Slayer Tour
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Slayer 2018 Final Tour Opening Bands: Lamb of God, Anthrax, Behemoth & Testament
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Frequently Asked Questions
What songs will Slayer play in concert?
Metal bands are not often known for changing up their setlist from one evening to the next. Slayer sticks to a single setlist, but considering how excellently paced and versatile it is throughout their catalog, there should be few complaints. For this tour, Slayer seems to have hand-selected the five to six albums they are sticking to, for they play anywhere between 2-5 songs from this small, seemingly intentionally refined list of releases. This is fine by most fans, for the Slayer catalog is not perfect.
The most fully represented album is their mid-80’s opus, Reign in Blood. The record is represented by the unreal “Altar of Sacrifice” as well as the dark and intense “Jesus Saves.” The group plays their most famous masterful epic, “Raining Blood,” towards the end of the setlist to a massive response.
Other records represented are Haunting the Chapel and Hell Awaits. The latter is one of their very first records, and it is represented by the thrash epic, “At Dawn They Sleep.” Also rounding out this record is a performance of “Necrophiliac.”
For the first time in a long time, the group’s early 80’s debut, Show No Mercy, is represented by a choice three songs. The first is “Black magic,” which borrows heavily from the metal/punk movement of that era. Other tracks include “The Antichrist” which sets forward Slayer’s religious themes early in the show, and “Die By the Sword” which is borderline power metal in its lyrics and huge swirling guitar work.
The metal titans stay away from their more recent material, including their last release, World Painted Blood, from 2009.
Hell Awaits
The Antichrist
Necrophiliac
Mandatory Suicide
Captor of Sin
War Ensemble
Postmortem
Altar of Sacrifice
Jesus Saves
At Dawn They Sleep
Die by the Sword
Hallowed Point
Seasons in the Abyss
Chemical Warfare
Dead Skin Mask
Raining Blood
Black Magic
South of Heaven
Angel of Death
How long is a Slayer concert?
Slayer often plays upwards of two hours or more, but this tour features two very notable opening bands that have long careers themselves. This, or perhaps age, keeps the Slayer setlist a bit shorter than usual leaving a thrilling 90-100 minutes of solid, Slayer performance.
Who is opening the show?
The first supporting act is Exodus who has been releasing material alongside Slayer since the mid-80’s. They are currently promoting Exhibit B: The Human Condition from 2010, but Exodus is pulling out a few new tracks for an upcoming record expected for release in fall 2014.
The next band is Suicidal Tendencies. The group actually predates Slayer by a few years and this is the first time Slayer and Suicidal Tendencies have shared the stage. The group is touring on behalf of their 13th studio album, released in 2013 and aptly titled 13.
How do I get access to presale tickets for Slayer’s tour?
Slayer has an incredibly successful fan club that connects the band with millions of fans. The fan club offers everything from VIP packages to physical goods and being a member gets you access to special presales. The band also randomly upgrades certain presale tickets after fans buy them. This may also include early access privileges and soundcheck access before the show. Review the official Slayer website for information on presales.
You can also go through Presale Passwords Info for presale access. It may be quicker and more affordable, for the most part, but it lacks any of those nice fan club features. Furthermore, fans need an account with them for purchase.
Who is Slayer’s publicist and press contact?
Heidi Ellen Robinson Fitzgerald of HERfitz PR, is Slayer’s long time publicist. Contact Heidi by phone at, 818-705-1267 or email herfitz@mac.com.
Concert Reviews
“Talking about the concert itself and the band, and I know it doesn’t matter what or how I say it here, I’ll never be able to describe in words the perfection of the show. I’ve seen Slayer live a lot of times (how the hell am I still alive?), and they’ve never disappointed me. Slayer always delivers a brutally awesome performance on stage, no matter where they are.” – Headbanging Moose
“As the curtain dropped, the mayhem commenced as Slayer fans chanted Slayer and the mosh pits began. The band started out with fan favorite song “World Painted Blood.” Guitar virtuoso Kerry King ruled the night, as he unleashed the dark brutal spartan riffs that dominant Slayers signature sound. Slayer featured Kerry King on guitar, Tom Araya on vocals and bass, drummer Paul Bostaph, and guitarist Gary Holt.” – Deb Rao of Hard Rock Haven
“The majority of the pyro came from the flaming Slayer sign overhead and two huge crosses spewing fire set up behind the band. There was also a pipe raised a few feet off of the stage that emitted a low flame for the duration of the set. So the stage looked cool.” – Jim Ryan of Chicago Now
Tour Archive
Slayer 2013
Tour Opening Acts: 4ARM, Gojira
Started October 25, 2013 in Las Vegas, Nevada | Ended November 30, 2013 in Lowell, Massachusetts
Mayhem Festival 2012
Tour Opening Acts: Motorhead, Anthrax, As I Lay Dying, Asking Alexandria, Slipknot
Started June 30, 2012 in San Bernardino, California | Ended August 5, 2012 in Hartford, Connecticut
Slayer World Tour 2011
Tour Opening Acts: Anthrax, Megadeth
Started April 23, 2011 in Indio, California | Ended November 6, 2011 in Austin, Texas
Slayer American Carnage 2010
Tour Opening Acts: Megadeth, Testament
Started May 19, 2010 in Hollywood, California | Ended October 21, 2010 in Universal City, California
Mayhem Festival 2009
Tour Opening Acts: Marilyn Manson, Killswitch Engage, Trivium, All That Remains
Started June 22, 2009 in Spokane, Washington | Ended August 16, 2009 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Slayer 2007
Tour Opening Acts: Children of Bodom, Marilyn Manson
Started January 19, 2007 in Los Angeles, California | Ended September 1, 2007 in Selma, Texas
Slayer Unholy Alliance 2006
Tour Opening Acts: Lamb of God, Mastodon
Started June 15, 2006 in Camden, New Jersey | Ended July 26, 2006 in Denver, Colorado