Kerry King recently reflected on the Big Four’s evolution during a chat with Nikki Blakk. He discussed how Slayer and Metallica’s sound changed over the years, making the latter less thrash.
“No, because Metallica was more of a thrash band back then,” the guitarist said when asked if Slayer was ‘special’ in the early years of thrash metal. “Everybody was, really. Megadeth was thrashier. And obviously, Metallica went on a much more poppy trail than we did. They came back around.”
King mentioned that he still enjoyed Metallica’s newer material despite the shift in style and pointed out a specific song from 2016’s ‘Hardwired… to Self-Destruct.’
“They’ve had a couple pretty killer records — the last couple,” he shared. “And I get confused which one’s called what, but the one with ‘Spit Out the Bone.’ I love ‘Spit Out the Bone,’ killer f*cking song.”
When it came to thrash metal, the guitarist stressed that Slayer remained the most thrash among the Big Four though he added, “That didn’t make us better, or anything. We’re just different.”
Slayer’s last studio album, ‘Repentless,’ came out in 2015, four years before they decided to break up. Following the split, Kerry King began his solo career and released his debut record, ‘From Hell I Rise,’ in May 2024.
The band members made it clear in recent months that they would not reunite for a new studio album. But they came back together for upcoming festival dates in fall 2024.
Slayer will perform at Riot Fest on September 22, Louder Than Life on September 27, and Aftershock on October 10.