Kerry King, the guitarist and co-founder of thrash metal legends SLAYER, has made the most direct comments to date about a potential full SLAYER reunion in a new interview with Metal Hammer, stating that "2027 is very much on the table" and that conversations between the surviving members — himself, vocalist Tom Araya, and drummer Paul Bostaph (with late guitarist Jeff Hanneman being the irreplaceable absence) — are "more serious than anything we've had before."
SLAYER officially retired following their massive "Final Campaign" farewell tour, which concluded in November 2019 with an emotional headline set at the Forum in Los Angeles. The tour was one of the highest-grossing metal tours of that year, and the finality of the conclusion seemed absolute at the time. However, King's subsequent solo career — his debut album "From Hell I Rise" was released in 2024 to strong reviews — has apparently reinvigorated his enthusiasm for heavy music, and the positive response to the solo touring cycle has demonstrated that demand for King's brand of thrash metal remains enormous.
King was careful to temper expectations in the interview: "I'm not announcing anything. I am saying that if the right circumstances align — the right motivation, the right mutual agreement, the right creative context — then I don't see why we wouldn't. Jeff will always be the missing piece. Nothing will change that. But Tom and Paul and I are still capable of playing SLAYER music at the level it deserves, and there are millions of people who never got to see the farewell tour." Araya, who has largely stayed out of the public eye since retiring from touring due to back problems, has not commented on the speculation. An official announcement, if it comes, is expected no earlier than late 2026.