SLAYER Drummers Come Together

Acclaimed metal drummers Dave Lombardo, Paul Bostaph and Jon Dette — each one of whom has sat behind the kit for SLAYER at one point or another during the band's nearly-30-year-long career — posed for a joint photo this past Monday (August 30) in Long Beach, California. Check it out below.

SLAYER drummers (left to right in photo below):

* Jon Dette (1996-1997)
* Dave Lombardo (1981-1986, 1987-1992, 2001-present)
* Paul Bostaph (1992-1996, 1997-2001)

It should be noted all the above-named drummers also played in TESTAMENT; Dette appeared on 1995's "Live At The Filmore" album, Bostaph played on 1993's "Return To The Apocalyptic City" EP and 2008's "The Formation of Damnation" CD; and Lombardo can be heard on 1999's "The Gathering".

For the first time in its near-30-year history, SLAYER, the single most distinctive and radical thrash metal band ever, will see its ten American Recordings albums released as a limited-edition, high-end box set — "The Vinyl Conflict" (American Recordings/Sony Legacy). Ten albums on 11 discs, "The Vinyl Conflict" will feature the band's entire Def/American Recordings catalogue:

* Reign in Blood (1986)
* South of Heaven (1988)
* Seasons In The Abyss (1990)
* Live Decade of Aggression (1991)
* Divine Intervention (1994)
* Undisputed Attitude (1998)
* God Hates Us All (2001)
* Christ Illusion (2006)
* World Painted Blood (2009)

"The Vinyl Conflict" will be released on October 12, 2010.

"Most longtime SLAYER fans may not have these records at this point," said American Recordings' Dino Paredes, "or their copies are completely beat-up, so to have the complete catalogue in this first-class presentation is terrific. For the newer fans, this is their opportunity to really get into this band the way that they could have if they were born 20 years earlier."

American/Sony Legacy invested a great amount of care into making "The Vinyl Conflict", treating the albums the way they would treat a great jazz, classical, Bob Dylan or Miles Davis record, something that isn't normally done for metal records. All ten albums have been re-mastered from the original analog flat master tapes and were pressed on the highest quality, 180-gram audiophile vinyl at RTI, the most respected pressing plant in the U.S. and among the best in the world. Lacquers were cut and re-cut several times to ensure the highest sound quality. The individual vinyl discs will come in a standard, clear inner sleeve to preserve the vinyl, are then housed in high-quality litho-wrapped jackets, and then boxed in a hardcover slipcase. Additionally, reproductions of the original LP inner sleeve artwork were converted to 12X12 inserts.

"The vinyl box is a real treat for fans, especially with today's renewed and increased interest in vinyl," added Sony Legacy's Adam Farber. "It's been years and years since the SLAYER vinyl has been in print — only the two most recent albums are currently available on vinyl, the rest have been out of print for years and very hard to find. These albums sound spectacular — they sound like you've never heard them before."

"Everything about 'The Vinyl Conflict' — the look of it, the feel of it — it's very strong, very powerful, very SLAYER," added Paredes, "from the music to the dripping, bloody pentagram on the front of the box. It's perfect."

SLAYER is currently co-headlining the first leg of the "American Carnage" tour with MEGADETH that kicked off August 11 and goes through September 4. In addition, the band's three classic in-concert DVDs — "Live Intrusion", "War At The Warfield", and "Still Reigning" were released August 17, separately and as a limited-edition, 3-pak box set.