This past May, the music world lost one of its all-time greatest guitarists when Slayer’s Jeff Hanneman (January 31, 1964 – May 2, 2013) passed away at the age of 49. Once referred to as “The King of Thrash”, Hanneman was one of Slayer’s original members, and he would go on to write and perform with the band for the next 30 years. During this time, he was responsible for penning some of metal’s most famous and memorable riffs, including such songs as “Raining Blood”, “Angel of Death”, and “Disciple.” His ultra-fast and aggressive style changed the way guitar playing was looked at in the metal scene and impacted the genre forever.
January 31st marks what would have been Jeff’s 50th birthday. While he will truly be missed, his legacy and influence will never fade away.
R.I.P. Jeff…and happy birthday!
Slayer – “Raining Blood”
– Submitted by David Sheyda, Music Design