At 11AM PST on May 2nd, SLAYER guitarist Jeff Hanneman passed away near his Southern California home; he was 49 years old. 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.

MEGADETH vocalist/guitarist Dave Mustaine has posted the following tribute to Hanneman online:

"We send our condolences and deepest sympathies to the family, friends, and fans of Jeff Hanneman. Our hearts go out to his brothers in Slayer. Tonight one less star will be shining and sadly, the stage got just a little bit darker. Jeff Hanneman 1964-2013."

Below is a tiny sample of the tributes and condolences that have appeared online:

Neil Portnow - President/CEO The Recording Academy - “Two-time Grammy winner Jeff Hanneman was an intense and powerful guitarist and a force to be reckoned with on stage. A founding member of the legendary metal band Slayer, he was a key architect in their ferocious and uncompromising sound, which earned the band legions of loyal followers, tremendous respect among their peers, and a lasting impact on the genre. The music industry has lost a true trailblazer, and our deepest sympathies go out to his family, his bandmates and fans around the world who mourn his untimely passing.”

TESTAMENT - "R.I.P. Jeff Hanneman, brother in thrash."

METALLICA - "R.I.P. Jeff Hanneman"

HATEBREED - "We are extremely saddened by the news of Jeff Hanneman's passing. Our deepest condolences to his family, friends, fans and the entire Slayer camp & their road crew. We would not be the band we are today without him & Slayer. Rest In Peace Jeff!"

Former ANTHRAX guitarist Dan Spitz - "Changing the world through music isn't easy... Mission accomplished. Glad to be a part of all we did together through the years. RIP Jeff Hanneman."

DOWN - "Our Brother Jeff Hanneman, May He Rest In Peace (1964 - 2013)"

ANVIL - "Anvil send their condolences to the Slayer and the Jeff Hanneman family. R.I.P."

SUFFOCATION - "Rest in Peace Jeff Hanneman you will surely be missed."

BIF NAKED - "We are Forever Devoted Fans!! Blessings to Jeff's Family, to Slayer and crew, and to the millions of fans all over the world. LIFE IS TOO SHORT! We are so grateful to Jeff Hanneman for all the inspiration. Blessings. Namaste. Om Hare Om."

Former NASHVILLE PUSSY bassist Karen Cuda - "Jeff Hanneman - I'm at a loss for words. Thanks for always laughing at my dumb jokes, thanks for your generosity in donating a bunch of signed Slayer stuff to help me with my neck surgery costs, thanks for making my bandmate so happy. I'm so sad to hear you're gone! RIP buddy. (And for anyone inclined please stop by the Nashville Pussy page and send Ruyter some love. Her heart is no doubt broken to pieces.)"

MEGADETH bassist David Ellefson - "My condolences to Slayer and the Jeff Hanneman family today."

HELLYEAH - "Our thoughts and prayers go out to the Hanneman Family and Slayer. R.I.P. Our Friend"

IN FLAMES - "We are so devasted to hear about the passing of Jeff Hanneman. One of the greatest have passed on and please, stop for a moment and pay your respect to this fantastic man. This is a tragedy."

SLASH bassist Todd Kerns - "Sad news about Jeff Hanneman. He was a good man."

A PALE HORSE NAMED DEATH - "Our thoughts are with the Hanneman family! #Slayer #GodSpeed"