SLAYER has formally reunited and is set to make their live stage comeback in September.
After concluding their last world tour in November 2019, the band, comprising Tom Araya (bass, vocals), Kerry King (guitar), Gary Holt (guitar), and Paul Bostaph (drums), will headline two prominent festivals, Riot Fest and Louder Than Life, marking their first live appearances since then.
“Nothing compares to the 90 minutes when we’re on stage playing live, sharing that intense energy with our fans,” Araya said, “and to be honest, we have missed that.”
King added: “Have I missed playing live? Absolutely. SLAYER means a lot to our fans; they mean a lot to us. It will be five years since we have seen them.”
So far the following dates have been announced:
Sep. 22 – Riot Fest – Chicago, IL
Sep. 27 – Louder Than Life – Louisville, KY
“We’re thrilled to announce that SLAYER will be reuniting for an earth-shattering performance at Louder Than Life,” says Danny Wimmer of Danny Wimmer Presents. “I was at their last show at The Forum in 2019 and have been working since then to bring them back to the Louder stage! With over 140 bands on five stages, we’re celebrating our 10th Louder Than Life with the biggest lineup yet!”
The reunion has a quite strange timing, considering that Kerry King has recently unveiled his new solo band and announced his debut album. Additionally, he revealed that he hasn’t had communication with SLAYER frontman Tom Araya since their last performance in 2019.
SLAYER played its final show of their farewell tour in November 2019 at the Forum in Los Angeles. One day later, Kerry King‘s wife, Ayesha King, said that there is “not a chance in hell” that the thrash metal icons will reunite for more shows.
