Louder Than Life have announced an absolutely stacked lineup for 2024, and it's packing one of this year's biggest surprises: Slayer are reuniting to headline this year's festival!
The thrash metal titans - who seemingly disbanded for good in 2019 - will headline Louder Than Life 2024 alongside Slipknot, Motley Crue and Korn when the festival touches down at the Kentucky Exposition Center from September 26-29.
Joining those four headliners on this year's bill are the likes of Evanescence, Disturbed, Judas Priest, Five Finger Death Punch, In This Moment, Halestorm, Gojira, Tom Morello, Anthrax, Mastodon, Architects, Lorna Shore, Body Count, Spiritbox, Jinjer, Poppy and many, many more.
"We're thrilled to announce that Slayer will be reuniting for an earth-shattering performance at Louder Than Life,” comments Danny Wimmer of Danny Wimmer Presents, the organisers of the festival. ”I was at their last show at The Forum in 2019 and have been working since then to bring them back to the Louder stage! With over 140 bands on five stages, we’re celebrating our 10th Louder Than Life with the biggest lineup yet!”
Tickets for Louder Than Life 2024 are on sale now from their official website. See the full lineup for this year's huge festival below.
As well as LTL, the thrash heroes will additionally be playing at this year's Riot Fest in Chicago on September 22.
The news of Slayer's return will shock most fans, with guitarist Kerry King stating earlier this very month that he hadn't heard from frontman Tom Araya since the band hung up their instruments after their 'final' show at the LA Forum on November 30, 2019.
King, who kicked off his new project this year, told Rolling Stone that he'd had no contact whatsoever with his former bandmate. "Not even a text," he insisted. "Not even an email. I’ve talked to everybody else from the band on the phone, text, or email. If Tom hit me up, I’d probably respond. It probably depends on what he hit me up for, but I don’t wish him dead at this moment."
Kerry King's new project - bannered under his own name - will feature Slayer bandmate Paul Bostaph on drums, ex-Machine Head guitairst Phil Demmel, Hellyeah bassist Kyle Sanders and Death Angel singer Mark Osegueda. The band's debut album, From Hell I Rise, will arrive on May 17.
"Will Slayer tour again? I’m pretty sure that’s not going to happen," King told Rolling Stone. "Could Slayer play a show again? I’m sure there’s a scenario." It seems that scenario has unfolded sooner than expected.
