Slayer
This article is about the metal band. For the anime, see Slayers. For the American television show, see Buffy the Vampire Slayer.
Slayer is a thrash metal band featuring Kerry King on guitar, Tom Araya on bass and vocals, Jeff Hanneman (also on guitar). The band's classic material between 1983 and 1990 features Dave Lombardo on drums while Paul Bostaph has played on the studio albums since the mid-90s. However, Lombardo has frequently rejoined Slayer for tours. The band has been recording aggressive metal since the early 1980s and have maintained a steady musical approach since their formation in 1981 in Huntington Beach, California.
Statistics
Biography
Dave Lombardo left the band in 1986 briefly during the Reign in Blood tour and was replaced by Tony Scaglione (Whiplash). However after the tour was over, Lombardo came back and asked to rejoin Slayer. Lombardo left the band again in 1992 (most believed for good) and formed a band called Grip Inc. Kerry King recruited former Forbidden drummer Paul Bostaph who remained in the band until 2001. Bostaph claimed he had sustained an injury that would hinder his ability to play. Shortly thereafter he announced he had joined the Bay Area band Systematic. Lombardo rejoined Slayer once again during the God Hates Us All tour and has remained there since.
Slayer (along with Metallica, Anthrax and Megadeth) are often credited with creating the thrash metal style, by speeding up the sound of New Wave Of British Heavy Metal bands like Iron Maiden and Venom. Slayer are also often credited with influencing the creation of the death metal style, as well as providing musical elements for black metal. Though Slayer never used the low "grunt" vocal style usually associated with death metal, their music -- most notably on the albums Hell Awaits (1985) and Reign in Blood (1986) -- can be regarded, musically, as proto-death metal. Moreover, these two albums were their first of many albums to be produced by well-known and respected Def Jam Co-Founder, Rick Rubin.
The 1986 album Reign in Blood was described by the magazine Kerrang! as "the heaviest album of all time".
The band received their first Grammy nomination for "Best Metal Performance" on January 8, 2002.
In 1996, a lawsuit was brought against the band by the parents of Elyse Pahler, who accused the band of encouraging their daughter's murderers through their lyrics. The lawsuit was thrown out in 2001.
Discography
Studio Releases
Live And Other Releases
External Links
