Gary Holt recently addressed Slayer’s future plans regarding new music and touring. He clarified the band’s current stance in an interview with Ultimate Guitar.
The guitarist made it clear that fans should not expect any new material from the legendary thrash metal band.
“There’ll be no new music,” Holt said. “We have two shows booked this year, and we’re having fun when we do those couple of shows. The band has no intention of touring. I’m fully dedicated to Exodus, and Kerry and Paul are fully dedicated to the Kerry King band.”
Holt also reflected on the band’s recent performances and their approach to future shows.
“And Tom and all of us had a really good time, the first year we did this,” he continued. “We were really good. We worked really hard, too. And I think that was the main thing: ‘Are we not going to suck and are we going to enjoy it?’ And we did.”
The guitarist emphasized that any future Slayer activity will be decided on a year-by-year basis.
“So, I think it’s a year-to-year thing,” he explained. “We’ll see. We have two this year, and maybe next year there’ll be two more. Maybe there won’t be, I don’t know. It’s one of those things that is like, each year comes by and then wait and see.”
Holt’s comments come as Slayer continues their selective approach to live performances following their official farewell.
Blabbermouth reported that Slayer’s farewell tour officially concluded in November 2019. This marked what many believed would be the end of the legendary thrash metal band. However, the band surprised fans by returning for select festival appearances in 2024 and 2025.
The current lineup for these comeback shows maintains the same formation that performed during their farewell tour. Holt continues to fill the guitar position originally held by the late Jeff Hanneman. Eddie Trunk noted that their recent performances included festival sets at Louder Than Life, Finsbury Park, and Festival d’été de Québec in 2025.
Meanwhile, Kerry King has been pursuing his own musical endeavors outside of Slayer. Arrow Lords of Metal confirmed that King’s solo band released their debut album “From Hell I Rise” in 2024. This gives the guitarist a new creative outlet while Slayer remains largely inactive.
Looking ahead, Slayer has already confirmed at least one major appearance for 2026. Blabbermouth revealed that the band will celebrate the 40th anniversary of their iconic album “Reign in Blood” at the inaugural Sick New World Texas festival scheduled for October 2026. This demonstrates that while new music may be off the table, special commemorative performances remain a possibility.
