When you go to pretty much any zoo, I feel like you have a certain set of expectations of what you'll see. A giant statute of Slayer frontman Tom Araya with a giant Slayer shield logo behind him and lyrics to "Dead Skin Mask" carved into stone in front of him is absolutely not on that list. Unless you happen to be in the Ukraine.

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While Russia's government has been known to censor heavy metal (as they did with Cannibal Corpse, Behemoth and Belphegor), their neighbors in the Ukraine seem all about it. The XII Months zoo in the village of Demidiv in the Ukraine just unveiled its statute of Araya on May 28, and we're not sure why. The zoo's Facebook page doesn't really clear things up much either (it's also not a great translation).

Dear friends, we have finally finished our discussions and alterations, and can say – a sculpture of Tom Araya in our park is completed and submitted for your critical inspection. I can not tell you how hard it was and how much we argued about the accuracy of, say, shape the beard ￼:) or Tom’s guitar. I put the results of our work on the official website of Tom, I have heard that he is now back from Chile and the rest before the European tour – perhaps peep us. At least Sandra Araya (wife) told me that she liked. . God forbid. . . I also told her how things were arguing about any details on the sculpture and even joked that thankfully there that at the concert – and if the sculpture called, for example, Tom on the beach. . . . I am pleased that Ukraine has paid attention to the whole army (millions) of Slayer fans and Tom. Take a look at his website ￼:) and all approval Propaganda, war ensemble, Burial to the BE .

I guess the owner of the zoo, Mikhail Pinchuk (Михаил Пинчук) is just a big Slayer fan. Here are some photos of the statue, as well as a photo of Mikhail with Tom Araya himself. I can't decide if this is more cool or less cool than that town in Poland temporarily naming a traffic circle after Jeff Hanneman.

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[via Loudwire]