The long-reigning titans of thrash, Slayer, are stopping over in New Zealand for one final hurrah and they’re bringing metal kings Anthrax along for the ride.

Slayer left fans devastated earlier this year with news that they were calling it a day. But as a parting shot, they also announced their ‘Final World Tour’.

Presented by Storm The Gates, the band have now just confirmed the world tour will include shows at Auckland, Eventfinda Stadium (formerly North Shore Event Centre) on March 15 and Christchurch, Horncastle Arena on March 17.

After almost four decades, Slayer remains one of the most influential bands in heavy metal. Their unmistakable, game-changing style of punk-thrash and frenzied live shows have seen them maintain dominance in the scene alongside Metallica, Megadeth and Anthrax or the ‘Big Four’ as the bands are commonly referred to.

Slayer’s reign resulted in 12 studio albums, thousands of live shows in every corner of the globe and five Grammy Award nominations, with two wins - one for ‘best song’ in 2007 with ‘Eyes of the Insane’ and another for the song ‘Final Six’ in 2008 (both from 2006’s critically acclaimed album CHRIST ILLUSION). Between 1991 and 2013, The band sold a whopping five million albums in the United States alone!

Now New Zealanders will get their chance farewell the legends in the flesh and pay homage to the men behind the music - Tom Araya on vocals, Paul Bostaph on drums, Kerry King and Gary Holt on guitars - as they bow out at the top of their game.

Supporting Slayer will be their fellow ‘Big Four’ pals, the mighty Anthrax.

Formed in New York in 1981, Anthrax went on to sell over ten million records and in doing so became the living embodiment of America’s hi-top wearing, riff-spitting, ear-thrashing answer to the New Wave Of British Heavy Metal

The band has 11 studio albums to their name, including 1985’s SPREADING THE DISEASE, 1987’s AMONG THE LIVING and their most recent studio recording, 2016’s FOR ALL THE KINGS - an album that’s as ferocious as it is sublime.

Anthrax has become accustomed to seeing their name in lights alongside Slayer and bassist Frank Bello says it has always been a potent reminder of how far they’ve come.

So it is entirely appropriate that Anthrax should be joining Slayer (two of the ‘Big Four’) at Auckland’s Eventfinda Stadium and Horncastle Arena for one final blow out.

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Slayer & Anthrax announce NZ shows

SLAYER & ANTHRAX