CONTRIVE drummer Andrew Haug, also the host of Australia's Triple J's National Metal Radio program The Racket, had the tough task of delivering bad news to hyped up SLAYER fans as they cancelled their February 27th Soundwave Festival Sydney appearance due to illness just minutes prior to taking the stage. Two clips of the announcement are available below:

This wasn't the first time Contrive members have pitched in for Slayer. In October 2009 during their Australian tour with MEGADETH, Contrive vocalist Paul Haug lent his vocals to an ill Tom Araya on the track 'Dead Skin Mask'. Check out the fan-filmed footage below:

The organizers of the Soundwave Festival issued the following statement from Slayer bassist/vocalist Tom Araya regarding the cancellation:

"Sorry I couldn’t make the Sydney festival show. I am feeling much better and look forward to performing in Melbourne (March 4th)."

According to a recent Facebook posting by Sandra Araya, wife of Tom Araya, the bassist/vocalist "was suffering from vertigo due to extreme dehydration and lack of rest," which caused the cancelation of the band's appearance at the Sydney, Australia stop of the Soundwave festival on Sunday, February 27.

She added: "Our doctor is in the process of getting the results on the test that were ran (major time zone difference and being the weekend has held up those results). Hopefully there will be nothing more to add after the results are returned."

Slayer recently recruited Gary Holt from San Francisco Bay Area thrashers EXODUS as a temporary fill-in in for Jeff Hanneman who is currently recovering from surgery. Holt is accompanying Tom Araya (bass, vocals), Kerry King (guitar) and Dave Lombardo (drums) on their Australian Soundwave Festival tour, which kicked off on Saturday, February 26th in Brisbane.

More fan-filmed footage of the Brisbane performance can be viewed below.