Boasting the awesome "Chemical Warfare," a regular staple of
Slayer's live shows, the
Haunting the Chapel EP was a more crucial stepping stone in the legendary L.A. band's career development than many give it credit for. Issued in between the band's very promising debut and the following year's more sonically ripened
Hell Awaits,
Haunting the Chapel offers important clues about this transition period, which saw
Slayer's rock-based song structures give way to the non-linear, genre-defining style thereafter regarded as thrash metal's signature sound. Among the uniformly solid cuts here, the enduring fan favorite "Captor of Sin" is another highlight, making this a well-recommended release for committed
Slayer fans. [Some CD versions of
Slayer's debut,
Show No Mercy, now feature
Haunting the Chapel songs as bonus tracks.] ~ Eduardo Rivadavia