There was a time when Slayer felt like the most dangerous band in music. Well, when I was a little kid anyway. Back when the only thing I knew about heavy metal was seeing magazines and posters on the walls of my teenage cousins. The same cousins whose mother used to warn her kids, nieces, and nephews about the Satanic dangers of MTV. From Danzig to Ministry, it felt like there was an unwritten list of bands that were off-limits in the house. I can’t remember any specific conversation regarding them, but I knew Slayer was at the top of the list. This is something that comes to mind when I hear From Hell I Rise, the new solo album from Slayer’s Kerry King.
As you may have guessed, you can’t talk about Kerry King without acknowledging the red-eyed, demonic-horned elephant in the room: Slayer.
And just like the story about Ministry, I’ve told at this publication many times, Slayer becoming one of my favorite bands was more than inevitable. But my love of Slayer is a little different than the likes of Ministry or Danzig. With those guys, the over-the-top personas felt like caricatures and the self-awareness elevated what they lacked in any talent. There was a little of that in Slayer but they weren’t a joke. Outside of perception, there was a powerhouse of virtuoso talent. There’s a reason why Slayer remains one of the most influential metal bands this side of Metallica.
Regardless of what you may think of him as a person or musician, Kerry King has always been a big part of that. Be it his contribution to writing some of the band’s most recognizable songs or his blistering guitar work alongside Jeff Hanneman (later Gary Holt). But most importantly, his drive to continue no matter what’s in front of him. When metal became stale, King pushed Slayer to evolve. When Hanneman sadly passed in 2013, King pushed Slayer to move forward with Holt.
Naturally, when Slayer called it quits in 2019, Kerry King was already working on their successor: the aptly titled solo album From Hell I Rise.
That sure seems like a long introduction for a review of From Hell I Rise, but that background is a necessity to appreciate King’s next chapter. It’s no secret how he wasn’t ready for Slayer to call it a day so this doesn’t feel like a new chapter in his legacy but a continuance. Filling out King’s band is Paul Bostaph (Slayer/Testament/Exodus) on drums, Phil Demmel (Machine Head) on guitar, Kyle Sanders (Hellyeah) on bass, and Mark Osegueda (Death Angel) on vocals. What does this solo band from Kerry King sound like? Slayer of course!
Fortunately, if you’re listening to a Kerry King solo album, that’s exactly what you want. Much less expecting. However, the consistency keeps From Hell I Rise from expanding beyond its own lore. Bostaph and Demmel are at the top of their game. But sadly, Osegueda is channeling Tom Araya a little too much. I’m not sure if it was a conscious decision, but I suppose there’s only so much a vocalist can do with this style of thrash. Either way, he fits perfectly and has never sounded better on an album.
From the instrumental opening, “Diablo” giving off serious “Delusions of Savior” vibes, it’s obvious this album is essentially Repentless II.
In fact, there are only 2 tracks that veer off the straight and narrow path of Slayer-isms. “Tension” is a dark, brooding, almost doom-metal dirge. Meanwhile, “Two Fists” reminds me of early Suicidal Tendencies. Slayer always had hints of punk in their earlier works (actually, it was their 1996 covers album Undisputed Attitude that introduced me to hardcore punk!). But returning to that particular vibe feels like a plot twist in a record full of constant thrash. Production by Josh Wilbur is thick, glossy, and very reminiscent of Slayer’s World Painted Blood.
With that said, my favorite track is “Toxic” and the main riff is essentially a variation of the iconic breakdown in “Angel of Death”. From start to finish, I’m looking for something to color outside the lines but King does Slayer so well. Every artist should aspire to grow and evolve. Not to just challenge themselves but to push the envelope to what their output can become. But why should change the genre he helped create? It’s an interesting problem, isn’t it?
This dilemma is where the main issue with From Hell I Rise comes into focus. The real issue is with the listener.
From the very first time Kerry King hinted that he was working on new music up to the debut of his first single “Idle Hands”, he told fans exactly what it was gonna sound exactly like. He said it was going to sound like Slayer. Regardless if this is a record that blows you away or disappoints you, it can’t surprise you. On the surface, that sounds like a knock but I think there is a certain beauty to that kind of honesty and consistency. There aren’t many artists out there who can make a promise and then deliver on the said promise without breaking a sweat.
Not only because Kerry King knows nothing else, but because it’s what he likes to write, play, and hear.
Earlier I had brought up how Danzig and Ministry were some of my favorite bands no thanks to their projection of persona. I claimed Slayer was a little different because they weren’t joking. But after listening to From Hell I Rise, maybe King has more in common with Glenn Danzig and Al Jourgensen than I give him credit for. All 3 men are artists true to their craft. They take no issue with playing to their strengths or the lumps they’ll inevitably take from pretentious cork sniffers.
As a kid, I wasn’t scared of Slayer. Not once did I feel like Satan was gonna creep through my speakers and eat my soul when I listened to South Of Heaven. I always felt like their lyrics and visuals were in the same way I rooted for horror movie villains like Jason Voorhees or Michael Myers. The idea of taking their lyrics as gospel is hilariously cringe-worthy. It’s all silly and kind of lame. However, it’s a lot of fun! I think Kerry King agrees and for that I’m glad From Hell I Rise is such a great, albeit predictable, time.
From Hell I Rise is available on Reigning Phoenix Music . Original cover photo by Jim Louvau