Slayer To Reunite For A Couple Of Shows; Possibly More?

Slayer have officially reunited and announced their first shows, which will take place later this year at Riot Fest and Louder Than Life Festival. Slayer played their final show at The Forum in Inglewood, Calif. on Nov. 30, 2019, but they’re officially back, and Tom Araya, Kerry King, Paul Bostaph and Gary Holt make up the lineup. Riot Fest is set to take place in Chicago, Ill. from Sept. 20 through the 22, and it will mark Slayer’s return to the stage after nearly five years.

The thrash legends also one of four headliners set to perform at Louder Than Life, which will take place over four days from Sept. 26 through the 29 at the Highland Festival Grounds at the Kentucky Exposition Center in Louisville, Kentucky. Slipknot, Motley Crue and Korn are the other three headliners for the event. So far, these are the only Slayer performances that have been announced, so it’s unclear whether they’re going to tour or release new music again. Their last album, Repentless, came out in 2015. King  recently announced his new solo band and his first album, and also shared that he hadn’t spoken to Araya since their final show in 2019. However, it seems that has changed.

Slayer has had issues with drummers in the past, having gone through 3 during their tenure starting off with original drummer Dave Lombardo leaving the band twice due to issues with finances and later due to wanting to be with family, the second time being in 1992.  He was replaced with Paul Bostaph who himself left in 2001. Slayer asked Dave if he wanted to play a few gigs with them, which led to him joining full time and stayed till he as fired in 2013. Once again he was replaced by Paul. Also they lost founding member guitarist Jeff Hannemann in 2011.

In early 2011, Hanneman contracted necrotizing fasciitis on one of his arms, which was reported to be due to a spider bite while he was in a hot tub of a friend. He had surgery which led to a few weeks recovery but then Hanneman died of liver failure on May 2, 2013, in a Southern California hospital near his home. The official cause of death was announced as alcohol-related cirrhosis. For a while the band did not know if their fanbase would approve a change but eventually Exodus guitarist Gary Holt, who had filled in for Jeff when he was ill, was announced as a full time member. Repentless, the band’s twelfth studio album, and so far final abum, was released on September 11, 2015.

Despite the long farewell world wide tour, and most fans feeling like it was the last we would see of the band, we now get this announcement. Since the end of the tour Tom Araya has stayed out of the spotlight, not attending events or giving interviews. Recently Kerry King had announced his solo album and band, so this comes a s surprise.

FC Porto 1 Arsenal 0

Arsenal were stunned as Galeno scored in stoppage time to give Porto the advantage from the first leg of their Champions League last-16 tie. The Brazilian winger took a few touches to set himself before curling a wonderful finish into the net, past the despairing full-stretch dive of David Raya. Sergio Conceicao’s home side should have been ahead at the break after Galeno hit a shot off the post and somehow put the rebound wide. That was a huge let-off for Arsenal, but Galeno made no mistake in the fourth added minute at the end of the game. Nico Gonzalez’s powerful strike had earlier sailed over the bar as the home side tried to open the scoring in the first half. The Gunners dominated possession but failed to have a single shot on target in the match, with William Saliba and Kai Havertz heading wide from corners.

The second leg will take place at Emirates Stadium on 12 March, when Arsenal will aim to reach the quarter-finals for the first time since 2009-10. Arsenal had plenty of set-piece opportunities but lacked a precise finish. From one of those situations, a corner from Declan Rice was met on the volley by Leandro Trossard who blazed over the bar. In their first Champions League knockout tie since 2017, Arsenal looked nervy and failed to show the dazzling form that has brought them 21 goals in their opening five Premier League games of the calendar year. For only the second time on record (since 2003-04) the Gunners did not have a shot on target in a Champions League game, previously failing in such a way at Barcelona in the last 16 in March 2011.

Bukayo Saka was kept quiet by the Porto defence while Havertz put his headed chance off target as clear-cut openings were few and far between. Mikel Arteta’s side were seemingly holding on for a draw but switched off right at the end and were duly punished by the brilliance of Galeno. Porto sit third in the Liga Portugal, seven points behind Benfica and Sporting Lisbon, but they were always in control against Arsenal, who have yet to win at the Estadio do Dragao in four attempts, drawing once and now losing on three occasions. The Gunners have won the first leg of just one of their last 12 two-legged knockout ties in the competition (D2, L9), losing each of the last seven first-leg matches. Arsenal will need a much-improved performance in London next month if they are to ensure it is not eight successive last-16 eliminations from Europe’s top-tier competition.