S.A. SLAYER - Go for the Throat LP HRR 439, ltd 500, 300 x white + 200 x black vinyl, 425gsm heavy cardboard cover, lyric sheet, 2nd pressing: ltd 500, 200 x black + 300 x bone/ red splatter vinyl, insert Steve Cooper (R.I.P. 2006) - Vocals Bob Catlin - Guitars Ron Jarzombek - Guitars (lead) Don Van Stavern - Bass Dave McClain - Drums 01 Go for the Throat 02 Upon Us, the End 03 If You Want Evil 04 Off with Their Heads 05 Ride of the Horsemen 06 Ancient Swords 07 TLO 22 08 The Witch Must Burn 09 Hell Will Be Thy Name 10 Power to Burn 1st+2nd pressing: SOLD OUT!

specially mastered for vinyl by Patrick W. Engel/ Temple of Disharmony When guitarists Robert Catlin and Art Villarreal, bassist Don Van Stavern (later of Riot V fame), drummer Dave McClain and vocalist Chris Cronk formed their band Slayer in San Antonio in 1981, they quickly became one of the biggest draws of the critically acclaimed Texas metal scene. Cronk was soon replaced by Steve Cooper. With this line-up they recorded five songs for a proposed EP, which was named »Prepare To Die« and originally came out on the obscure local Rainforest Records label in 1983. The material was produced and engineered by Bob O’Neill and Rick Shrieves at B.O.S.S. studios. With the EP under their belts, San Antonio’s Slayer continued to gig locally making a name for themselves as one of the premier progressive power metal bands in North America. However, in order to avoid confusion with their namesakes from California (signed to Metal Blade Records), the band had to officially change their name to S.A. Slayer (short for San Antonio Slayer). On November 30th 1984, at San Antonio’s infamous Villa Fontana venue S.A. Slayer shared a bill with California Slayer (who were touring their »Haunting The Chapel«) EP at the time. Guitarist Art Villarreal left S.A. Slayer to form his own band Karion. He was replaced by none other than Ron Jarzombek. Once again under the watchful eyes of Bob O’Neill and Rick Shrieves Texas’ Slayer recorded material for their first full-length album. The record was supposed to come out on Rainforest Records, just like the EP, but before it could be released, the label folded. It took four long years until the Los Angeles based Unter den Linden Records label bought the publishing rights and issued the album containing the songs “Go For The Throat”, “Upon Us The End”, “If You Want Evil”, “Off With Their Heads”, “Ride Of The Horsemen”, “Ancient Swords”, “TLO 22”, “The Witch Must Burn”, “Hell Will Be Thy Name” and “Power To Burn”. The record was finally unleashed in 1988 with the title »Go For The Throat« but by this time S.A. Slayer had already disbanded. If Canadian journalist Martin Popoff is to be believed, the album had almost come out under the alternative band name of Scythian Prey. In his book »The Collector’s Guide To Heavy Metal. Volume 2: The Eighties« he writes of »Go For The Throat«: “S.A. Slayer are playing something akin to progressive speed or progressive thrash, predicting the style of the associated Watchtower. There is no denying the talent and foresight displayed here.” The CD edition contains all the tracks of »Prepare To Die« and »Go For The Throat« on one disc. MATTHIAS MADER