Thrash Hits reports:

SLAYER have been heading up the thrash metal scene for a quarter of a century. Frontman Tom Araya tells Joel McIver that it may soon be time to rethink the band’s future and defends the forthcoming Unholy Alliance III tour with TRIVIUM.

This autumn, the UK’s bigger clubs will be quaking to their foundations thanks to the latest instalment of the Unholy Alliance tour, headlined by Slayer and featuring Trivium, MASTODON and AMON AMARTH on the bill.

Previous jaunts included SLIPKNOT and IN FLAMES and received much acclaim, but there’s a sneaking feeling among Slayer’s rabid fanbase that perhaps some space on the bill could have been allocated to newer, more extreme bands this time around. Thrash Hits.com put this to Tom Araya this week, as well as asking him to clarify his band’s future.

Q: Some people would say that you, Slayer, are in a position to give smaller bands much-needed exposure by taking them on tour with you, rather than taking Trivium and Mastodon out who are already established.

A: "I hate to say this, but at this stage of the game, for as many years as we’ve been out as a band, it’s about income. When it comes to having a band who you would love to give exposure to, in all honesty, you would have to be really wowed by that band. I can honestly say that there’s only been one other band in recent times that has done that for us, and that’s SYSTEM OF A DOWN. Nobody knew them, but we heard them and we were like ‘Fuck! Let’s take these guys out on the road’. And look what happened."

Read the full interview at Thrash Hits.