Kerry King’s initial venture into the realm of solo artistry unfolds as anticipated. If you’ve been a devotee of Kerry King’s songwriting contributions on the recent Slayer albums, you’ll likely discover From Hell I Rise to be a fine addition to your library.

by Felix Bartlett | May 16, 2024

---

King shared with fans months ago that his latest record was going to be a continuation of 2015’s ‘Repentless‘. Today we can say he wasn’t wrong. Both in terms of the lyrical content and the music, King’s latest project leaves very little in the surprise department. However, overall it’s a solid record with a lot to love.

Unsurprisingly most of the record is straight-up thrash metal, though I the sprinkles of punk on “Two Fists” and some groove on “Tension” was a welcome surprise. The many solos provided by King also provide a fantastic outing giving King and fellow guitarist Phil Demmel the chance to share their talent and chemistry in the studio. Demmel fits well into the lineup here and it’s clear he has been given a lot of space to do what he’s great at.

Death Angel‘s Mark Osegueda does his best to channel Tom Araya on the vocals. While this works for many of the songs, it does feel a bit forced in a couple, most notably “Where I Reign.” This left me longing for the lead singing to be taken in a different direction with it never actually doing so. Although, that being said, Mark kills it on tracks like “Residue” and “Two Fists.“

“Shrapnel” embraces Kerry’s signature opening and puts you in a position that’s immediately going to remind you of the later days of Slayer. Drummer Paul Bostaph also shines on this track as does Osegueda, and seems to find his place here. The familiar-sounding solos also fit the track perfectly. Same with “Where I Reign” which gave off an early Slayer vibe in the intro. One could guess this is not coincidental. In this respect, Kerry King stays entirely true to his roots. He doesn’t try and reinvent anything. Clearly, he’s proud of his impressive resume and he’s not afraid to keep going to back to the same well that’s worked for him. So, if you were expecting something other than a record that sounds like Kerry King songs, you are going to be extremely disappointed.

“Trophies of the Tyrant” is another stand-out track that sounds amazing when plugged into the right speakers and is given the chance to rage. The clarity of both guitars riffing at the same time was a standout moment for me. Without any doubt, the production and mixing on this record is top-notch.

For those of you who are familiar with the later Slayer records, “Crucifixation” is most definitely for you as is “Tension.” Both of these could have easily been on God Hates Us All, Christ Illusion or World Painted Blood.

The record closes out with the title track providing another rager, King makes a statement with his signature speed and tone. Some brilliant solos add texture as Demmel and King trade off. An impressive way to end the record along with the final lyric “I watch religion die. Come watch it with me.” If only, right? While the world is rapidly changing around us, it’s somewhat comforting to see that Kerry King definitely is not.

While it’s definitely not a Slayer record, and From Hell I Rise doesn’t really touch the greatness of the legendary 80’s output, this is about as close as we’re likely ever going to get to Slayer and new music.

Verdict: 💀💀💀

Out May 17th via Reigning Phoenix Music

Listen to the album below: