Former PANTERA and current DOWN singer Philip Anselmo last month spoke to Artisan News about his expectations for the next SLAYER album, the band’s first since the 2013 passing of SLAYER‘s co-founding guitarist Jeff Hanneman.
“Like [SLAYER guitarist] Kerry King always says, ‘It’s gonna sound like SLAYER.’ And that’s what I expect,” he said.
“God knows, hey, I’ve got the utmost respect, and I miss Jeff Hanneman as much as any of his close friends would or people that have worked with him in the industry. But I also have to say I’m very good friends with all of them.
“[Current SLAYER touring guitarist] Gary Holt [also of EXODUS], man, Gary Holt‘s an incredible guitar player, he’s a great accent for Kerry King.
“Life goes on, and the mere fact that SLAYER‘s taking that step forward, that’s what you’re supposed to do.
“So rest in peace, Jeff, but long live SLAYER.”
SLAYER surprised the capacity crowd at this past April’s Revolver Golden Gods awards in Los Angeles with an unannounced performance, kicking off the show with a three-song set that included the global premiere of “Implode”, the band’s first new studio recording in five years.
Recorded in April at Henson Studios in Los Angeles and produced by Terry Date and co-produced by Greg Fidelman, “Implode” was made available as a free download as a “thank you” to the band’s fans for their continued support.
Later this year, the two-time Grammy-winning SLAYER will begin recording a new album, tentatively set for an early 2015 release. The album will make SLAYER history as it will be released on Nuclear Blast Records through the band’s own label imprint, closing out a 28-year relationship with Rick Rubin and American Recordings. No name for the imprint has been decided on yet.
All future recordings on the band’s label imprint will be released worldwide exclusively through Nuclear Blast.
SLAYER will spend the next few months on the road touring major North American and European festivals as well as headlining dates, sharing the stages with METALLICA, IRON MAIDEN and more, but is expected to be back in the studio in the fall to record the rest of the new album.
Joining bassist/vocalist Tom Araya and guitarist Kerry King during the sessions for SLAYER‘s new album are returning drummer Paul Bostaph, who replaced Dave Lombardo last year, and guitarist Gary Holt (also of EXODUS), who has been filling in for late SLAYER axeman Jeff Hanneman on tour for the past four years.
Bostaph was SLAYER‘s drummer from 1992 until 2001 and recorded four albums with the band — the gold-certified “Divine Intervention” (1994), the 1996 punk covers album “Undisputed Attitude”, “Diabolus In Musica” (1998), “God Hates Us All” (2001) that received a Grammy nomination for “Best Metal Performance”, as well as the DVD “War At The Warfield” (2001), also certified gold. In addition to SLAYER, Bostaph has been a member of FORBIDDEN, EXODUS, SYSTEMATIC and TESTAMENT.
Original SLAYER drummer Dave Lombardo sat out the band’s Australian tour in February/March 2013 due to a contract dispute with the other members of the group. Filling in for him was Jon Dette (TESTAMENT, ANTHRAX).
Source: Blabbermouth
