R.I.P Metal God

Day 1,991, 01:51 • Published in Serbia Finland • by Blut Engel

Founding member of pioneering thrash metal band dies of liver failure

Just over two years after contracting a rare skin tissue disease, Slayer guitarist and songwriter Jeff Hanneman died on Thursday from liver failure at Hemet Valley Medical Center, near his home in Southern California's Inland Empire area.

Slayer made the news public on Thursday afternoon, announcing that the band "is devastated" and calling Hanneman, who was 49, their bandmate and brother. Twitter quickly filled with messages from fans and fellow musicians, many of whom were in Los Angeles for the 5th Annual Revolver Golden Gods Awards show at Club Nokia. Disturbed/Device frontman David Draiman was among the very first, posting "RIP TO A TITAN OF METAL," while drummer Mike Portnoy wrote, "WOW...I'm in shock...RIP Jeff Hanneman."

Dave Mustaine, frontman of Megadeth, tweete😛 "Tonight one less star will be shining and sadly, the stage got just a little bit darker. Jeff Hanneman 1964-2013."


Born in Oakland, Calif., and a devoted Raiders fan, Hanneman was raised primarily in Long Beach and became fascinated with wars and military campaigns -- themes he'd bring to Slayer's music -- via his father, a World War II veteran, and brothers who served in Vietnam. He met King in 1981 and decided to form their own band, mixing heavy metal and punk influences and signing with Metal Blade Records for Slayer's first two albums, "Show No Mercy" in 1983 and "Hell Awaits" in 1985. The group made an eyebrow-raising move to the hip-hop label Def Jam in 1986 for the covers album "Undisputed Attitude and the classic "Reign in Blood."