Slayer guitarist Jeff Hanneman passed away today aged 49 due to liver failure. Jeff was one of the founding members of the American thrash band, and will certainly be missed by many the world over.
British heavy metal legends Iron Maiden's year keeps getting fuller and fuller. Now they have announced their return to Argentina this summer to make their first-ever appearance at the legendary River Plate Stadium in Buenos Aires on September 27th. They will also be making a first-ever visit to Paraguay on September 29th to play the Jockey Club in Asuncion. On October 2nd, they will return to headline the Estadio Nacional in Santiago, Chile, where the Blu-ray/DVD En Vivo was filmed in 2011.
UPDATE: There has been new developments after Slayer's drummer Dave Lombardo released a statement claiming he had been kicked off the band's Australian tour. Slayer has now responded and explained the decision to replace him in a statement issued a few hours ago:
The Bloodstock Open Air 2013 team has announced today that seminal thrash metal legends, Slayer are confirmed as the third and final headliner for next year. The Californian four-piece will close the Ronnie James Dio stage on Sunday night at Catton Park, United Kingdom.
Holy fuck balls! We know Slayer's Jeff Hanneman went through some serious shit when a spider bit him last year and he had to battle through the Slayer song-title sounding Necrotizing Fasciitis. Seems it was far worse than the band let on.
From Slayer.net:
Slayer fans everywhere - it's time to let you know what is going on with our brother Jeff Hanneman.
As you know, Jeff was bitten by a spider more than a year ago, but what you may not have known was that for a couple of days after he went to the ER, things were touch-and-go. There was talk that he might have to have his arm amputated, and we didn't know if he was going to pull through at all. He was in a medically-induced coma for a few days and had several operations to remove the dead and dying tissue from his arm. So, understand, he was in really, really bad shape. It's been about a year since he got out of the hospital, and since then, he had to learn to walk again, he's had several painful skin grafts, he's been in rehab doing exercises to regain the strength in his arm; but best of all, he's been playing guitar. We were all excited when he joined us onstage for the encore a year ago at The Big Four show at Coachella. Since then, we've given him all the time and support he's needed to continue his rehab so he can come back to the band fully recovered and able to deliver the kind of shows we all want him to. While Jeff's been doing some writing and has been coming to rehearsal over the past several weeks, he has decided he needs to take more time to continue his rehab. While we want him back onstage with the band, all of us support his decision. So, we're very grateful that Gary Holt will continue to fill in for Jeff, and will tour with us until Jeff completes his rehab and is ready to return. How long will that be? The best and most honest answer we can give you is 'as long as it takes.' We also wanted you to know that we've been doing some writing and recording for the next Slayer album - we've tracked a few songs, and will finish the album when we're off the road later this year. Gary will join us on tour in Europe and the UK in May and June, and then we'll all see you on this Summer's Mayhem Festival.
US thrashers Slayer will headline the FortaRock festival in The Netherlands, taking place on June 2nd, 2012. More bands will be announced soon but two other names have been announced so far. Alongside Slayer, Anthrax and Meshuggah will also perform in The Netherlands in the FortaRock Festival 2012. For more information about the festival go to http://www.fortarock.nl/. Tickets on sale starting today.
Last night (Friday June 3rd), Slayer played at Viña del Mar, Chile for the first time - the place where 50 years ago (on June 6th), Slayer frontman Tom Araya was born.
During an official ceremony, Tom Araya received the key to the city of Viña del Mar from mayor Virginia Reginato. This event marks Chile's first official recognition of the musician, who left the country when he was five years old and moved to the US with his family. Araya also reportedly celebrated his 50th birthday at Friday's concert with a birthday cake which he shared with the fans at the show. Read the complete story here (in Spanish).
In other news, Slayer drummer Dave Lombardo revealed in an interview with Geeks of Doom there are plans for a new studio album, although no material has yet been written. Tom Araya recently told Billboard that the group will not consider any recording projects without guitarist Jeff Hanneman, who is still recovering from his injury. Exodus guitarist Gary Holt is once again replacing Hanneman on the currently ongoing South American leg of the World Painted Blood tour.
Cannibal Corpse guitarist Pat O'Brien will be filling in for Exodus guitarist Gary Holt who was filling in for Slayer guitarist Jeff Hanneman who is recovering from an emergency surgery on his right arm after contracting necrotizing fasciitis (commonly known as flesh-eating disease), possibly caused by a spider bite. Got all that?
