Due to "personal reasons", Los Angeles thrashers SLAYER have cancelled their appearance at the third edition of the Monterrey Metal Fest, which is set to take place Saturday, September 23, 2006 at the Coca Cola Auditorium in the city of Monterrey, Nuevo Leon, Mexico. The lineup is now as follows:

Main Stage: STRYPER (Co-Headliner), (TBA), EDGUY, DEICIDE, WARCRY, TOXODEATH, MORTUARY

2nd Stage (International Bands): REIGN OF TERROR (Headliner), BLUDGEON, HYDROGYN, BENEDICTUM, DREAMS OF DAMNATION, JADED

Mexican Bands: MALIGNO, SOULS ON FIRE, DIMENSION, PENTAGRAM, MULUC PAX, SOLITUDE

Slayer was scheduled to headline, with Stryper co-headlining the event billed as Hell And Heaven United, which organisers promised "to be the biggest and baddest version yet."

In other news, Slayer's new album, Christ Illusion has entered the Swedish national chart at position #4. Christ Illusion's first-week chart positions are as follows:

Germany: #2

Finland: #2

Canada: #3

Sweden: #4

US: #5

Austria: #6

Holland: #8

Australia: #9

Norway: #10

Christ Illusion is Slayer's first new studio album since 2001, and the first recorded by the group's original line-up - Kerry King (guitar), Tom Araya (bass, vocals), Jeff Hanneman (guitars), Dave Lombardo (drums) - since 1990's Seasons In The Abyss. The CD was produced by Josh Abraham and executive-produced by Rick Rubin. Slayer filmed a video for the song 'Eyes Of The Insane' on August 13th with director Tony Petrossian (KILLSWITCH ENGAGE, SLIPKNOT, STONE SOUR) in the Los Angeles area.