SLAUGHTER — the Canadian death/thrash/crossover pioneers, not to be confused with the American hard-rock band of the same name — have reunited for the first time in roughly four decades. On June 3, 2026, the three original members gathered in Toronto to record new music: drummer Ron Sumners, bassist/vocalist Terry Sadler and guitarist/vocalist Dave Hewson.
The trio rented a "blackened schoolhouse" and captured the moment in a raw rehearsal video for the track "Incinerator." Hewson relished the lack of polish. "No studio quality audio recording, no storyboarding, no makeup artists or any real preparation whatsoever — just reviving our gritty past," he said.
SLAUGHTER emerged from Toronto's mid-'80s thrash underground between 1984 and 1986, sharing a scene with RAZOR, SACRIFICE and EXCITER. Their 1985 demo "Surrender Or Die" and landmark 1987 album "Strappado" made them foundational figures in extreme metal, prized for chainsaw guitar tone, dual vocals and crushing low end. In a now-legendary footnote, CHUCK SCHULDINER of DEATH briefly rehearsed with the band in 1986; those sessions later surfaced as the 2000 release "F.O.D."
After the band split more than 35 years ago, Hewson carried on as STRAPPADO but never moved beyond demos. The reunion now dovetails with a forthcoming band biography, "Tales From The Chainsaw," announced in February 2026 and authored by longtime fans Dragan Balog and Nick Sagias, drawing on extensive interviews with the original members and underground figures. The book is slated for late 2026 or early 2027.
Hewson hinted that more may follow, noting that 2027 marks the 40th anniversary of "Strappado" and asking, "What could possibly be next?" For a band whose uncompromising sound still echoes through extreme metal, the timing feels right.