Just For Fun
Tom Araya and Dave Lombardo Start Christian Metal Side Project
Sources inform us that Slayer frontman Tom Araya and drummer Dave Lombardo have started a yet-named Christian metal side project with ex-Living Sacrifice (and more recently POD) guitarist, Jason Truby. The three have been jamming together since the end of the recent Slayer tour with Unearth and they are presently looking for a second guitarist.
Araya, who is Catholic, has commented several times in recent interviews that he and Lombardo don’t necessarily subscribe to the lyrical content of Slayer’s songs.
“We’ve been playing this kind of music with dark themes and anti-religious topics for a long time now and I feel like I need something new, something more positive in my life,” explained Araya. Chuckling, he continued, “I feel like I have to do some penance as a good Catholic, you know?”
Slayer fans need not worry though – when asked if he is disbanding Slayer, Tom reassured his fanbase: “This new project will not interfere with Slayer any more than me going to church has. It’s just a small side thing at the moment.”
When asked to comment on the project, Kerry King had only this to say: “Whatever Tom and Dave need to do to exorcise their demons and keep the Slayer machine moving is ok with me. I wish them the best on their project.”
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34 Comments on "Araya and Lombardo Start Christian Metal Project"
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Member
Well, it's not an april's fool in my opinion because it is true that Tom is Catholic and does believe in god...it does sound a little funny honestly and you guys know that I am Christian. But I don't think it's the end of Slayer at all, and it shouldn't be. Good luck with your side project and may it brings great Slayer songs.
Member
it is apris fool joke cuz Araya wouldn't have pictures of inverted crosses on albums and stuff and sing Disciple, with the words "God Hates Us All" all over it. and he would'nt make a chrisian metal band if he is catholic, cuz cristians and catholics hate each other, and here i am rambling on about nothing
Tom is in fact a Christian (Catholics are Christians). He and Kerry have both discussed Tom's faith in interviews over the past couple years.
In a fairly recent interview with Denver Westword, Tom Araya--bassist, lyricist, and vocalist for Slayer--decided to share a teensy bit of Christian doctrine (surprise, surprise!). It just goes to show that what a man is on stage may not reflect what he is at the core. The question is, of course, whether or not Araya's fan base is willing to espouse similar views.
The above-said interview is here quoted, in small part:
"Westword: What's the biggest misconception people have about SLAYER?
"Tom Araya: The obvious one: the Satan stuff. I'm not here to fault anybody. And I hate to say this, but Christ came and taught us about love. About doing unto others. That was his preach: Accept each other for who we are. Live peacefully, and love one another. Period.
"Westword: Do you believe in God?
"Tom Araya: I believe in a supreme being, yeah. But He's an all-loving God."
http://www.azheavymetal.com/noticias/07_2004/noticia3641.php
Here is another interview where Tom talks about his faith in God:
On possible issues between his Catholic faith and the band's subject matter:
"Kerry's written some really far-out sh**. If it's a good song, I'm not one that's going to go, 'This sucks because it's contrary to my beliefs.' To me it's more like, 'This is really good stuff. You're going to piss people off with this.'
"People have these heavy issues and ask, 'Isn't this a problem for you?' and no. I'm well-rounded, I have a really strong belief system and these are just words and they'll never interfere with what I believe and how I feel.
"People are not in good shape to where they have to question their own belief system because of a book or a story somebody wrote, or a SLAYER song."
http://www.ultimate-guitar.com/news/interviews/tom_araya_slayers_lyrics_will_never_interfere_with_what_i_believe.html
Founder, owner & programmer
Maybe it was just wishful thinking on my part :-) I don't care about the lyrical content so much and I really wish Living Sacrifice were still around. I play the hell out of their last 3 albums. And I'm a huge Slayer fan... Couldn't be bad if it was true, but as long as there's Slayer, I'm happy.
Thing you guys have to understand is that music is an outlet. If you're lucky, it can resolve into a creative outlet. Band's usually(with the exception of the hardest black metalers) don't go around burning churches and punching old ladies. Most of the time, they are decent people, just like you or I. I know, it's hard to believe that someone hailing Satan would open a door for someone, but it's more true than you know. I don't refrain from debating my anti-religious standpoint if given the chance, but unless you or I brought it up, you'd never really know. I think that's true with most people, in my experience. Unfortunately we as fans really only have the music to speak for the band members, but I find that the more you learn about a band, the more you may realize that they are not full on about what they scream. Just like an article on this very same site about Maynard from Tool deciding to focus his attention on his newly opened Vineyard/Winery, and setting Tool on the side burner for a bit until the grand opening and first roll out of his wines. Most comments tended to stay to the 'maynard's gay' turn, and I ended up debating pretty hard with the commenters about this very same point. That just because musicians/artists say one thing on a song, that they walk, talk, speak, breath, and push it in everyone's face....and fans get super-p***ed if a band deviates from their album-message. f*** that. I mean, think about it. People are people. I think anyone given a chance and a change can pull the creative passion from down below and come up with some pretty amazing sh**, some sh** that you would probably never have thought them capable of before being who they are. Personally, I only write when things are REALLY bad, when I am a little ball inside of anger and despair. I haven't had that passion and muse for a couple years now, and hence, haven't written more than a handful of passages. I teeter on the brink of 'do i want the anger to write' or 'do i take the happiness and scrap the anger, but maybe never write again'? I love writing, but I love that i've found myself through other ways inside of reality.
If any of those segments are true, for me, it's not hard to believe.
If this is an April Fools article, NOT cool Metalunderground.com...shame on you!
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I guess its cool that tom and dave are doing this??? Hopefully the sideproject is just as badass as Slayer...just as long as it doesnt mess up Slayers tours and albums i don't really care though.