Peter Atkinson from KNAC.com spoke to SLAYER guitarist Kerry King recently about a number of topics including the band's upcoming tour with MARILYN MANSON and the special limited edition of their 2006 album Christ Illusion which will have a July 24th simultaneous global release (American Recordings), and will feature new songs, a bonus DVD and stunning new cover art - a lenticular image of a hand bleeding from a crucifixion wound.

Here are a few excerpts from the chat:

KNAC.com: Since you have followed Rick Rubin over to Columbia and are getting something of a fresh start, does that change anything for you in terms of Slayer's future?

King: "I think that's just us making executive decisions about us and do we still look and sound like Slayer? Do we still perform like Slayer? Do I hate doing this? Those are the kinds of things that are going to determine how long we keep going."

KNAC.com: But since he's president of label now, and you've sorta been "his guys" for all these years, do you think you might end up getting some more support on the business end of things?

King: "He is king shit now isn't he (laughs). He'll definitely be in our corner, so as far as that goes, that's probably a good thing. But I don't know, other than that, I don't think much is gonna change. And to be honest, I don't know how much it would actually help. At this point, we're gonna sell pretty much what we always sell no matter how much extra promotion or support we get."

KNAC.com: The "new" song on the re-release, 'The Final Six', was actually supposed to be on the original?

King: "Yeah, the music was done; we just needed to do the vocals. Tom (Araya - vocals/bass) took the weekend off and was gonna come back sing his part, but that's when he ended up having to have the gall-bladder surgery. The album was already getting late as it was, so we put it out without it. This is the album as it should have been."

KNAC.com: What's different about 'Black Serenade'?

King: "Here again, the music was done, but when Tom went into sing it, Jeff (Hanneman - guitar) said to me 'you still got a lead to do.' I was like, 'what the fuck are you talking about, I played a lead on this song.' But I guess there was another one that he never told me about, or I would have done it. I hadn't played in like 3-1/2 weeks, I'm like 'thanks a lot dickhead' (laughs). It takes me a while to get my chops back up. I ended up doing the solo, but the version on the original version is the one without it. This one has it."

To read the entire interview head to this location.