LOS ANGELES, CA (Tuesday, March 4, 2025) — Today, Slayer - Tom Araya/bass, Kerry King/ guitar, Paul Bostaph/drums, and guitarist Gary Holt - announces headline performances confirmed for the U.S., Canada, and the UK, marking the band's first UK and Canadian concerts in six years. The UK and Canadian dates will see Slayer headlining at some of the countries' biggest venues, including the 35,000-capacity Blackweir Fields in Cardiff, London’s 45,000-capacity Finsbury Park, and the 100,000 capacity Festival d'été de Québec in Canada.
In addition to the band’s international headline dates, Slayer will help celebrate Black Sabbath's incredible career at Sabbath's sold-out “Back to the Beginning” final concert, set for July 5 at Villa Park in Birmingham, England. The “Back to the Beginning” concert will mark only the third time Slayer has shared a stage with Black Sabbath, following Ozzfest in 1998 and in 2004.
“I am a Sabbath fan, and doing this show is an honor,” said Slayer’s Tom Araya. "I was hanging out with my brother and his friends during my junior year in high school, and we would play Sabbath all the time, so I am a big fan. Black Sabbath were the originators, people call them ’the godfathers of metal music.’ I think it’s going to be an amazing experience, from the beginning to the end. I’m really, really honored to be a part of this, it’s going to be great.”
“I remember when we played with Black Sabbath at Ozzfest in 2004,” added Kerry King. "It was when Rob Halford came back to Judas Priest and we were third on the bill. You couldn’t give me a better bill, I’ll never forget that. As it stands now, Slayer plays a handful of gigs a year. But that’s how important this Sabbath date is, and it’s great we will get to play a longer set for our fans in Cardiff and London on this visit too. Being on the Sabbath bill means the world to me, because these are my uber-heroes. And to know that their camp thinks enough of us to offer us a spot is flattering and humbling.”
The confirmed Slayer 2025 concert dates are as follows:
JULY
3 Blackweir Fields, Cardiff, Wales, UK
Line-Up: Slayer, with Special Guests Amon Amarth , Anthrax, Mastodon, Hatebreed and Neckbreakker
5 Villa Park, Birmingham, UK • Back to the Beginning w/ Black Sabbath
6 Finsbury Park, London
Line Up: Slayer, with Special Guests Amon Amarth , Anthrax, Mastodon, Anthrax, and Neckbreakker
11 Quebec Festival d'été de Québec City, Quebec
Direct Support: Mastodon
SEPTEMBER
18 Louder Than Life @ Highland Festival Grounds, Louisville, KY
ABOUT SLAYER (2025)
For more than four decades, Slayer's onslaught has proved the band to be the supreme thrash-metal band on the planet, the band that other heavy acts are still measured against and aspire to. Their membership in "The Big Four" - Metallica, Slayer, Megadeth and Anthrax - the four bands that defined the thrash/metal genre - secures their place in music history.
The five-time nominated, two-time Grammy winners have also accumulated an abundance of certified Gold Albums along with "Best..." awards from media outlets all over the world, including Kerrang!, SPIN, Metal Hammer, Revolver, and Esquire. Throughout Slayer's history, the band never faltered in unleashing its extreme and focused sonic assault, and, unlike many of its contemporaries who commercialized their sound, Slayer remained crushing and brutal, steadfastly refusing to cater to the mainstream. Slayer's founding member, guitarist Jeff Hanneman passed in 2013, and Exodus guitarist Gary Holt has been filling that spot since. Paul Bostaph, who was Slayer's drummer from '94 - '01, rejoined bassist/vocalist Tom Araya and guitarist Kerry King in 2013, and remains back behind the kit.
In January 2018, Slayer announced they were calling it a day and would be doing one final world tour to thank its fans for their support over the years. Launched on May 10, 2018, by the time the 18-month tour wrapped on November 30, 2019, Slayer had played 148 shows, performing in 34 countries and 146 cities around the world, and in 40 U.S. states. In September, 2024, Slayer surprised fans with the news that they would headline three, major summer U.S. festivals - Riot Fest, Louder Than Life, and Aftershock. While Slayer has no plans to do any extensive touring, the band likely will continue to play some one-off shows, such as the up-coming Black Sabbath concert in the UK, a handful of headline UK dates, and select major festivals. All Hail Slayer.
Take a digital deep dive into Slayer’s 40+ years via “Slaytanic Verses,” the band’s online museum - https://www.slayer.net/
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