LOS ANGELES (CelebrityAccess MediaWire) — Slayer has announced that guitarist Jeff Hanneman will be unable to participate in the band's forthcoming tour.
Hanneman is currently at home recovering from arm surgery, after he contracted a serious infection most likely from a spider bite, according to Metal Underground.
The thrash metal guitarist is expected to make a full recovery but will require several skin grafts.
Slayer will bring on a guest guitarist but have yet to reveal who that guitarist will be.
Jeff is our brother, we've all been friends and together as a band for almost 30 years," said Araya according to Metal Underground, "so we're all just crushed by this."
"After everything that happened last year," King added, "we all agreed that we just can't let our fans down again," referring to Araya's severe back and neck pain that prompted his January 2010 surgery.
The surgery lead to the band's postponement or cancellation of numerous shows in 2009 and 2010, according to Metal Underground.
"So we will tour as planned. But I'll tell you, we can't wait for Jeff to get better and get his ass back on the road."
— Crystal Lynn Huntoon