The Slayer camp released the following message: "Cannibal Corpse guitarist Pat O'Brien will fill in for Exodus' Gary Holt when Holt leaves the Slayer European tour to play with his own band Exodus at the Estadio Nacional in Santiago, Chile on April 4. Holt has been filling in for Slayer guitarist Jeff Hanneman since the tour kicked off February 26 in Australia.
Get ready for hell on earth, because for the first time since they tour together on Ozzfest 1999, Rob Zombie and Slayer are teaming up to hit the road, bringing a glorious purgatory to fans in 12 North American cities.
Both Zombie and Slayer will present their full headline sets at every show, and both bands will close shows over the course of the tour. San Francisco's thrash-metal band Exodus has been confirmed to open all shows.
Said Slayer's Kerry King: "We haven't toured with Zombie since Ozzfest 1999, so you can expect no less than 'hell on earth'. Total sonic annihilation and a visual bludgeoning. Bring your own body bag..."
"Total destruction on stage and off is what this combination promises," states Zombie, "Seriously, how much more Hell could you ask for? The answer is none more Hell."
Massive Music and Live Nation are glad to inform that Polish death metal veterans Vader have been confirmed as the special support act on the Polish date of the European Carnage Tour 2011 featuring Slayer and Megadeth.
The show will be held on April 11th at the Atlas Arena in Łódź.
Slayer frontman Tom Araya has been hospitalized in Sydney, forcing the band to cancel tonight's set at Soundwave Festival.
No details about Araya's injury or illness have been released, but the decision to cancel was made just moments before the band was due to hit the stage at the Sydney Showgrounds tonight, February 27th.
Just before 6pm, festival promoter AJ Maddah tweeted: "Tom Araya has been taken to hospital. Slayer set looking unlikely today " but within five minutes "unlikely" had been upgraded to a confirmation of the band's cancellation with Maddah confirming that Araya will be kept in hospital overnight, forcing the cancelation of the band's set.
Last weekend, we brought you the news that Slayer guitarist Jeff Hanneman is recovering from an emergency surgery on his right arm after contracting necrotizing fasciitis (commonly known as flesh-eating disease), possibly caused by a spider bite.
The injury will keep the guitarist sidelined from the band's upcoming live shows in the Australian Soundwave Festival tour, that is set to kick off on February 26.
None other than Exodus guitarist Gary Holt has now stepped in to replace Hanneman on this tour.
Jeff Hanneman, guitarist and founding member of Slayer, was hospitalized late last month where he underwent emergency surgery on his right arm after contracting a serious infection, according to his band mates Kerry King, Tom Araya and Dave Lombardo.
While Hanneman's doctors were not able to definitively identify the infection's origin, they diagnosed necrotizing fasciitis (commonly known as flesh-eating disease), and indicated it likely was rooted in a spider bite. The guitarist is now recuperating at home, has already begun the process of subsequent medical procedures including skin grafts, and is expected to make a full recovery.
In light of this situation and Slayer's upcoming participation in the Australian Soundwave Festival tour that is set to kick off on February 26, the band has made the tough decision to play the dates without Hanneman, and will bring on a guest guitarist to fill in for him until such time as he has fully recovered and is ready to return to the line-up. The band will announce details about the guest guitarist shortly.
Slayer and Megadeth will team up once again for their European Carnage Tour 2011 taking place in March and April. The list of confirmed tour dates looks as follows:
Mar. 13 - Kiev, Ukraine - Expo
Mar. 15 - Moscow, Russia - Olimpiski
Mar. 16 - St Petersburg, Russia - Jubileeny
Mar. 17 - Helsinki, Finland - Ice Hall
Mar. 19 - Stockholm, Sweden - Arenan
Mar. 20 - Oslo, Norway - Sentrum Scene
Mar. 21 - Aarhus, Denmark - SCC
Mar. 23 - Brussels, Belgium - Forest
Mar. 24 - Bamberg, Germany - Stechert Arena
Mar. 26 - Paris, France - Zenith
Mar. 28 - Madrid, Spain - La Riviera
Mar. 29 - La Coruna, Spain - Coliseum
Mar. 30 - Lisbon, Portugal - Pavilhao Atlantico
Apr. 01 - Barcelona, Spain - St Jordi Club
" but within five minutes "unlikely" had been upgraded to a confirmation of the band's cancellation with Maddah confirming that Araya will be kept in hospital overnight, forcing the cancelation of the band's set.
