Raining Blood
Raining Blood is a song by Slayer from their 1986 album Reign in Blood. It was written by Jeff Hanneman and Kerry King and produced by Rick Rubin. The track, four minutes and fourteen seconds long, is the album’s closing song. It starts with about 30 seconds of rain sounds and ends with a full minute of rain.
The lyrics tell a dark story about a soul banished from Heaven who seeks revenge and aims to overthrow Heaven, using vivid blood imagery. Musically, the song is famous for its brutal riffs and fast, biting guitar work. Hanneman wrote the main guitar parts, creating one of the most recognizable riffs in metal. The song also features a dramatic breakdown and a long rain-like ending. It’s widely regarded as a classic and a high point of Slayer’s sound, and both Hanneman and King say it’s their favorite to play live. It’s become a staple in Slayer’s concerts.
Raining Blood has appeared in many parts of pop culture. It was referenced in South Park, featured in the video game Grand Theft Auto: Vice City, and included in Guitar Hero III, Rock Band 3, and Rocksmith 2014. It has been covered and sampled by many artists, including Tori Amos and Lil Jon.
Reception has been strong. AllMusic calls it a classic, and fans often rank it as one of Slayer’s best songs. It has ranked highly on various lists: Loudwire named it Slayer’s best song in 2012, Kerrang placed it second in 2020, and Rolling Stone ranked it eighth on their 2023 list of the 100 greatest heavy metal songs. The track also charted in the UK, reaching 64.
This page was last edited on 3 February 2026, at 19:01 (CET).