SLAYER guitarist Kerry King says progress on his band’s next album is being held up by producer Rick Rubin.

And he’s hinted there may be doubts that Jeff Hanneman will contribute to recording sessions.

King’s comments come after iconic deskman Rubin suffered a range of critical comments over the past year.

In 2011 ZZ Top’s Billy Gibbons said he was responsible for delays to the release of their album La Futura, reporting they’d been pushed to “the brink of frustration” and admitting: “The band is wondering, ‘Where is this thing? When do we hear it?’”

In the same year Graham Nash accused the producer of having ruined Crosby, Stills and Nash recording sessions. Earlier, Corey Taylor said he’d never work with Rubin again and Muse thanked him for showing them how not to record an album.

Now King tells Eddie Trunk: “The whole hold-up now, as with every record we ever do, it seems like Rick Rubin changes distributors. We’re left in limbo until he lands somewhere.

“Realistically we’re without a deal right now. We plan on staying with Rick, but he’s working out his distribution. When that gets settled we’ll be recording.”

Rubin is gearing up to work on Metallica’s next record and is nearing completion on Black Sabbath’s reunion album with Ozzy Osbourne.

Despite his criticism, Gibbons last year insisted: “He’s got a somewhat unorthodox way of doing just about everything he does. But make no mistake: he has a sense of intuition that can’t be beat.”



Meanwhile, King predicts the new Slayer record will be released in 2013, and remains hopeful guitarist Jeff Hanneman will be ready for work after his near-fatal spider bite.

“He’s still trying to get back in the game,” says King. “I have enough material to do it on my own if need be – but if Jeff comes to the part with some material, hell yeah, I’ve got extras.”