SLAYER Looks Back On 37 Years: Episode 7 Released

Over SLAYER's career, the band has made available to its fans some pretty cool swag, from an ugly Christmas sweater to BMX's "Cradle to Grave" four-bike collection, a SLAYER Snow Globe where blood-red particles fall, a series of Vans footwear including one with blood-splatters, the SLAYER Pinball Rocks app, the Rockhard limited-edition biker helmet, and the one-of-a-kind vehicle inspired by SLAYER and designed by Scion. In Episode 7 of "Slayer Looks Back On 37 Years", the bandmembers talk about their favorites. Check it out below.

On May 2, SLAYER will kick off Leg Five: North America of its final world tour to say goodbye and thank the fans for more than three decades of great times. LAMB OF GOD, AMON AMARTH and CANNIBAL CORPSE will support on all of these 16 dates. Leg Six will see SLAYER saying farewell to its fans for the last time across Europe, from early June to early August.

SLAYER bassist/vocalist Tom Araya talked about his possible retirement in a 2016 interview with Loudwire. He said: "At 35 years, it's time to collect my pension. [Laughs] This is a career move." He continued: "I'm grateful that we've been around for 35 years; that's a really long time. So, yeah, to me, it is. Because when we started off, everything was great, because you're young and invincible. And then there came a time where I became a family man, and I had a tough time flying back and forth. And now, at this stage, at the level we're at now, I can do that; I can fly home when I want to, on days off, and spend some time with my family, which is something I wasn't able to do when [my kids] were growing up. Now they're both older and mature. So now I take advantage of that." Araya added: "Yeah, it just gets harder and harder to come back out on the road. 35 years is a long time."

Tom also revealed another reason for his diminished enjoyment of the touring life. He said: "There's things that have gone on in my life that have made me change how I play as a bass player. I had neck surgery, so I can't headbang anymore. And that was a big part of what I enjoyed doing what I do — singing and headbanging. I liked knowing that I was one of the fucking badass headbangers. That played a big part. Now I just groove with the music, which is cool, because I'm grooving with the music and the feel of the songs, so that's changed a little for me."

SLAYER has been touring in support of its latest album, "Repentless", which was released in September 2015 via Nuclear Blast. That effort marked the band's first release since the death of SLAYER's co-founding guitarist Jeff Hanneman.

Hanneman contracted necrotizing fasciitis, also known as flesh-eating disease, in January 2011 from a spider bite in his backyard. The infection ravaged the flesh and tissues of Hanneman's arm, leading to numerous surgeries, skin grafts and intense periods of rehab that forced him into semi-retirement and left him near death at several points.

Hanneman eventually died in May 2013 from alcohol-related cirrhosis of the liver. He is credited for writing many of SLAYER's classic songs, including "Angel Of Death" and "South Of Heaven".

Original SLAYER drummer Dave Lombardo was effectively fired from the band after sitting out the group's Australian tour in February/March 2013 due to a contract dispute with the other members of SLAYER. He has since been replaced by Paul Bostaph, who was previously SLAYER's drummer from 1992 until 2001 and recorded four albums with the band.