After 38 years of making music, Slayer ended their career with a final performance in 2019. In the years following the event, the band’s guitarist, Kerry King, expressed regret over the decision.
Slayer didn’t give a clear reason for breaking up, but hints showed that the decision came upon Tom Araya’s wish to step away from the life of touring, as he had a neck injury in 2010 that made it hard for him to move and often mentioned wanting to retire because of it.
So, the band said goodbye to the fans with a world tour in 2018 and took the stage one last time at The Forum in California, US, shortly before the break of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Was The Timing Right?
Some people thought Slayer ended at the right time, just before the pandemic hit the music industry. But King disagreed by saying they retired way too early.
The guitarist shared how he felt about the breakup in a 2021 video while paying tribute to Machine Head on their 30th anniversary. He said:
“So, I hear congratulations are in order for my friends in Machine Head. Apparently, it’s 30 years, which is quite an achievement. Not a lot of bands get there. We did … and then we quit too early. F**k us. F**k me. I hate f**king not playing.”
Despite King’s words, he and his former bandmates didn’t reveal any plans to get back together. The guitarist’s wife, Ayesha King, even made it clear to the Slayer bands that there was ‘not a chance in hell’ for the band to reunite.
Kerry King is now working on a new band with ex-Slayer drummer Paul Bostaph. They plan to release an album in 2024, which Bostaph described as sounding ‘like Slayer without it being Slayer.’
