BraveWords staff members remember the late SLAYER guitar legend Jeff Hanneman who tragically passed away suddenly on May 2nd.

By Martin Popoff

The writers of BraveWords ... each and every one of us has been shaken by the death of Slayer great Jeff Hanneman, as has been exhibited in private emails too raw for publication.

Suffice to say that extreme, uncompromising metal with steadfast integrity to the last is a tough life to lead, and thrash hero Jeff Hanneman... well, to be stricken with a life-threatening disease in the face of having to craft and sell his deafening pure metal vision...

That’s the ultimate travesty to befall such a down-to-earth, actually quite soft-spoken and modest, metal-loving dude and his family, a guy I interviewed on many occasions and found to be just that: a headbanger with his feet planted firmly on the underground.

Raiders fan to the end, military memorabilia hobbyist, one of the quickest thrashin’ right hands on par with Hetfield and Holt, Hanneman brought happy headbanging joy to legions of thrash fans the world over, including thousands of them who formed bands to carry the Slaytanic flame into this century.

Speed metal, thrash, death, proto-blackened thrash... it’s all somewhat of a thankless task, and Hanneman dedicated his life to his hard art until the end. But who cares what I think. Read the outpouring—from the top down to us mere watchers—of passionate dedication his passing has elicited, and you’ll see Hanneman has been amply appreciated. Hails.