Slayer · 1985 · Studio album
Hell Awaits tuning.
E♭ Standard, about 5 cents flat (A ≈ 439), measured on the CD. 2 of 7 songs are tuned differently.
Album tuning
E♭ Standard −5 ¢
About 5 cents flat (A ≈ 439), measured on the CD.
MeasuredWidely reported
Measured by TuneLit
5 ¢ flat
| Source | Offset | Equivalent A | Songs | Spread | Confidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CD, Roadrunner RR 34 9795 (1985, made in Japan) | −5.1 ¢ | A 438.7 | 7 | −5.8 to −4.5 ¢ | Medium |
Before we measured, sources said: E♭ Standard, with no pitch given (widely reported).
Longer, darker songs than the debut, and the first full album half a step down. The CD sits about 5 ¢ flat; Kill Again is clearly lower, about 23 ¢ flat.
7 songs · 2 tuned differently
Every song, ready to tune
Tune opens the tuner in that song's tuning, pitch included. Play along opens the song player set to that tuning, so the track plays in yours. What the labels mean
-
1. Hell Awaits
E♭ Standard −5 ¢Measured
-
2. Kill Again
Different pitch
E♭ Standard −23 ¢Measured
Notes
Measured about 23 ¢ flat (A ≈ 434), well below the rest of the album.
Every song is tabbed in E♭ Standard, guitars and bass, and the gear write-up lists the album among the E-flat records.
-
3. At Dawn They Sleep
E♭ Standard −5 ¢Measured
-
4. Praise of Death
E♭ Standard −5 ¢Measured
-
5. Necrophiliac
Different pitch
E♭ Standard +5 ¢Measured
Notes
Measured about 5 ¢ sharp, a little above the rest of the album.
Every song is tabbed in E♭ Standard, guitars and bass, and the gear write-up lists the album among the E-flat records.
-
6. Crypts of Eternity
E♭ Standard −5 ¢Measured
-
7. Hardening of the Arteries
E♭ Standard −5 ¢Measured
What the labels mean
- Measured
- TuneLit measured the pitch on an original CD or LP. The tuning name still comes from the sources.
- Official
- The band, a member, their producer or their guitar tech said it.
- Widely reported
- Trusted outlets, guides and tabs agree, but the band did not say it directly.
- Community
- From community tabs, or from players who tune along with the record.
- Disputed
- Sources disagree. The likeliest setting is shown; the notes name the other one.
Each song shows one label, the strongest it has, in this order. How we measure recordings →
Questions
What tuning is Hell Awaits in?
Slayer recorded Hell Awaits (1985) in E♭ Standard, about 5 cents flat (A ≈ 439), measured by TuneLit on the CD. Kill Again uses E♭ Standard −23 ¢; Necrophiliac uses E♭ Standard +5 ¢.
Why does Hell Awaits sound out of tune with my guitar?
Kill Again sits about 23 cents flat (A ≈ 434), so a guitar tuned to A 440 clashes with it. The Tune buttons on this page set the tuner's reference to match the record, so you only tune the strings.