Slayer was formed in 1981 by Kerry King, Jeff Hanneman, Dave Lombardo, and Tom Araya. It is considered one of the most influential ‘big four’ bands of thrash metal history among Metallica, Megadeth, and Anthrax. However, they seem to attract more attention with the disturbing imagery used in their songs and videos. The band is generally associated with Satanism because they explore themes like murder, torture, crime, terrorism, war, prison, and genocide.
They have received a lot of harsh criticism and were once sued in 1995 for inspiring the satanic rituals which resulted in the death of a young girl. The lawsuit was dropped because the judge found the band innocent. Slayer members have stated multiple times that they are not practicing Satanism regardless of their lyrics.
Their success cannot be denied, even though they have caused a lot of controversy in society. Their 1986 album ‘Reign in Blood’ was described as one of the most influential thrash metal albums of all time. The band has won two Grammy Awards, one in 2007 for their song ‘Eyes of the Insane,’ another one the following year for ‘Final Six’ and was nominated for five more.
Why Did Slayer Retire?
There wasn’t any drama involved which forced Slayer to disband in 2019. The band had been producing music and touring for 40 years, and the members just started feeling tired. Their breakup was not sudden. They planned a whole farewell tour that lasted from May 2018 until November 2019 and then went on their separate ways.
Their fans are still waiting for the band to reunite someday and perform again because they were sad to see one of the most influential metal bands leave the stage forever. Even though it has been two years since the breakup, in 2019, the band’s manager, Rick Sales, stated that it is not the end of the band; it is just an end of touring.
Here is what he said about the band’s reunion:
“There are a couple of things that go on. I totally get that they made a decision to stop touring. That doesn’t mean the end of the band. It’s just the end of touring. I always thought of it as ‘you go out on top.’ They made that decision. They’re not milking it. From that standpoint, I get it and they made the right choice.”
He also mentioned that he feels honored to be included in the band’s adventures throughout the years. Sales added that they have already achieved so much by being around for so long, as not all bands survive for 40 years.
This is how he showed his gratitude:
“I’m really lucky to work with guys who are my friends. Nobody’s done what they’ve done, and the team’s been together a long time. The agents. The publicists. Several of the crew members have been with the team for a long time. Not many groups have lasted this long. For me, it’s bittersweet, but I’m honored to be involved.“
Many bands have broken up or disbanded but then reunited for the sake of music, and picked up where they left off. Among those bands were the legendary Led Zeppelin, Blondie, Fall out Boys, Guns N’ Roses, and Sex Pistols.
