Author DX Ferris has argued that Jeff Hanneman, not Kerry King, was the driving creative force behind Slayer’s success. He shared his analysis in an interview with The Booked On Rock Podcast.
Ferris wrote “Slayer 66 2/3: A Metal Band Biography.” He based his assessment on extensive fan surveys and musical analysis of the band’s work.
“The real star of the line-up, the MVP, the one that… part of what I do in the book is I take a lot of fan surveys, so I’m not just saying this is what I think, I’m saying this is what fans think in general,” Ferris said. “I think it was something like 60% of fans said that the MVP from the classic lineup was the late great Jeff Hanneman.”
The author elaborated on how Hanneman’s absence would have fundamentally changed the band’s trajectory.
“Without Jeff, I think Slayer winds up being…I mean, Kerry King would have been successful doing absolutely anything he wanted to do,” he continued. “If he’d have been a parts inspector or just a metal guitarist.”
Ferris highlighted Hanneman’s unique songwriting contributions and musical leadership within the band.
“But Jeff really gave it an edge and brought it to a whole new, different place,” he said. “He wrote hardcore-influenced songs, but he also wrote a lot of mythic songs, big metal stuff. On one of their signature albums, I just figured this out, on ‘Seasons in the Abyss’, when the band solos, Jeff leads off 7 out of 10 times on that record. So, he very much set the tone for Slayer.”
Ferris’s assessment aligns with the broader recognition of Hanneman’s pivotal role in shaping Slayer’s distinctive sound. It also establishes the band as thrash metal pioneers.
Hanneman was born in Oakland, California in 1964. His musical genius extended far beyond his guitar playing abilities. Metal Injection reported that Hanneman was responsible for creating some of the most memorable and influential riffs in metal history. This included the iconic “Raining Blood” intro that showcased his atonal and aggressive playing style that became Slayer’s hallmark.
Hanneman’s technical approach to guitar playing was equally distinctive and influential. Ground Guitar documented that throughout his 30 years in Slayer, Hanneman developed his recognizable, uncompromising riffing and guitar sound. He often used his customized ESP guitars decorated with unique inlays and symbols that reflected his intense persona and style.
The guitarist’s impact on the metal genre extended well beyond Slayer’s own success. Metal Crypt noted that Hanneman’s work not only drove Slayer’s musical innovation but also inspired other metal and hardcore bands to elevate their intensity and creativity. This established him as a foundational figure in extreme metal.
Hanneman’s songwriting contributions were particularly crucial to Slayer’s evolution from a local Los Angeles band to global metal icons. His ability to blend hardcore punk influences with traditional heavy metal elements created the aggressive, fast-paced sound that would define thrash metal for generations of musicians and fans.
Jeff Hanneman passed away in 2013. He left behind a legacy as one of metal’s most influential guitarists and songwriters.
