Released at the forefront of the early-'80s
thrash
movement,
Show No Mercy
proved to be only a small step toward
Slayer
's domination of the extreme
metal
scene, basically amounting to a cleaned-up version of
black metal
stalwarts
Venom
. Everything about this album, from the production to the musicianship, is amateurish compared to later releases, but in the same way
Metallica
was on their own debut,
Kill 'Em All
. Despite the band's shortcomings, a number of future classics are present on this album, including concert favorites
"The Antichrist,"
"Die by the Sword,"
and
"Black Magic."
remains a solid, if inessential, part of the
legacy. [The 1987 reissue includes three tracks from the
Haunting the Chapel
EP, though those have since been omitted in favor of both records being independently re-released.] ~ Jeremy Ulrey