Reunited Slayer Announce 2025 Headlining Gigs in U.S., Canada and U.K.
Reunited thrash metal icons Slayer announced a run of 2025 shows in the North America and Europe on Tuesday (March 4), with the gigs representing the band’s first U.K. and Canadian concerts in six years. As previously announced, the group — bassist/singer Tom Araya, guitarist Kerry King, drummer Paul Bostaph and guitarist Gary Holt — will also make an appearance at Ozzy Osbourne and Black Sabbath’s final show on July 5.
The run of shows will kick off on July 3 when Slayer hit the 35,000-capacity Blackweir Fields in Cardiff, Wales, with a line-up featuring support acts Amon Amarth, Anthrax, Mastodon, Hatebreed and Neckbreakker.
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Their next stop will be the Back to the Beginning show with Black Sabbath at Villa Park in the Osbourne-led group’s hometown of Birmingham, where Slayer will join a galaxy of stars saluting the pioneering metal band that will include: Metallica, Pantera, Gojira, Halestorm, Alice in Chains, Lamb of God, Anthrax, Mastodon and a supergroup featuring Billy Corgan (The Smashing Pumpkins), David Draiman (Disturbed), Duff McKagan & Slash (Guns ‘n Roses), Frank Bello (Anthrax), Fred Durst (Limp Bizkit), Jake E Lee, Jonathan Davis (Korn), KK Downing, Lzzy Hale (Halestorm), Mike Bordin (Faith No More), Rudy Sarzo, Sammy Hagar, Scott Ian (Anthrax), Sleep Token ii (Sleep Token), Papa V Perpetua (Ghost), Tom Morello (Rage Against The Machine), Wolfgang Van Halen and Zakk Wylde.
“I am a Sabbath fan, and doing this show is an honor,” said Araya in a statement. “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.”
King added, “I remember when we played with Black Sabbath at Ozzfest in 2004. 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.”
Following the Sabbath celebration, Slayer will move on to the 45,000-capacity Finsbury Park in London with the same roster of support acts before moving on to the Quebec Festival d’été in Québec City, Quebec with Mastodon on July 11. The final announced stop will be a Sept. 18 gig at the Louder Than Life festival in Louisville, KY, where they will share the stage with Rob Zombie, Lamb of God, Down, The Story So Far, Cannibal Corpse, Cavalera, Neck Deep, Exodus and Atreyu, among others.
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