Slayer formed in Los Angeles in 1981 through guitarist Kerry King and drummer Jeff Hanneman.
King and Hanneman recruited bassist and vocalist Tom Araya and drummer Dave Lombardo, creating the classic lineup associated with the band's early recordings. Slayer became one of the central American thrash metal bands, alongside Metallica, Megadeth, and Anthrax.
The band's music was known for very fast tempos, aggressive guitar work, and dark lyrical subjects. Albums such as Hell Awaits, Reign in Blood, and South of Heaven established Slayer as one of the most influential extreme metal groups of the 1980s.
Slayer's origins are sometimes placed broadly in the San Francisco thrash scene, but the band actually formed in Los Angeles. Jeff Hanneman died in 2013, and Slayer performed its final concert in November 2019.