a new tab)
white (opens in a new tab)
2016
500 orange / red splatter (flame effect) (opens in a new tab)
500 orange / white marble (opens in a new tab)
500 white (opens in a new tab)
black (opens in a new tab)
2021
750 red transparent / black splatter (opens in a new tab)
1000 transparent white / red splatter (opens in a new tab)
red transparent / orange melt (opens in a new tab)
2024
270 Liquid "Blood" Filled (opens in a new tab)
6000 Gold "Black Dust" (opens in a new tab)
Credits
The people behind it.
Performers
- Dave LombardoDRUM DRUMS PERFORMER, DRUMS
- Jeff HannemanGUITAR LEAD GUITAR LEAD GUITAR, RHYTHM GUITAR
- Kerry KingGUITAR LEAD GUITAR LEAD GUITAR, RHYTHM GUITAR
- Tom ArayaBASS BASS, VOCALS PERFORMER, BASS, VOCALS
28 collectors on Gatefold own this · 196 pressings tracked on Gatefold
Start your shelf.
Track your pressings of Show No Mercy, get the Clerk's take, and see what the record is worth — free.
Start your shelf →Free forever. Works with 10 records or 10,000.