Slayer

Slayer
Slayer at Hellfest 2017. From left to right: Gary Holt, Tom Araya and Kerry King.
Background information
Origin	Huntington Park, California, U.S.
Genres	Thrash metal[1][2][3]
Years active	1981–2019
Labels	Metal Blade Def Jam American Nuclear Blast
Past member(s)	Kerry King Tom Araya Jeff Hanneman Dave Lombardo Paul Bostaph Jon Dette Gary Holt
Website	slayer.net

Slayer is an American thrash metal band that began in California in 1981. The band was started guitarists Jeff Hanneman and Kerry King, as well as drummer Dave Lombardo and bassist/singer Tom Araya. Slayer is one of the "Big Four" of thrash metal music, along with Metallica, Anthrax and Megadeth.^[4]

Slayer's music has a fast and angry heavy metal style. The words to the band's songs are about murderers, Satan, religion, racism and war. Singing about these things gave the band a lot of controversy. Their music has inspired many other bands. Their third album, Reign in Blood, has been called one of the heaviest thrash metal albums.^[5]

Slayer has released ten studio albums, two live albums and a box-set. Four of the band's albums have been certified gold by the RIAA. The band has been the top band at many large music festivals around the world and their music has been added to many video games.

1. ↑ Ultimate Guitar. "'Can We Sue Someone for Sounding Way Too Much Like Us?' – The Band Tom Araya Thought Was Too Similar to Slayer". Ultimate Guitar. Retrieved January 26, 2025.
2. ↑ The Hard Times. "Testament, Exodus, Overkill, and Dark Angel Announce Mid-Sized Four of Thrash Concert". The Hard Times. Retrieved January 26, 2025.
3. ↑ American Songwriter. "Watch Slayer Dominate Studio 54 During 1985 Combat Tour That Was Definitely the End of the Disco Era". American Songwriter. Retrieved January 26, 2025.
4. ↑ Lee, Cosmo (2007-05-07). "Get Thrashed: The Story of Thrash Metal". Stylus. Archived from the original on 2008-12-25. Retrieved 2008-12-16.
5. ↑ McIver, Joel (2009-11-11). The Bloody Reign of Slayer. Omnibus Press. ISBN 978-0-85712-038-0.