Slayer

Slayer is an American thrash metal group, founded in Huntington Park (not Huntington Beach as has often been reported), California in 1982 by Tom Araya (bass guitar, vocals), Kerry King and Jeff Hanneman (guitars) and Dave Lombardo (drums). Lombardo has been in and out of the group several times, but the others have remained constant. Hanneman and King are the group's main songwriters.

Related Topics:
American - Thrash metal - Huntington Park - Huntington Beach - California - 1982 - Tom Araya - Kerry King - Jeff Hanneman - Dave Lombardo

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Slayer (along with Metallica, Anthrax, Megadeth and others) are often credited with creating American thrash metal, by speeding up the sound of New Wave Of British Heavy Metal bands like Iron Maiden, Judas Priest and Venom. Slayer were great fans of hardcore punk, influenced by the likes of Minor Threat, Dead Kennedys and The Misfits, and borrowed some of that music's emphasis on extremely fast tempos in many of their songs.

Related Topics:
Metallica - Anthrax - Megadeth - Thrash metal - New Wave Of British Heavy Metal - Iron Maiden - Judas Priest - Venom - Hardcore punk - Minor Threat - Dead Kennedys - The Misfits - Tempo

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Slayer have found moderate commercial success, and are known for their devoted cult following. Their lyrics and album art content (such as violence, serial killers, warfare and Satan) have occasionally generated strong criticism. The band has also been accused of holding Nazi sympathies, primarily due to the misunderstanding of the lyrics of the song "Angel of Death" from the Reign in Blood album. The lyrics were inspired by the grisly acts of Josef Mengele, the doctor who committed scientific atrocities on Jewish and gypsy prisoners during World War II, and who was dubbed the "Angel Of Death" by the concentration camp inmates.

Related Topics:
Violence - Serial killers - Warfare - Satan - Nazi sympathies - Angel of Death - Reign in Blood - Josef Mengele

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Though Araya has never used the low "grunt" vocal style usually associated with death metal, Slayer's music (most notably on the albums Hell Awaits (1985) and Reign in Blood (1986)) are generally regarded as having exerted a major influence on death metal and black metal. Moreover, Reign in Blood was the first of many albums to be produced by well-known and respected Def Jam Co-Founder, Rick Rubin.

Related Topics:
Low "grunt" - Hell Awaits - 1985 - Reign in Blood - 1986 - Death metal - Black metal - Def Jam - Rick Rubin

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The band is working on their long-awaited new full-length album that may be released sometime in 2006, according to a Slayer fan site. It is going to be the follow-up to 2001's God Hates Us All.

Related Topics:
2006 - 2001 - God Hates Us All

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