In a revealing new interview, Kerry King shed light on the final days of Slayer and the quiet tension that marked the band’s retirement. Speaking with Nick Bowcott of Sweetwater, the legendary guitarist recounted how frontman Tom Araya hesitated to publicly announce his decision to retire, creating uncertainty behind the scenes as the band edged closer to its 2019 farewell.
According to King, he had known about Araya’s intentions roughly six months before they became public knowledge, but the singer was reluctant to break the news—even to their bandmates. “Tom was just dragging his feet to tell people,” King said. “We had this photo session coming up. I said, ‘Listen, this isn’t an argument.’ But I said, ‘You’ve got to tell these guys, and if you don’t tell them, I’m not coming to the photoshoot, because what are we taking photos of, if nobody knows what’s happening?’”
Eventually, Araya did share the news with the rest of the band. But by that time, King had already begun laying the groundwork for what would become his solo career. “When he finally told ’em, I told Paul [Bostaph, drummer] on the spot, ‘I’ve got something for you. I’m not finishing; I’ve got tons of stuff. I’ve got plenty of records’ worth of stuff we could put out.’ I mentioned that to Gary [Holt, guitarist] too.”
In a recent interview with Rolling Stone Brasil, King explained his decision not to include Holt in his new band. Despite their long-standing friendship and strong musical chemistry, King was concerned that bringing Holt on board would invite criticism, with detractors accusing him of leaning too heavily on his Slayer legacy.
Slayer’s retirement was a contentious moment for King—one that he’s spoken candidly about in the past. In a 2023 interview, the guitarist admitted he felt “anger” over the decision, calling it “premature” and noting that many of his musical idols were still performing into their later years. For King, Slayer still had fuel in the tank.
“Gary’s my friend, I brought it up to Holt,” King admitted. “But, as time went by, and I had time to think about it, I thought the more pieces I had from the SLAYER puzzle, it would give people more ammunition to talk s**t about me.”
Ironically, as King’s solo project took shape and eventually burst back onto the metal scene with force, Slayer announced a brief return from retirement, adding a curious twist to the timeline. Still, for King, the new band represents both continuity and rebirth—a chance to explore the music he never stopped writing, even as the band that made him a household name prepared to bow out.
