Seasons in the Abyss

Seasons in the Abyss is the fifth album, a culmination of Slayer's thrash that integrates the early furious speed with the heavy mid-tempo deepened on the previous record. Rick Rubin and Andy Wallace produced. It is also the last studio album of the early era to feature Dave Lombardo, binding the balance of speed and weight at a high level. Opening with the furious "War Ensemble," an eerie tension hangs over "Dead Skin Mask," depicting a serial killer. The closing title track "Seasons in the Abyss" is a majestic, dark mid-tempo masterpiece. Ideally fusing aggression, melody and constructive beauty, the album is highly regarded as an early signature work alongside Reign in Blood and South of Heaven. Afterward Lombardo left, and the band moved into a new era.