A pick-up prog-metal supergroup called Sleigher is celebrating the season with a holiday-themed Slayer cover, "Seasons Greetings in the Abyss," sure to be an instant winter classic for all festive metalheads.

Members of Haken, Dream Theater, Protest the Hero, Cradle of Filth and Inhuman Condition combine their musical powers on the track that has alternate lyrics written by Haken guitarist Charlie Griffiths and illustrator Dan Goldsworthy (Accept, Alestorm and Sylosis). The original "Seasons in the Abyss" emerged in 1990 as the closing dirge on Slayer's album of the same name.

Hear the prog holiday rendition performed by Sleigher in the player down toward the bottom of this post.

Griffiths says, "Injecting this song with some Christmas cheer worked better than any of us expected! Apparently [late Slayer guitarist] Jeff Hanneman loved Christmas, so hopefully he would approve."

Sleigher's "Seasons Greetings in the Abyss" was performed by Griffiths (guitar) and Goldsworthy (guitar) with Rody Walker (vocals), Jeramie Kling (drums), Daniel Firth (bass), Jordan Rudess (keyboards) and Ray Hearne (tuba). The tune was mixed by Scott Atkins, and its music video features puppeteering by Taylor Nordberg and lyric animation by Ronald Gordon.

Griffiths adds, "I hope we help to spread some musical merriment during yet another Christmas of uncertainty in the pandemic abyss. Thanks to all the guys for joining in with the fun and to Scott for mixing!"

Now progressive metal fans can really slay the holidays.

Sleigher, "Seasons Greetings in the Abyss" (Official Music Video)

Learn more here.

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