The rest of the group have distanced themselves from frontman Tom Araya’s Photoshopped image of the band with Trump.

Yesterday (January 25), Slayer’s Tom Araya hit out at fans after a Photoshopped image of the group posing with Donald Trump was posted to their Instagram. Araya called those accusing the band of endorsing Trump “snowflakes” and appeared to celebrate Mike Pence’s support of gay conversion therapy in the comments beneath the post.

Now the band have issued a statement to Rolling Stone, distancing themselves from Araya: “This was his post, it’s not something the band would have posted if asked, and does not belong on a Slayer social page.”

“We all have our personal opinions, some of which we have voiced in the past,” it continues. “But Slayer has never endorsed any political party or any candidate, and the band intends to keep it that way.”

The previously deleted image – which was originally posted on inauguration day before being taken down – was reposted to Instagram on Tuesday with a message from Araya, unhappy with the negative reaction and confused as to why or who removed it in the first place. “The picture did exactly what I thought it would do… piss some of you off,” he wrote.

The comments are likely to cause division in the ranks of the metal legends. Last summer, Slayer guitarist Kerry King voiced his support for Hillary Clinton in a interview with Rolling Stone, calling her “the safe, correct choice” and labelling Donald Trump “a sideshow.