Later in the year, following the death of guitarist Jeff Hanneman, the split was made permanent when sticksman Paul Bostaph was named a permanent fixture.

Now Lombardo, who's focusing on latest band Philm, tells My Global Mind: "I realise now they weren't really my friends - they were just business partners.

"I lived and hung out with them as if they were friends: 'Wow, these guys are really watching out for me,' and it didn't quite turn out that way."