In Memoriam
Jeff Hanneman
January 31, 1964 – May 2, 2013 · aged 49
Thrash Metal · Heavy Metal
Jeffrey John Hanneman was the fiercely aggressive rhythm guitarist and primary songwriter for the legendary thrash metal band Slayer. Born in Oakland in 1964, Hanneman was heavily inspired by the speed and anti-establishment fury of hardcore punk. He brought this frantic, chaotic energy to heavy metal, helping invent the thrash genre alongside Metallica and Megadeth. Hanneman wrote both the music and lyrics for Slayer's most definitive, terrifying anthems, including the monumental 'Raining Blood,' 'Angel of Death,' and 'South of Heaven.' His frenetic, atonal guitar solos and blistering, precise rhythm playing alongside Kerry King created a dark, uncompromising wall of sound that has influenced every extreme metal band that followed. Following a devastating bout of necrotizing fasciitis (flesh-eating disease) likely caused by a spider bite, which severely hampered his ability to play, Hanneman died of alcohol-related cirrhosis of the liver on May 2, 2013. He was 49 years old, leaving behind a legacy of pure, unadulterated musical brutality.
Milestones
Raining Blood, Angel of Death, South of Heaven
Also remembered in 2013
- George Jones (1931–2013)
- J.J. Cale (1938–2013)
- Lou Reed (1942–2013)
- Ray Manzarek (1939–2013)