Slayer Reschedule U.K. Tour as Tom Araya’s Health Improves

Here's the good news: After having to cancel their European tour and the American Carnage Tour with Megadeath due to a back issue, Slayer vocalist/bassist Tom Araya is on a path to recovery after having surgery. Here's the better news: With his health reaching a steady enough pace, shows are being rescheduled. U.K. dates are the first to be announced, and all original tickets are valid.

When the U.K. dates were originally canceled, Araya was diagnosed with cervical radiculopathy, a condition that entails having a disc slipped next to the spinal cord that was probably created though the constant years of head whipping on the stage.

At fist, Araya went the route of minimally invasive procedures, which did result in some improvements. But other symptoms -- like severe pain, numbness and muscle spasms -- were still evident. Many times back surgeries can be risky, and healing can take an obscene amount of time of months and months. But a surgical procedure called anterior cervical discectomy with fusion seems to be the trash legend's key to better health.

"I think that his just making the decision to have the surgery has helped improve the way he feels," said long-time Slayer manager Rick Sales. "While no one wants to go under the knife, his doctors are very confident about this procedure taking care of the problem once and for all."