While still keeping good on its promise to never tour or record new music again since “retiring” at the end of 2019, beloved thrash metal band Slayer has scheduled a number of performances throughout 2025.Headline performances have been confirmed for the United States, Canada and the U.K., marking the band’s first U.K. and Canadian performances in six years.
The U.K. and Canadian dates will see Slayer headlining at some of the countries’ biggest venues, including the 35,000-capacity Blackweir Fields in Cardiff, London’s 45,000-capacity Finsbury Park and the 100,000 capacity Festival d’été de Québec in Canada.
In addition to the band’s international headline dates, Slayer will help celebrate Black Sabbath’s career at the sold-out “Back to the Beginning” final concert, set for July 5 at Villa Park in Birmingham, England. The event will mark only the third time Slayer has shared a stage with Black Sabbath, following Ozzfest in 1998 and in 2004.
“I am a Sabbath fan, and doing this show is an honor,” Slayer’s Tom Araya said. “I was hanging out with my brother and his friends during my junior year in high school, and we would play Sabbath all the time, so I am a big fan. Black Sabbath were the originators, people call them ’the godfathers of metal music.’ I think it’s going to be an amazing experience, from the beginning to the end. I’m really, really honored to be a part of this, it’s going to be great.”
Kerry King said: “I remember when we played with Black Sabbath at Ozzfest in 2004. It was when Rob Halford came back to Judas Priest and we were third on the bill. You couldn’t give me a better bill, I’ll never forget that. As it stands now, Slayer plays a handful of gigs a year. But that’s how important this Sabbath date is, and it’s great we will get to play a longer set for our fans in Cardiff and London on this visit too. Being on the Sabbath bill means the world to me, because these are my uber-heroes. And to know that their camp thinks enough of us to offer us a spot is flattering and humbling.”
Slayer’s 2025 lineup is the same as it was on its 2018-2019 farewell tour: Araya (bass/vocals), King (guitar), Paul Bostaph (drums) and Gary Holt (guitar).
The confirmed Slayer 2025 concert dates are as follows:
JULY
3 Blackweir Fields, Cardiff, Wales, U.K.
Lineup: Slayer, with Special Guests Amon Amarth
, Anthrax, Mastodon, Hatebreed and Neckbreakker
5 Villa Park, Birmingham, U.K. • Back to the Beginning with Black Sabbath
6 Finsbury Park, London
Lineup: Slayer, with Special Guests Amon Amarth, Anthrax, Mastodon, Anthrax and Neckbreakker
11 Quebec Festival d’été de Québec City, Quebec, Canada
Direct support: Mastodon
SEPTEMBER
18 Louder Than Life @ Highland Festival Grounds, Louisville, Kentucky, United States
