Slayer’s Reign in Blood is one of the most iconic albums of the thrash genre. It was highly influential for much of the metal we listen to today, setting a high standard for the albums that followed. From the moment it opens with “Angel of Death” the listener is immediately transported into an intensely speedy and extreme thrill ride through the pits of hell, This experience was even further solidified with it’s dark album artwork. In this band merch of the week post you’ll learn 5 facts about Reign In Blood + find out the details on this Slayer outfit so you can recreate this look at home.
THE Slayer Reign In Blood BAND T-Shirt OUTFIT DETAILS
Before we get into the facts about Reign In Blood that you should know, let’s talk about the band merch of the week and the outfit created around it.
THE BASICS
- Men’s Officially Licensed Slayer Reign In Blood T-Shirt: Loudtrax (*gifted).
- High Waisted Vegan Leather Leggings: Express
- Bolt-250 Boots (Unisex): Demonia
- Men’s Hooded Cardigan: Killstar (*discontinued- see notes)
- Artistic Earrings: Ethnasia Jewelry
As you may be aware by now after living through about a year of Covid 19 lockdowns and restrictions, the music industry has taken a major hit. Because bands haven’t been able to tour, it’s so important that we do our part as fans by buying merch, albums, etc. when we can afford to. And when you can’t afford to, SPREAD THE WORD!
It’s no secret that metal music isn’t seen as “sellable” to the music giants that dominate our media. Because of this, metal bands rely on reputation in order to be successful enough to keep creating music. And how does that happen? By word of mouth.
Think about it. If we’re not getting to see new bands at concerts and they’re not getting radio airplay, how else are people to know they may be missing out on their new favorite band? Slayer’s Reign In Blood is a great example of this as you’ll see below. While today they’re widely hailed as metal icons, what would have happened if people didn’t spread the word back in the 80s?
But if you can afford to pick up some merch, it’s super important that it’s officially licensed merchandise so that the money actually goes towards supporting the band you love. That’s one thing you won’t have to worry about when buying from Loudtrax since 100% of their merch is officially licensed.
WHAT TO WEAR WITH THIS Slayer Reign In Blood Band T-Shirt
I paired this Slayer Reign In Blood band t-shirt with the high waisted vegan leather leggings from Express. Not only are they comfortable, but they are super soft on the inside which gives an added layer of warmth. I picked these up during their Black Friday sale at half off and I seriously regret not getting multiple pairs. Express does appear to frequently run sales on these though. At the time of this writing, they’re actually slightly discounted.
For some extra warmth since we’ve had nothing but snow, cold, and freezing temps here in Pennsylvania, I stole my husband’s Killstar hooded cardigan. This particular style is no longer listed on their website, but they do have cardigans available that are very similar. I also think most of them are unisex so just keep that in mind in terms of sizing.
The same also goes for these Demonia boots. They are my go to flat boot for unexpected terrains. At one point last summer, I even wore them flower picking. Then, to finish things off I added just a simple pair of hoop earrings.
5 FACTS ABOUT Reign In Blood THAT YOU SHOULD KNOW
Now that you know where you can pick up this Slayer band t-shirt and how to style it, it’s time for your metal history lesson. Here’s 5 facts about Reign In Blood that you should know.
1. Reign In Blood was released through the hip hop label, Def Jam.
After 1985’s ‘Hell Awaits’, Slayer signed with Def Jam, a hip hop label founded by Rick Rubin and Russell Simmons. While the band’s new label mates may have been known for performing a different style of music for the most part, it didn’t stop Slayer from creating a thrash masterpiece.
2. Slayer didn’t realize how short the album was.
Reign in Blood is much shorter than most albums, at just under 29 minutes in length. Luckily, producer Rick Rubin didn’t think that was an issue. In an interview with Metal Hammer, Tom Araya said, “All 10 songs came in at 28 minutes. A full album, contractually, constitutes at least 45 minutes of music. I asked Rick if that was OK. His only reply to any of that was, ‘It’s 10 songs, which constitutes an album. There’s verses and leads and choruses.’ He didn’t have an issue with it, which was really cool.”
3. The album faced issues with distribution- which was brought on by controversy.
The album’s opener, “Angel of Death” was the eye of the storm. Guitarist Jeff Hanneman wrote the song which focused on the experiments conducted on Auschwitz prisoners by Josef Mengele, a notorious Nazi physician. Despite the fact that it doesn’t condone Mengele’s actions, misinterpretation of the song was enough for the label’s distributor, Columbia Records, not to want any involvement with the album. Producer Rick Rubin was luckily able to strike a deal with Geffen Records for distribution.
4. Reign In Blood was the first Slayer album to make the Billboard 200.
Even though it didn’t get any radio airplay, the album debuted at #127 and 6 weeks later hit its peak at #94.
5. It was the first time Slayer had ever recorded during daytime hours.
In an interview with Guitar World, Kerry King explained their prior albums were recorded overnight into the early morning because they were self-financed and that’s when recording time was the cheapest.
LOOKING FOR SOME OUTFIT IDEAS WITH COOL BAND MERCH?
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