The American thrash metal band Slayer released a video on YouTube that compiled press clippings and posters from throughout its career. Its members used the video to announce their plan to retire Slayer after a farewell tour.
Joining them will be like minded musicians from Lamb Of God, Anthrax, Testament and Behemoth, as they tour across North America. Slayer and Behemoth traveled across America last last summer together as well. A year before, in 2016, Slayer bassist Tom Araya talked with Loudwire about retirement. Araya is “grateful” for Slayer’s thirty-five year tenure, but jokes that it’s time to “collect my pension.” He feels like its just another stage in his career and in his life. Araya also mentioned that a past neck surgery prevents him from headbanging.
“That was a big part of what I enjoyed doing what I do — singing and headbanging. I liked knowing that I was one of the fucking badass headbangers. That played a big part.”
Araya now grooves to the music without straining his neck. Kerry King, guitarist, mentioned a few months later that Araya had been “very unclear” about his plans for the future. King did not express interest in disbanding Slayer at the time.
Slayer’s co-founding guitarist, Jeff Hanneman, contracted necrotizing fasciitis from a spider in 2011 and died two years later in May. The group’s 2015 album, Repentless, was their first release after Hanneman’s death. Slayer fired Dave Lombardo, the band’s original drummer, in 2013 after he sat out an Australian tour over a contract dispute. Paul Bostaph later replaced him.
The tour’s dates haven’t yet been announced but will be released soon. Stay tuned.
UPDATE (1/23): The tour dates have now been released for Slayer’s final World Tour in 2018.
UPDATE (3/5): Slayer have announced a second leg of their farewell tour. Playing on this leg are bands like Lamb of God, Anthrax, Testament and Napalm Death. These dates will run through July and August.
Slayer 2018 Tour Dates
05/10 – Valley View Casino Center, San Diego, CA*
05/11 – FivePoint Amphitheatre, Irvine, CA*
05/13 – Papa Murphy’s Park at Cal Expo, Sacramento, CA
05/16 – PNE Forum, Vancouver, BC
05/17 – South Okanagan Events Centre, Penticton, BC
05/19 – Big Four, Calgary, AB*
05/20 – Shaw Centre, Edmonton, AB*
05/22 – Bell MTS Place, Winnipeg, MB*
05/24 – The Armory, Minneapolis, MN*
05/25 – Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre, Chicago, IL
05/27 – Michigan Lottery Amphitheatre @ Freedom Hill, Detroit, MI
05/29 – Budweiser Stage, Toronto, ON
05/30 – Place Bell, Montreal, PQ*
06/01 – Mohegan Sun, Uncasville, CT
06/02 – PNC Bank Arts Center, Holmdel, NJ
06/04 – Santander Arena, Reading, PA*
06/06 – Riverbend Music Center, Cincinnati, OH
06/07 – Blossom Music Center, Cleveland, OH
06/09 – KeyBank Pavilion, Pittsburgh, PA
06/10 – Jiffy Lube Live, Bristow, VA
06/12 – VUHL Amphitheater, Virginia Beach, VA
06/14 – PNC Music Pavilion, Charlotte, NC*
06/15 – Orlando Amphitheater, Orlando, FL
06/17 – Smart Financial Centre, Houston, TX
06/19 – The Bomb Factory, Dallas, TX
06/20 – Austin 360 Amphitheater, Austin, TX
07/26 – Bank of New Hampshire Pavilion, Gilford, NH
07/27 – Impact Music Festival, Darling’s Waterfront Pavilion, Bangor, ME
07/29 – Northwell Health at Jones Beach, Wantagh, NY
07/31 – The Pavilion at Montage Mountain, Scranton, PA
08/01 – Times Union Center, Albany, NY
08/03 – Darien Lake Performing Arts Center, Darien Lake, NY
08/04 – Lakeview Amphitheater, Syracuse, NY
08/06 – Budweiser Gardens, London, ON
08/07 – Van Andel Arena, Grand Rapids, MI
08/09 – Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre, St. Louis, MO
08/10 – Cellairis Amphitheatre at Lakewood, Atlanta, GA
08/12 – Municipal Auditorium, Nashville, TN
08/13 – Walmart AMP, Rogers, AR
08/15 – Freeman Coliseum, San Antonio, TX
08/16 – The Zoo Amphitheatre, Oklahoma City, OK
08/18 – Fiddler’s Green Amphitheatre, Denver, CO
08/19 – USANA Amphitheatre, Salt Lake City, UT
08/21 – Ford Idaho Center Amphitheater, Boise, ID
08/23 – Sunlight Supply Amphitheater, Portland, OR
08/26 – SAP Center, San Jose, CA
* Anthrax appears on all dates with the exception of those marked
Photography Credit: Sharon Alagna
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