Slayer, formed in 1981 by guitarists Kerry King and Jeff Hanneman, was an American thrash metal band originally from Huntington Park, California. The bands’ lineup included Kerry King (guitars), Jeff Hanneman (guitars), Dave Lombardo (drums), and Tom Araya (bass and vocals).
Deemed one of the founding “big four” bands of thrash metal, alongside Metallica, Megadeth, and Anthrax, Slayer’s fast and aggressive musical style made them a power player in the thrash metal scene. Slayer’s final lineup was composed of King, Araya, Paul Bostaph (drums) and Gary Holt (guitar). Additionally, Jon Dette (drums) was also a member of the band.