Legendary thrash metal band Slayer have announced today via a video on their YouTube page that they will be playing a final ‘farewell’ world tour, with plans to ‘make their exit’ at the conclusion of said tour.
Formed in 1981 and known as one of the ‘Big Four’ metal bands of the 1980s (along with Metallica, Megadeth Und Anthrax), Slayer rose to fame with their 1986 release Reign in Blood, releasing a total of twelve studio albums, two live albums, a box set, two extended plays and a cover album since their debut in 1983. In their 37 years as a band, Anthrax have sold over 4.9 million albums in the United States alone and have won two Grammy awards, one in 2007 for “Eyes of The Insane” and one in 2008 for “Final Six”.
The possibility of the band retiring was originally floated about in an interview with EMP Rock Invasion when Slayer guitarist Kerry King stated that he was unclear about the future for Slayer.
“I mean, I don’t have an answer [as to what the future holds for SLAYER]. I’m holding off a lot of things I wanna do at home, just ’cause I don’t know if I’m gonna be working in two years. I’m gonna be working, hopefully in SLAYER. Yeah, dude. What else am I gonna do? I came out of high school and fucking went on tour. [Laughs]”, later adding that he wasn’t sure if the band would have another 35 years, but that he’d “take another record or two.”
The band has been touring in support of their 2015 release Repentless (their first release since the death of co-founding guitarist Jeff Hanneman), and are rumored to be touring with Lamb of God, Anthrax, Testament Und Behemoth later this year. Dates are expected to be announced for this tour, and the rest of the band’s world tour shortly.
Check out the video announcing the band’s final world tour below:
