LEFT TO RIGHT: Tom Araya, Kerry King, Jeff Hanneman, Dave Lombardo
Today, Slaytanic Verses, the official Slayer online museum, unveils its latest collection: “Hell On Tour.” The new archive celebrates the 40th anniversary of “Hell Awaits” and revisits the 1985 world tour that carried the album across seven countries and sixty shows.
Built around the band’s original handwritten tour notebook, the “Hell On Tour” archive offers fans a rare, day-by-day account of Slayer’s early rise. The blue-cover notebook, kept by the band’s tour manager, details the four relentless weeks from March 15 to April 19, 1985, when “Hell Awaits” began its march on the world.
The collection also features exclusive, never-before-seen interviews with Tom Araya and Kerry King, reflecting on the chaos, intensity and significance of the “Hell Awaits” era in their own words.
Documenting travel routes, show details, and daily logistics, this archive captures the groundwork
of Slayer’s ascent, the moment the band began forging a global following through sheer force of sound and will.
See the collection HERE
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/
Photo credit: Neil Zlozower
About The Author
