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KERRY KING
From Hell I Rise

Reigning Phoenix Music (2024)
Rating: 7/10

With the remains of the mighty Slayer still smouldering after dissolving in 2019, the bald axe-wielding barbarian known as Kerry King steps out of the choking debris smoke to deliver what is essentially Repentless 2.0, and King said that himself. For this solo project Kerry King enlists the help of guitarist Phil Demmel (ex-Vio-lence / Machine Head), bassist Kyle Sanders (Hellyeah), drummer Paul Bostaph (Forbidden / Testament / Slayer) and frontman Mark Osegueda (Death Angel) who, rather unfortunately, spends most of the album aping Tom Araya instead of letting him channel his own identity.

As per numerous underwhelming latter day Slayer records, King carves what he probably thinks are hateful and blasphemous master strokes of thrashing terror, although the stark reality is that this album is still the same ol’ soundtrack to accompanying today’s soulless American wrestlers to the ring. From Hell I Rise should be a blunt reminder to all the reasons why Slayer ran out of steam, in spite of King’s stubbornness on delivering short, sharp expletives.

The aggression continues here as the combo heads viciously back to Slayer’s God Hates Us All (2001) for a batch of fiery, serrated numbers. I’m sure the fiercely loyal Slayer fans will disagree when I say that this platter is just Slayer Mk. 2, but that’s exactly what it is, right down to the mostly short and blunt track titles like ‘Crucifixation’, ‘Diablo’, ‘Toxic’, ‘Tension’, ‘Rage’, ‘Residue’ and ‘Shrapnel’. Anyway, Kerry King and co. literally blaze through 46 minutes of thrash give or take a few steadier, moodier numbers such as the aforementioned ‘Shrapnel’.

At its fastest, From Hell I Rise is extremely violent, the riffs maliciously act as a scathing torrents of black ice fused with molten shards of raining hear. I still find so many of King’s song titles hilarious (‘Two Fists’ and ‘Everything I Hate About You’); it’s all so immature in its masculinity as the band desperately tries to ram home how evil its message is.

I certainly didn’t expect anything too diverse from King, but it is difficult to get excited here. In fact, it’s extremely predictable stuff but will no doubt provide a quick fix for those gagging for a Slayer reunion. ‘Where I Reign’ fizzes by, led by Osegueda’s frothing vocals. As expected Bostaph’s percussion is bestial and King’s leads wail wildly amidst a landscape of fire.

Punky elements infiltrate the thick walls of ash as ‘Tension’ literally lives up to its name with a steady build up, a suspense sadly lacking in many of Slayer’s later efforts. ‘Trophies Of The Tyrant’ spins a similar yarn, building like the Slayer classic ‘Mandatory Suicide’ but with less striking lyrical content.

As an album, From Hell I Rise is the epitome of a teenage rant; fuck this, fuck that, fuck the world and fuck you. But it’s made all the more ineffective by the fact that Slayer have reformed for shows later in the year, making this release seem rather pointless. However, it will still appeal greatly to a lot of Slayer fans because it sounds a lot like Slayer… just not as good.

Neil Arnold

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