Kerry King has finally unleashed his long awaited solo debut album From Hell I Rise. After Slayer recently announced they will be reforming this year, From Hell I Rise makes sure that Slayer are not taking all of the spotlight. With 13 tracks, King along with the help of Paul Bostaph (drums), Kyle Sanders (bass), Phil Demmel (Guitar) and Mark Osegueda (vocals) deliver a debut album that feels like a thrash classic.
Instantly you’re greeted by guitar tones that are all too familiar. A two minute instrumental kicks things off, with ‘Diablo’ gradually building and becoming increasingly heavy before firing into ‘Where I Reign’. An opening combo similar to that of ‘Delusions of Saviour’ and ‘Repentless’ off Slayer’s final album, the songs are the perfect taste of what is to come.
From here it’s nothing but classic 80s thrash. Both the music and lyrics are signature Kerry King. The brutal guitars of King and Demmel combine with Bostaph’s fill-driven drums to give a sound that is as metal as it gets. Songs such as ‘Crucifixation’ and ‘Everything I Hate About You’ being the perfect examples of the lethal guitar/drum combinations that make them feel like they’ve been ripped straight out of the 80s thrash scene.
All of the lyrics on the album were written by King, with Osegueda coming in and putting his own spin on the tracks after Kerry King himself provided vocals on the demos. Osegueda delivers a powerful vocal performance different to anything else he’s done in his career with Death Angel. With his fiery delivery, Osegueda picks up right where Tom Araya left off sometimes sounding a little too much like the Slayer frontman.
There’s not much experimentation on the album, but was that ever expected? ‘Two Fists’ has an underlying punk feel yet never strays too far from the thrash sound which is at the core of the album. Following this is ‘Rage’ and the title is self-explanatory. There’s no punk here, just a rage fuelled three minutes of pure thrash.
The imagery and themes throughout the album are distinctively Kerry King as well. Hell, violence, religion, governments, politics – and he’s pissed off with the lot. Lovely stuff. I mean it’s an album written by Kerry King, and this is what he’s been doing for 40 years – did we really expect anything else?
With King himself explaining the sound saying “things I wrote during Slayer’s lifespan are showing up on From Hell I Rise,” it is unsurprising the album has a Slayer feel. But who’s complaining? As far as debut albums go From Hell I Rise has everything you could want. For almost 50 minutes you’re hit by non-stop thrash with the band barley taking a second to breathe. Delivering an album of the year contender, Kerry King is not messing around.
From Hell I Rise is out Friday 17th May via Reigning Phoenix
