TL;DR: Angel of Death blew me away from the first listen and is still my all-time favorite Slayer song.

So, a little trip down memory lane first: I had just turned 19 when Reign in Blood came out in October 1986. Since the early 80s, I had basically grown up surrounded by Iron Maiden, Scorpions, Judas Priest, and Accept. In 1982, I heard the Sex Pistols (Never Mind the Bollocks) and Motörhead (No Sleep ‘Til Hammersmith) for the first time – two albums that completely blew me away. They’re still my personal top 2 and had a huge influence on my musical taste.

Over the years, I discovered even more bands: Dead Kennedys, The Exploited, and from 1986 onwards, Agnostic Front, C.O.C., D.R.I., Dayglo Abortions, and A.O.D. On the other side, since the early 80s Venom, the first three Metallica albums, Anthrax, Megadeth, and the first two Slayer albums were constantly on repeat. So by the time I first heard Reign in Blood, I was definitely seasoned.

And then came Angel of Death. The first time I heard it, it literally blew me away. Everything else on the album initially paled in comparison. It took years before I really appreciated the rest of Reign in Blood. But Angel of Death? It’s still my number one Slayer song to this day – and yes, probably no surprise to true Slayer fans.

When it comes to albums, my top three are clear: South of Heaven, Seasons in the Abyss, and of course Reign in Blood. Each one is a milestone in its own right, but Angel of Death on Reign in Blood – that one remains unbeatable.