Slayer Announces North American Farewell Tour Dates with Anthrax, Others

Coming up on 37 years, iconic thrash metal band Slayer has announced it's ready to say goodbye to its rabid fanbase with one last world tour. 

The band revealed its North American itinerary Tuesday morning, and the lineup leaves little doubt that each show will be near-transcendent for fans of extreme metal.

Supporting the Slayer will be an unholy cabal of influential metal bands, including Anthrax, Testament, Lamb of God and Behemoth.  

Slayer has toured with each of the above bands before, but never all at the same time. It's basically a metal festival disguised as a Slayer tour.

There will definitely be blood...and sweat...and probably tears, too.

See Slayer's North American tour dates below. Go here for more information.

But if that lineup isn't enough to get your horn-hand itchy, Megadeth frontman Dave Mustaine says he wants a piece, too!

Mustaine took to Twitter yesterday, saying he hopes Slayer and Megadeth can play together again. He suggested "at least one more" Big 4 of thrash metal show, with Metallica and Anthrax. 

To not make it happen "just wouldn't be right," Mustaine said. "Anyone else with me?"

"The end of days is near," reads text at the beginning of Slayer's retirement announcement video, as promotional posters spanning the band's impressive 36-plus-year career flash across the screen. "Slayer to make its exit with one final world tour."

While Slayer's devoted fan base will certainly be disappointed at the news, not many in the heavy metal world are truly surprised. 

After co-founding guitarist Jeff Hanneman died of liver failure in 2013, many began to feel Slayer's days were numbered. 

The band's shows in the ensuing four years (with former Exodus guitarist Gary Holt in Hanneman's place) have often felt like tributes to the late guitarist, who wrote some of extreme metal's most genre-defining songs with Slayer.

Slayer bassist and frontman Tom Araya hinted often since Hanneman's death that he's been considering retirement, citing health issues of his own—including spinal problems—and his desire to spend more time with his family.

Araya told Loudwire in 2016, "At 35 years, it's time to collect my pension. (Laughs) This is a career move."

Guitarist Kerry King has said that he's interested in projects beyond Slayer that he hasn't been able to pursue because of the band. 

The band's most recent studio album was 2015's Repentless. It's not clear if Slayer is planning another studio album for the final tour.


Slayer North American Tour Dates 2018

May 10 - Valley View Casino Center, San Diego, CA

May 11 - FivePoint Amphitheatre, Irvine, CA

May 13 - Papa Murphy's Park at Cal Expo, Sacramento, CA

May 16 - PNE forum, Vancouver, BC

May 17 - South Okanagan Events Centre, Penticton, BC

May 19 - Big Four, Calgary, AL

May 20 - Shaw Centre, Edmonton, AB

May 22 - Bell MTS Place, Winnipeg, MB

May 24 - The Armory, Minneapolis, MN

May 25 - Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre, Chicago, IL

May 27 - Michigan Lottery Amphitheatre @ Freedom Hill, Detroit, MI

May 29 - Budweiser Stage, Toronto, ON

May 30 - Place Bell, Montreal, PQ

Jun. 01 - Mohegan Sun, Uncasville, CT

Jun. 02 - PNC Banks Arts Center, Holmdel, NJ

Jun. 04 - Santander Arena, Reading, PA

Jun. 06 - Riverbend Music Center, Cincinnati, OH

Jun. 07 - Blossom Music Center, Cleveland, OH

Jun. 09 - KeyBank Pavilion, Pittsburgh, PA

Jun. 10 - Jiffy Lube Live, Bristow, VA

Jun. 12 - VUHL Amphitheatre, Virginia Beach, VA

Jun. 14 - PNC Music Pavilion, Charlotte, NC

Jun. 15 - Orlando Amphitheatre, Orlando, FL

Jun. 17 - Smart Financial Center, Houston, TX

Jun. 19 - The Bomb Factory, Dallas, TX

Jun. 20 - Austin 360 Amphitheatre, Austin, TX



Photo: Getty Images


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