Album Review: Kerry King - From Hell I Rise
Reviewed by Tim Finch
When Slayer hung up their boots in 2019 after an emotion farewell tour the question of what happens next aired. It was common knowledge Tom wanted to retire, but what would the bands powerhouse Kerry King do? He made it clear he would continue in one form or another, but what that would look like was up for constant speculation.
Earlier this year he broke cover with ‘Idle Hands’ and unveiled his new look solo project, which features drummer Paul Bostaph (Slayer), bassist Kyle Sanders (Hellyeah), Phil Demmel (formerly of Machine Head) on guitar, and vocalist Mark Osegueda (Death Angel). The single and line up had thrashers worldwide a buzz with anticipation.
As the opening instrumental salvo of ‘Diablo’ kicks in it is easy to draw comparisons with Slayer’s material, but as chief song writer for the band, Kerry’s solo work was never going to be far from that mark. What is evident throughout this album as it unfurls before you is that the personnel King has hired sets this work apart from his former band. This is especially prevalent in the vocal attack which Mark Osegueda brings, a total contrast to Araya’s delivery.
As ‘Where I reign’ kicks in the album is off to its heavy thrashing best, with a tidal wave of King and Demmels’s riffs battering your ears as you bang your head a break neck speed. ‘Residue’ is the only song that really feels like it’s lifted out of Slayers back catalogue with even Osegueda altering his vocal delivery on this track. But as lead single ‘Idle Hands’ takes over you're swept away into Kings brutal new world.
The album is not all out 100mph thrash, ‘Trophies of the Tyrant’ has a wickedly dark chugging riff that slows the overall pace down and allows Bostaph’s drumming and Osegueda’s intense vocals to take the lead. ‘Tension’ starts off with a dark, foreboding intro that builds in intensity, King’s guitar a pure background character as the story told by the vocals drowns the listener with such vehemence that no other elements are required.
As the album progresses ‘Everything I Hate About You’ and ‘Toxic’ bring those old school thrash motifs to the forefront, whilst ‘Two Fists’ harks back to Kings love of punk with both its attitude and styling.
As the main song writer in his former band and the sole songwriter in his solo project, the sound of the two was always going to be similar. None the less, King has produced an album that has enough meat on the bone to distinguish it from former projects and allow him and his band to forge their new identity as a force to be reckoned with.
