Slayer avoids comfort zone

July 16, 2015 at 12:05a.m.

When you’re the drummer of legendary thrash band Slayer, it’s not good to be comfy and sleepy on stage. That’s why while on tour, Paul Bostaph has a no-pasta policy when friends and family come to see him bearing gifts.

The no-carb rule will remain in effect when Slayer headlines The Rockstar Energy Drink Mayhem Festival show Saturday at First Niagara Pavilion in Pittsburgh.

“I have family that live in the area,” said Bostaph, calling from Indianapolis. “If they bring me lasagna, I’ll be sleeping before I get on stage. I try not to eat heavy foods before I go on stage. Getting nice and comfy and tired before you get on stage, that’s a horrible place to start.”

Bostaph got his start in the music industry more than 30 years ago playing with metal acts Forbidden, Exodus, Systematic, Testament and Slayer. He originally played with the latter group from 1992 to 2001 before rejoining the “Reign in Blood” band in 2013.

“When I received the phone call about it, there was no question in my mind I wanted to come back,” Bostaph said. “I’d been away from the band for quite some time, and over that time I really missed playing this style of music.

“Slayer, in my opinion, is one of the best heavy-metal bands ever. When you play with a band like that, other groups you play with aren’t going to deliver the same feeling. Slayer’s songs are relentless, challenging and they appeal to my sense of loving to play drums.”

Though Bostaph was upbeat about rejoining Slayer, his excitement was short-lived. A mere two weeks after his return, band co-founder and guitarist Jeff Hanneman died from liver failure.

Naturally, this was a huge blow to the group, which took some time off before deciding to move forward. Eventually, guitarist Kerry King and singer-bassist Tom Araya were joined by Bostaph and guitarist Gary Holt in the studio. The four-piece crafted the crushing and brutal new effort “Repentless.”

This project, which is due to be released Sept. 11, was called the most challenging record Slayer ever made.

“It was challenging because we lost Jeff,” Bostaph said. “When a tragedy happens and you start growing and living your life and moving on, it’s natural there will be times you get a reprieve from your grieving. For us, there was really no reprieve from it.

“When we were in the studio, there wasn’t a moment that I didn’t think about him. Also, you’re talking about now you only have two major contributors – Tom and Kerry – in terms of learning how to make that formula work again because we had a major loss.”

New songs that are currently being played include the aggressive title track and “Implode,” as well as the dark and slow “When The Stillness Comes.” Overall, Bostaph said “Repentless,” which features the Hanneman-written song “Piano Wire,” lives up to Slayer’s legacy: a two-time Grammy-winning band that along with Metallica, Megadeth and Anthrax sets the archetype for thrash-metal music.

“I think Slayer has never really let its fans down,” Bostaph said. “Sometimes your favorite bands, as they get older, maybe their perspective changes. Or they don’t give you what you want anymore. But this band does, and I think that’s what the fans respect. That’s what they want.”