Source: Bravewords.com

SPIN.com is honoring the life of SLAYER guitarist Jeff Hanneman with a gallery of early photographs by D.R.I. bassist Harald Oimoen, from his book Murder In The Front Row: Shots From The Bay Area Thrash Metal Epicenter. The photos capture several live and candid moments from the rise of US thrash metal circa 1984, including Hanneman and Slayer performing outdoors on a plywood stage; Slayer’s very first face-to-face encounter with the members of METALLICA; Oimoen’s classic sleeve photo from Slayer’s Hell Awaits album; and a moving portrait of Hanneman and his eventual substitute in Slayer – Gary Holt of EXODUS.

Slayer, Aquatic Park, Berkeley, California, August 19, 1984

The gallery of photos from the book can be viewed at this location.

Murder In The Front Row is a stunning volume that collects over 400 amazing color and black-and-white photos from the time when locals Exodus and Los Angeles transplants Metallica reigned in small clubs like the Old Waldorf, The Stone, and the infamous East Bay bastion of heaviness, Ruthie’s Inn. Thrash metal upstarts Slayer and MEGADETH found a second home in the Bay Area, while a homegrown breed of tempo-crazed teenagers like LEGACY, POSSESSED, DEATH ANGEL, HEATHEN, and VIO-LENCE brought Bay Area thrash metal to critical mass.

“Murder in the Front Row captures the true essence of thrash metal in its embryonic stage.” – Dave Lombardo, Slayer

“Thank you for writing this book! It’s the definitive story of the scene and what we managed to make of it here in the Bay Area.” -Kirk Hammett, Metallica

More info at this location.