Slayer Back In Studio?

Slayer’s fans are extremely anxious and excited for the band’s new album as over the past few years, the record has suffered various setbacks. Jeff Hanneman’s untimely passing in 2011 was a massive blow to the metal community and left a lot of people to ponder the future of the band. Hanneman penned some of the most classic Slayer anthems like “Angel Of Death” and “South Of Heaven” and for over 30 years with other guitarist Kerry King, the pair helped define the landscape of thrash and heavy metal. The California legends are in the studio recording their 15th album, we think.

Hanneman’s last few years before his death were plagued with troubles, such as fighting off flesh-eating bacteria obtained from a venomous spider bite, and recovering from substance and alcohol abuse. It isn’t clear if or how much material the former Slayer guitarist will have featured on the new album. The recording process was interrupted here and there by Hanneman’s deteriorating condition. Kerry King recently updated the public about the songwriting process and had this to say about the new material and the absence of the fallen guitarist: “I’ve got assloads of songs. I mean, I’m more prepared than I’ve been before any record, working on this material for three years.”

He went on to discuss a bit more in detail about all the material and his opinion on writing in the style of Hanneman. “I’m sitting on 14 or 15 songs and I’ve got seven complete with lyrics already. I’m in great shape!” When referencing his late bandmate and the desire to write in Jeff’s style he said, “We both learned from each other in 30 years of writing together. As far as going out of my way to write something Jeff may have done? I won’t do that.”

The progress made on the new Slayer album in terms of recording is still unknown, but today a photo showing the back of Kerry King’s tattooed skull and in the background a console and tracking room of a recording studio has been uncovered. We think that the new album is fully underway now and  we’ll bring you details as soon as we get them. What do you think of a new Slayer record without Jeff Hanneman?

Photo:  Andrew Stuart