Slayer songwriter and guitarist Kerry King will lead the band during their final UK performance at Download Festival next year (Yui Mok/PA)
American thrash metal band Slayer will play their final UK show at next year’s edition of Download Festival.
The band, widely considered one of the genre’s most influential acts, are currently on an 80-date farewell world tour taking in North America, Europe, Australia and Asia.
Alongside Metallica, Megadeth and Anthrax, Slayer are part of thrash metal’s “big four”. Forming in 1981, the group’s fast and aggressive style earned them a legion of fans.
The four-piece are one of 23 acts added to the line-up of the three-day festival, which takes place annually at Donington Park in Leicestershire.
Kiss perform at the 2015 edition of Download Festival (Katja Ogrin/PA)
Dream rockers The Smashing Pumpkins and Eagles Of Death Metal are among the names added to the billing.
Dream Theater, Lamb Of God and Maori-metal trio Alien Weaponry have also been announced as part of the new wave of line-up additions.
Those acts join headliners Def Leppard, who will play their number-one album, Hysteria, in full.
Slipknot, hailed by festival organisers as “one of the best live bands on the planet”, were also previously announced as playing the event.
Download Festival will run from June 14 to 16 in 2019 at Donington Park.
Slayer to play last ever UK date at Download Festival
