Kerry King, left, and Jeff Hanneman of Slayer perform in Montreux, Switzerland, in 2002. Hanneman died on Thursday, May 2. (AP Photo)
Very sad news this afternoon. Jeff Hanneman, longtime guitarist for thrash metal band Slayer and Hemet resident, died this morning of liver failure.
UPDATE: Read the latest version of our story about Hanneman’s passing.
The band posted the following statement on its Facebook page:
“Slayer is devastated to inform that their bandmate and brother, Jeff Hanneman, passed away at about 11AM this morning near his Southern California home. He was 49. Hanneman was in an area hospital when he suffered liver failure. He is survived by his wife Kathy, his sister Kathy and his brothers Michael and Larry, and will be sorely missed.”
Slayer formed in Huntington Beach with Hanneman, guitarist Kerry King, now a Riverside area resident, bassist/singer Tom Araya and drummer Dave Lombardo in 1981 and became one of the core speed metal bands, but also heavier and darker than the likes of fellow thrashers Metallica and Anthrax. The band garnered acclaim with 1986’s “Reign in Blood” and has won multiple Grammys.
Hanneman was instrumental in arranging “Reign in Blood.”
“They were the ultimate metal band,” said Terry Corso, guitarist of Alien Ant Farm.
He said the band’s “Show No Mercy” album was the first exposure he had to the band and that Hanneman was his favorite member of Slayer.
“He had structure to his solos. He had this melodic finesse,” Corso said.
Slayer has been one of the most prominent bands in thrash metal over the last three decades, one of the “Big 4” with Metallica, Megadeth and Anthrax. The band performed in 2011 at the Big 4 concert at the Empire Polo Club in Indio, the first U.S. show with the acts.
Hanneman had been bitten by a spider more than two years ago, before the show, and suffered an infection that took him off the road with the band. However, he did perform the encore with the band at Big 4 in Indio. Corso and his wife were in attendance.
“We’re grateful we just got to see him,” he said.
Fans (both famous and otherwise) took to social media to share condolences.
Here’s Slayer’s most famous song, “Raining Blood.”