Slayer at MidFlorida Credit Union Amphitheatre

Formed in Huntington Park, California in 1981 by guitarists Kerry King and Jeff Hanneman, American heavy metal band Slayer is widely regarded as a pioneering force in heavy metal and is known, alongside Metallica, Megadeth and Anthrax, as one of the “big four” founding bands of thrash metal. The band released its self-funded debut album, Show No Mercy, in 1983, but it was their third album, 1986's controversial Reign In Blood, that brought the band international recognition, despite receiving widespread bans and minimal airplay due to its provocative artwork and lyrical content. The album charted on the Billboard 200 and was certified gold by the RIAA, beginning the group's career as one of the most famous bands in heavy metal history. Between 1991 and 2013, Slayer sold five million albums in the United States, and throughout its career the band has been nominated for five Grammy Awards.