Slayer Kick Off International Phase Of World Tour

The mighty Slayer -- Tom Araya/bass, vocals/ Kerry King and Jeff Hanneman/guitars, Dave Lombardo/drums -- whose new album, "Christ Illusion" debuted at #5 on the U.S. Billboard charts last week, will kick off their 2006 international concert tour playing two of England's biggest annual music festivals -- Leeds on Friday, August 25 and Reading on Sunday, August 27.

In addition to the UK appearances, the international dates will have Slayer headlining major outdoor festivals as well as their own concerts in South America, Mexico, Singapore, and Japan. The South American dates will mark Slayer's first tour there in more than eight years.

Leg Two of Slayer's international concert tour will kick off October 20 in Holland when Slayer tops the bill on the European edition of the "Unholy Alliance Tour: Preaching To The Perverted." The core lineup of the European "Unholy Alliance Tour" will be Slayer, In Flames, Children of Bodom, Lamb of God, and Thine Eyes Bleed, and is the first major festival to tour outside of the United States. The U.S. "Unholy Alliance Tour" (which Slayer headlined with Lamb of God, Children of Bodom, Mastodon and Thine Eyes Bleed) stormed across North America in June and July. Revolver magazine called it "... an all-killer-no-filler lineup..." and the Detroit News quipped, "Ozzfest, schmozzfest...the Unholy Alliance Tour is by far the heaviest, darkest metal tour of the summer."

According to Slayer's long-time manager Rick Sales, "We wanted to make 'The Unholy Alliance Tour' an annual, global event, and are all very excited that we're making that happen. Like the U.S. Tour, we're offering a unique, heavy, and diversified lineup, as well as a great production. Fans are going to get their money's worth."

Slayer's international dates are in support of "Christ Illusion" which was a Top 10 chart debut around the world -- #2 in Germany and Finland, #3 in Canada, #4 in Sweden, #6 in Austria, #8 in Holland, and #9 in Australia. The album is released in the UK this week.

Confirmed dates for Slayer's 2006 international concert tour are as follows:

08/25 - Leeds Festival, Leeds, England
08/27 - Reading Festival, Reading, England
09/01-02 - Via Funchal, Sao Paulo, Brazil
09/03 - Chevrolet Hall, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
09/06 - Fundicao Progresso, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
09/09 - Velodrome, Santiago, Chile
09/12-13 Estadio Pepsi Music, Buenos Aires, Argentina
09/15 - Palacio de los Deportes, Bogota, Colombia
09/17 - Poliedro, Caracas, Venezuela
09/21 - Arena, Guadalajara, Mexico
09/23-25 - Salon 21, Mexico City, Mexico
10/13 - Max Pavilion, Singapore
10/15 - Loudfest, Tokyo, Japan
10/16 - Studio Coast, Tokyo, Japan
10/17 - Zepp Loud Park, Osaka, Japan

Unholy Alliance Tour: Preaching to the Perverted

10/20 - Brabanthallen, Den Bosch, Holland
10/22 - Mazda Palace, Milan, Italy
10/23 - Eishalle Deutweg, Zurich, Switzerland
10/25 - Phillpshalle, Dusseldorf, Germany
10/26 - Arena, Berlin, Germany
10/27 - Zenith, Munich, Germany
10/28 - Boblingen Sporthalle, Stuttgart, Germany
10/30 - Arena, Cardiff, Wales
11/01 - NEC, Birmingham, England
11/02 - SECC, Glasgow, Scotland
11/03 - Arena, Manchester, England
11/05 - The Point, Dublin, Ireland
11/07 - Palais Omnisport de Bercy, Paris, France
11/08 - Messe Parke, Trier, Germany
11/09 - Brabanthal, Leuven, Belgium
11/12 - Jahalli, Helsinki, Finland
11/13 - Jahalli, Tampere, Finland
11/15 - Spektrum, Oslo, Norway
11/16 - Hovet, Stockholm, Sweden
11/17 - Valbyhallen, Copenhagen, Denmark
11/19-20 - Brixton Academy, London, England