When I was a kid, I went to quite a few concerts. I saw Priest on Screaming for Vengeance, Maiden I saw 2 of the 4 nights they played at Long Beach arena when they recorded Live After Death, I saw Metallica open for Ozzy on the Master of Puppets tour (btw Ozzy was getting booed after following Metallica). And I had heard Slayer's first couple albums, but hadn't yet seen them live.
When I finally saw them on the South of Heaven tour, I will never forget, they opened up with Raining Blood. Araya had a red light shining up from stage under his face. It was the most evil thing I had ever seen. And the show was so fucking brutal. I had been in pits before at a few punk shows, but it was nothing like this.
Of all the shows I have been to, that is by far the most memorable. And for that reason Reign in Blood will probably always be my favorite metal album. Although sometimes I do favor Season's in the Abyss, depending what mood I am in, but it always comes back to Reign in Blood.
A couple years later I went to a Rip magazine anniversary party at the Hollywood Palladium. The bill was Pantera, Sepultura, Slayer, White Zombie, and some other lesser bands that I dont remember now. All the big bands played short sets of about 45 minutes, and although Pantera and Sepultura both put on great shows, Slayer was head and shoulders above them both.
