SLAYER Frontman Reveals His 'Biggest' Influence: 'My Wife's 34 Double Ds'

SLAYER frontman Tom Araya took part in an online chat earlier today (March 20) at ESPGuitars.com. A couple of excerpts from the question-and-answer exchange follow:

Q: What can we expect for the new album sound wise. A mixture of the Bostaph years and Lombardo years?

Araya: "You can expect it to sound like SLAYER!"

Q: SLAYER is widely know for their agressive fast-paced music. As most of us know, a new album is in the works, can we expect some "classic" SLAYER sounds in this album? Or is SLAYER experimenting with different sounds? Possibly a mix?

Araya: "Yeah. Classic SLAYER and they're will be some new elements in there, there always are."

Q: What inspired you to change vocals lately? I've noticed they are much more scream-oriented. I think they're quite good now as well, but why did you change out of the clearer sounding vocals?

Araya: "The screaming wasn't by choice. If I had it my way, I would have sang some songs differently."

Q: Since 2000, what has been the best band you have toured with?

Araya: "Everybody. If we don't like the band musically, we won't tour with them. Some of the bands we've toured with are great musically, but if they're assholes we don't talk to them. CHIMAIRA was a really good band. The PANTERA guys were a really good live band."

Q: What are your biggest influences?

Araya: "My wife's 34 double Ds!"

Q: If somehow SLAYER hadn't happened, and instead it split up, what do you imagine yourself doing for a living?

Araya: "I would be a respiratory therapist which is how i financed the first album with Kerry's [King, guitar] dad."

Check out the entire chat transcript at this location.

(Thanks: DannyM)