Slayer where asked in 2011 if they were going to make another album, which then-Slayer drummer Dave Lombardo replied that although nothing had been written yet, there were "definitely plans". In early 2011, guitarist Jeff Hanneman became ill with necrotizing fasciitis. Some said that he got the illness from a spider bite he claimed to have received while in a friend's hot tub. When asked about a new record, bassist Tom Araya stated that any work would have to wait until Hanneman had recovered.