2014 is definitely looking much brighter than last year for the mightiest of all gods – SLAYER. Flash back to this time last year and the world was just days away from hearing the news that founding guitarist and chief songwriter, Jeff Hanneman had passed. After years battling a flesh eating virus, Jeff finally succumbed to his hidden battle with alcohol leaving the recording and touring of the band in immediate doubt. To top things off, Dave Lombardo – Slayer’s long time suffering drummer had been unceremoniously kicked out just weeks before and his permanent replacement (Paul Bostaph) was still to be announced. No founding drummer, no chief songwriter – a sad time for Slayer and their fans.
A month later Slayer took to the stage in The Academy, Dublin for the first of three Irish shows and all worries about the bands stability went out the window. They rampaged through two blinding sets in Dublin before heading to Belfast and doing it all over again. The band looked and sounded great, with Jeff’s replacement (GARY ‘THE LEGEND’ HOLT!) filling the part like a pro and Paul easily slipping back into his old chair behind the iconic Tom and Kerry. The band made little reference to Jeff’s passing, but rumours circulated that Slayer were now at an end in recording terms. Thankfully that turned out to be bullshit as they’ve just surprised the world with a brand new tune – ‘Implode’. Not a bad song at all and one that’s currently monopolizing the TT cans. Scroll down further and give it many, many spins. (You can also download it for free from Slayer.net)
TO TOP IT OFF – tickets for Slayer’s recently announced three Irish shows go on sale tomorrow morning. This time they’re hitting Belfast twice on June 29th and 30th and Dublin’s Academy on July 1st. With new material, some time between Jeff’s passing and the dismissal of Dave – things are finally in motion to move into a new era for Slayer. If ‘Implode’ is anything to go by, we have nothing to worry about. The future is blood, the future is SLAYER!
AND – to all those giving out that Slayer shouldn’t do anything without Jeff and Dave- shit up your face. A band that’s been together that long are like a family. It’s everything and you seriously expect Tom and Kerry to give up their entire lives, after three decades together because some of their family have moved on or they’ve had a falling out with someone? Life stinks, shit happens – you move on. That’s how it is so deal with it.
SLAYER!
Slayer Irish Tour Dates 2014
- June 29th: The Limelight, Belfast
- June 30th: The Limelight, Belfast
- July 1st: The Academy, Dublin
Tickets on sale tomorrow morning from Ticketmaster.ie and all usual outlets.
'Ticket's There' - Irish and International Music Blog 