SLAYER have issued the following update:

"It is with immense disappointment that Slayer must postpone it's UK and European tour that had been set to kick off on November 18th in the UK, and take the band on 19 dates through Europe, ending on December 17th in Germany.

The tour will be rescheduled to kick off on March 7th in Manchester, England (complete itinerary is below).

Vocalist/bassist Tom Araya has been under the care of a specialist for a back injury, and while he has already made substantial improvement, he is continuing on with doctor-prescribed treatment.

"Right now," said Slayer's manager, Rick Sales, "our main concern must be the full and permanent recovery of Tom, so we have decided to clear the calendar and give him the extra time he needs to concentrate solely on good health."

Last week, Slayer announced the postponement of it's east coast Canadian Carnage co-headline tour with MEGADETH; those dates will be rescheduled in February 2010.

The new UK/European schedule is:

March

7 - Manchester, England - Academy
8 - London, England - Forum
9 - London, England - Forum
11 - Paris, France - Bataclan
13 - Bochum, Germany - Ruhrcongress
15 - Tilburg, Holland - 013
16 - Tilburg, Holland - 013
17 - Brussels, Belgium - AB
18 - Herford, Germany - X
20 - Berlin, Germany - Columbiahalle
21 - Hamburg, Germany - Docks
22 - Cologne, Germany - Live Music Hall
24 - Dresden, Germany - Alter Schlachtof
25 - Vienna, Austria - Gasometer Early Show
26 - Munich, Germany - Zenith (transferred from Tonhalle)
28 - Milan, Italy - Alcatraz
29 - Milan, Italy - Alcatraz
30 - Zurich, Switzerland - Volkshaus Late Show
31 - Wiesbaden, Germany - Schlachthof

April

2 - Nottingham, England - Rock City
3 - Glasgow, Scotland - Barrowland
4 - Leeds, England - Academy
5 - Birmingham, England - Academy

More chart entries for Slayer's new release, World Painted Blood, have been revealed, with the album entering the Norwegian album charts at #15, and the Irish album charts at #38.

World Painted Blood chart entries include:

Canada - #8

Australia - #9

Germany - #7

US - #12

Norway - #15

New Zealand - #16

Ireland - #38

United Kingdom - #41

Slayer's last album, Christ Illusion, hit #5 in the US in August 2006, improving on its previous highest charting album, Divine Intervention, which had debuted at #8 in 1994.

Uranium, which is available on Fuse On Demand, spoke with Slayer recently about World Painted Blood. Check out the footage below:

BraveWords.com spoke with Slayer drummer Dave Lomardo recently about World Painted Blood - check out the chat here.