Whew, that's a relief. The American Carnage Tour, which was recently cancelled due to Slayer bassist Tom Araya's need for intensive back surgery, is back on! This means that Slayer, Megadeth and special guests Testament will still be scorching the earth at a venue near you — only about half a year later than previously announced.

Originally scheduled to begin in mid-January, the 26-date jaunt will now kick off July 23rd in Quebec City, Canada. The tour marks the first time that the three legendary thrash ensembles have toured together since 1991's "Clash of the TItans," so we're stoked that Araya's back seems to be cooperating.

"The doctors said that Tom's surgery went very smoothly and was a resounding success," says Rick Sales, Slayer's manager.  "He's home now, doing really well, and he said the numbness in his fingers had already diminished considerably."

We're also guessing this means that Slayer will still be on the bill for the Sonisphere festivals in Poland and the Czech Republic in mid-June, when thrash metal's "Big Four" — Metallica, Megadeth, Slayer and Anthrax — will play together for the first time in history. Not that we've ever been in a big hurry to visit Poland, but it's starting to sound like an appealing idea. Click here for an updated list of dates.