Slayer has long been at work in the studio but the iconic metal band finally released an official drop date for Repentless, the band's first album of new material in more than six years. The group released a teaser video for the album, which declares that it will hit shelves on September 11, exactly 14 years after the release of its God Hates Us All.
This has marked the longest stretch between albums in the history of the band, and that's understandable. Guitarist and founding member Jeff Hanneman died of cirrhosis during 2013, shortly after the band fired original drummer Dave Lombardo. Although the drummer had been absent from much of the band's work during the '90s, Repentless will be the first album not to feature Hanneman. The band hit the studio with Paul Bostaph and Gary Holt—Bostaph has been with the band for almost the entire time that Lombardo hasn't, and Holt (the songwriter behind fellow thrashers Exodus) has toured with the band since the time when Hanneman's health issues first prevented him from touring.
Fellow guitarist Kerry King noted to Rolling Stone that the title track on the album will be dedicated to Hanneman.
"The first song is called 'Repentless' and that one's pretty much... I call it the Hannemanthem." he said. "I wrote that for Jeff. Oh, dude, it's fast as f*ck. You don't know what the f*ck's coming."
He also noted that Slayer fans have heard some of the songs before live or on limited releases but that the recycled material has been rerecorded for the new album. You'll presumably be able to hear some of the new stuff if you check out Slayer as part of this year's touring Mayhem Festival, where the thrash icons will be headlining with King Diamond.
