You might get to see Slayer some day, but if you haven’t yet, the sad fact is you’re never going to see the thrash-metal titans with Jeff Hanneman, their pioneering guitarist who died in May.

Either way, here’s a band you can definitely see this weekend: Live Undead, which bills itself as “The Ultimate Tribute to Slayer.”

Live Undead has been together for about a year and a half, well before Hanneman’s untimely death. The role of Tom Araya — Slayer’s bassist and vocalist — is played by Craig Montoya, a founding member of alt-rock hitmakers Everclear, and he’s backed by a group of veteran Portland musicians.

As always with tribute bands, the biggest factor is: Are they a good band? Can they pull off these songs? A quick scan of some YouTube footage of Live Undead seems to answer in the affirmative. If you love or loved Slayer, get to one of Live Undead’s two area shows. This is going to rule.

Live Undead

with OpenFate; 8 tonight; $12 plus fees, available at www.bendticket.com and the venue; The Sound Garden, 1279 N.E. Second St., Bend; 541-633-6804.

with E.F.A. and High Desert Hooligans; 8 p.m. Saturday; $8; Big T’s, 413 S.W. Glacier Ave., Redmond; 541-504-3864.