Pioneering San Antonio metal act S.A. Slayer reforming for festival appearances

The group will appear at Germany's Keep It True XXV festival and Hell's Heroes VII in Houston.

click to enlarge S.A. Slayer performs a hometown show during its early '80s heyday. - Courtesy Photo / Bob Catlin
Courtesy Photo / Bob Catlin
S.A. Slayer performs a hometown show during its early '80s heyday.
After a 40-year hiatus, foundational Alamo City metal band S.A. Slayer will reunite next spring to perform at Germany's Keep It True XXV festival and Hell's Heroes VII in Houston.

The reformed act — which was known simply as "Slayer" before a certain California thrash-metal group dropped its debut LP — will feature most of the lineup that appeared on its Go for the Throat album, according to details shared online.

For the upcoming dates, S.A. Slayer will consist of drummer Dave McClain (Machine Head, Sacred Reich), bassist Don Van Stavern (Riot) and guitarists Ron Jarzombek (Watchtower), Art Villarreal (Karion) and Bob Catlin (Pigface, Pseudo Buddha). Watchtower and Dangerous Toys vocalist Jason McMaster will fill in for original singer Steve Cooper, who died nearly two decades ago.

Although S.A. Slayer hasn't revealed plans for any San Antonio reunion shows, such a move appears likely. Some of the same band members appeared in the Lone Star State metal supergroup South Texas Legion, which played an earlier installment of Keep It True and booked San Antonio dates in conjunction with that appearance.

This year's Keep It True fest, scheduled for April 25 and 26 in Lauda-Königshofen, Germany, is already sold out. However, tickets remain for Hell's Heroes VII, which will take place March 20-22, at Houston's White Oak Music Hall.

Stay tuned.

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Sanford Nowlin

Sanford Nowlin is editor-in-chief of the San Antonio Current.

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