“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!”

Earlier this month, Kerry said that he had not been in contact with Tom since SLAYER played its final show more than four years ago.

The 59-year-old guitarist discussed his band’s decision to call it quits while speaking to Rolling Stone about his new solo project.

Asked how he found out SLAYER‘s bassist/vocalist wanted to retire, Kerry said: “We were on tour and some kid was interviewing him, and he said something about, ‘I’ve got to get together with Kerry and talk before we talk about the next record.’ He should have just said, ‘I’m probably not going to do another record,’ or had that conversation with me before he mentioned anything like that. I was just assuming, ‘Oh fuck, what’s this going to be?’ And it was, ‘I’m done.’ Not what I expected. But if you made that decision, I’m not going to try to talk you out of it because your heart’s not going to be in it anyway.”

Regarding why Araya had decided to retire, King said: “I think just the wear and tear of the road. I think he wanted to be home. None of us are real spotlight seekers, but he’s certainly not. And when (late SLAYER guitarist) Jeff (Hanneman) was around, he was like a hermit. He did not want fame. I tolerate fame. Somebody’s got to be that guy.”

Kerry also confirmed that personality differences contributed to SLAYER‘s eventual split.

“Me and Tom have never been on the same page,” he said. “Like if I want a chocolate shake, he wants a vanilla shake. ‘Kerry, what color is the sky?’ Blue. ‘Tom, what color is the sky?’ White. We’re just different people. The further on in years we got, it just became more.

“Am I going to hang out with Tom? He likes tequila a little bit and I’m a big tequila-head, so I’ll have my shot with him, and we’ll part ways. We’re not going to hang out or anything because we are very different people. And together, we made great music and a great live show.”

Asked if he has talked to Tom at all since the last SLAYER show,” Kerry said: “Not even a text. Not even an e-mail. I’ve talked to everybody else from the band on the phone, text, or e-mail. If Tom hit me up, I’d probably respond. It probably depends on what he hit me up for, but I don’t wish him dead at this moment.”

Pressed about whether he and Tom could make another SLAYER album, Kerry said: “I can pretty much a hundred percent say no because I have a new outlet, and it’s not SLAYER, but it sounds like SLAYER. I’m making the music I like to make still, so I don’t need to do that. Records don’t sell anymore anyway. It’s just a means to have a product out so people know what I’m playing when I come to town.”

As for the possibility of SLAYER touring again, Kerry said: “I’m pretty sure that’s not going to happen. Could SLAYER play a show again? I’m sure there’s a scenario. Am I looking for it? No, I’m just getting ready to start my career. So if that happens, it happens. But I’m going to be doing this solo band for the next 10 years at least.”

SLAYER played the final show of its farewell tour in November 2019 at the Forum in Los Angeles. One day later, Kerry‘s wife Ayesha said that there is “not a chance in hell” that the thrash metal icons will reunite for more live appearances.

SLAYER‘s final world tour began on May 10, 2018 with the band’s intention to play as many places as possible, to make it easy for the fans to see one last SLAYER show and say goodbye. By the time the 18-month trek wrapped at the Forum, the band had completed seven tour legs plus a series of one-off major summer festivals, performing more than 140 shows in 30 countries and 40 U.S. states.

Araya talked about his possible retirement in a 2016 interview with Loudwire. He said: “At 35 years, it’s time to collect my pension. (Laughs) This is a career move.” He continued: “I’m grateful that we’ve been around for 35 years; that’s a really long time. So, yeah, to me, it is. Because when we started off, everything was great, because you’re young and invincible. And then there came a time where I became a family man, and I had a tough time flying back and forth. And now, at this stage, at the level we’re at now, I can do that; I can fly home when I want to, on days off, and spend some time with my family, which is something I wasn’t able to do when my kids were growing up. Now they’re both older and mature. So now I take advantage of that.” Araya added: “Yeah, it just gets harder and harder to come back out on the road. 35 years is a long time.”

Tom also revealed another reason for his diminished enjoyment of the touring life. He said: “There’s things that have gone on in my life that have made me change how I play as a bass player. I had neck surgery, so I can’t headbang anymore. And 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. Now I just groove with the music, which is cool, because I’m grooving with the music and the feel of the songs, so that’s changed a little for me.”

Formed in 1981, SLAYER assaulted the world with a new hybrid of metal and punk — heavier, faster and darker than the rest — and set a new standard, defining not only a genre, but an attitude. Throughout SLAYER‘s history, the band never faltered in unleashing their extreme and focused aural assault, and repudiating temptations, SLAYER always chose to remain crushing and brutal, steadfastly refusing to cater to the mainstream.

Now celebrating its 40th anniversary, “Show No Mercy” is the debut studio album by the American thrash metal masters. The LP was initially released on December 3, 1983, by Metal Blade Records, who, in honor of “Show No Mercy”‘s 40th anniversary, will be unleashing two unique pieces of vinyl for fans: a limited-edition “blood”-filled liquid vinyl — limited to 250 worldwide — and the “Show No Mercy (40th Anniversary Edition)” vinyl set that includes a gold black dust LP mastered for vinyl from the original master tapes by Patrick W. Engel at Temple Of Disharmony, a slipmat, poster, show flyers, signing card, and an LP booklet featuring the story of “Show No Mercy”, written by J. Bennett.

“Show No Mercy (40th Anniversary Edition)”
* Slipcase with gold hot-foil embossing
* Gold Black Dust LP mastered for vinyl from the original master tapes by Patrick W. Engel at Temple Of Disharmony in May 2023
* 12″ LP booklet
* Slipmat
* Poster
* Show flyers
* Signing card

“Show No Mercy” “blood”-filled liquid vinyl:

* Blood-filled liquid vinyl mastered for vinyl from the original master tapes by Patrick W. Engel at Temple Of Disharmony in May 2023
* Limited to 250 copies worldwide!

Side A
01. Evil Has No Boundaries
02. The Antichrist
03. Die By The Sword
04. Fight Till Death
05. Metal Storm / Face The Slayer

Side B
06. Black Magic
07. Tormentor
08. The Final Command
09. Crionics
10. Show No Mercy

Album lineup:
Tom Araya: vocals, bass
Kerry King: guitars
Jeff Hanneman: guitars
Dave Lomabardo: drums