The recently reunited metal band announced their breakup in 2019.
Slayer played their first live show in five years over the weekend, returning to their best form at Riot Fest in Chicago. The heavy metal band's last gig was at the Forum in Los Angeles on November 30, 2019, as part of their farewell tour.
In February, two weeks after guitarist Kerry King said a reunion was unlikely, the metal legends announced they would return this fall for two festival headliners. Riot Fest marked the official reunion of the quartet—guitarist/vocalist Tom Araya, bassists Kerry King and Gary Holt, and drummer Paul Bostaph—who will also play at Louder Than Life in Louisville on Sept. 27.
During their performance at Riot Fest, Slayer performed 21 songs, including favorites like “Raining Blood,” “Angel Of Death,” and “South Of Heaven.”
“Nothing compares to the 90 minutes we get to play on stage and share that intense energy with our fans, and to be honest, we’ve missed it,” guitarist and vocalist Tom Araya said in a statement about the reunion, while King added: “Do you miss playing live? Absolutely. Slayer means a lot to our fans; they mean a lot to us. It’s been five years since we’ve seen them.”
News of a Slayer reunion came shortly after King – who is about to release his solo album – said: Rolling Stone He did not expect the group to get back together in the foreseeable future.
“Will Slayer ever tour again? I’m pretty sure that’s not going to happen. Could Slayer ever do another concert? I’m sure there’s a scenario,” King said, adding that he hasn’t spoken to Araya since the last concert. “Am I looking for that? No, I’m just getting ready to start my career. So if it happens, it happens. But I’m going to do it for at least the next 10 years.”
