Slayer guitarist Kerry King recently spoke with the Phoenix New Times about the making of their new album, Repentless. An excerpt from the interview is available below:

Q: While writing, what emotions were running highest in you?

King: "Well, if I hadn’t started picking up music until he passed, it would’ve been really difficult. But when Jeff got hurt, I took it upon myself to start writing a shitload of stuff, because I didn’t know if he was gonna come back and have six songs, half a song, no songs — I had to assume that he was gonna have no songs. I didn’t know. So I just went forward and over the period of four years I made a bunch of material. We had a lot of stuff left over that was already recorded as well from other albums. So we were far along the way towards a new record if we needed to go that route."

Q: For you though, when you are writing, are you channeling those emotions from your current life, or is it more of a technical process about what sounds super heavy to you?

King: "It’s kind of business as usual, you know, as far as making music. I mean, of course I sit down to make up a music that’s a challenge, not necessarily to make up songs. I’m just looking to get some ideas and they may turn into a song that week, or it may turn into a song 20 years later. The funny thing about some of the riffs on this record — the intro to 'When The Stillness Comes' is 20 years old. Every time I tell people that, they’re like 'Really?' And the intro to 'Vices' is probably 20 years old. At the time, I just didn’t have the things to marry them to become a song. I like that though. Figuring those things out — it kinda gives the record a sound of what Slayer wrote 20 years ago, as well as what Slayer wrote in the past five years."

Click here for the complete interview.

Slayer have unveiled more limited editions for their 11th studio album, Repentless, due out on September 11th via Nuclear Blast. They include: Limited Edition Box Set, Limited Edition Splatter Vinyl, Limited Edition Bi-Coloured Vinyl, Limited Edition Silver Vinyl, Limited Edition Gold Vinyl. For more details and to order visit this location.





The Repentless artwork was created by Brazilian artist Marcelo Vasco in collaboration with the band's Tom Araya and Kerry King.

Repentless tracklisting:

“Delusions Of Saviour”
“Repentless”
“Take Control”
“Vices”
“Cast The First Stone”
“When The Stillness Comes”
“Chasing Death”
“Implode”
“Piano Wire”
“Atrocity Vendor”
“You Against You”
“Pride In Prejudice”

The album's title and first official track is available digitally virtually everywhere around the globe now. Check out an official visualizer video below:

"“Repentless” is my Jeff tribute," said Slayer's Kerry King. "I call it the 'HannemAnthem’.  It's my perspective of Jeff's perspective, it's what I think... if Jeff wrote a song for himself, “Repentless” would be it."

Arrogance, violence, world in disarray
Dealing with insanity every fuckin' day
I hate the life, hate the fame, hate the fuckin' scene
Pissing match of egos, fuck their vanity

For the song's full lyrics, click here.

Check out the new songs "When The Stillness Comes" and "Implode" below:

iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="400" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/k0gVs_UcxKY?feature=player_detailpage" width="600">

The Metal Eagle Edition of Repentless is also available. Made of aluminum alloy, measuring 15” X 17” X 3” and weighing in at a hefty 7.8 pounds, the Metal Eagle Edition will house a deluxe digipak of the new Repentless CD plus bonus material detailed below. The limited (only 3,000 copies worldwide) and numbered Metal Eagle Edition will be a direct-to-consumer item and available exclusively via the Nuclear Blast mailorder online stores.

The Metal Eagle Edition will include the following exclusive items:

- Deluxe digipak (folds out into “inverted cross“)
- Bonus BluRay & DVD incl. Slayer Live At Wacken 2014 & Making Of Repentless Documentary
- Bonus live CD Slayer Live At Wacken 2014
- Fold-out poster
- Album sticker
- Numbered certificate

Pre-orders are available at this location, head over for purchasing info.

Slayer will tour extensively to support the new album, headlining this summer's Mayhem Festival as well as playing other major outdoor festivals and several "An Evening With..." Slayer-only concerts. The band are also guests on the second annual Motörhead's Motörboat.