Album Review: Kerry King - From Hell I Rise

Slayer’s co-founding guitarist Kerry King is one of the most instantly recognisable and well-respected musicians in the metal world and has pioneered some of the most brutal and revolutionary music ever created in the last four decades. King wrote or co-wrote some of Slayer’s most beloved songs including 'Mandatory Suicide,' 'Repentless,' 'Hell Awaits,' 'Disciple,' and 'Raining Blood.'

Slayer’s final tour concluded on November 30th 2019, however the night marked a new beginning for King. From Hell I Rise will finally be unleashed on May 17th 2024. His band consists of an all-star lineup of the metal world. Death Angel's Mark Osegueda on vocal duty, longtime Slayer drummer Paul Bostaph, former HellYeah bassist Kyle Sanders, and ex–Machine Head and Vio-lence guitarist Phil Demmel.

Kerry King says:

"I knew early on that I wasn’t done, and I had no intention of not continuing to play..."

"...[the music] consists of various religious topics, some war entries, heavy stuff, punky stuff, doomy stuff, and spooky stuff, with Herculean speeds achieved. “If you’ve ever liked any Slayer throughout any part of our history," he adds, "there’s something on this record that you’ll get into, be it classic punk, fast punk, thrash, or just plain heavy metal!”

The album kicks off with 'Diablo,' a blistering instrumental at just shy of two minutes long. The instrumental is a muscular introduction to the band which showcases their uniformed musicianship with seamless ease and crushing attitude setting the tone for the entire album. 'Where I Reign' kicks things off with lightning speed riffage and ferocious aggression. The blast-beats lead the charge with heavy basslines as support and Death Angel's Mark Osegueda's powerful screams. Solos fly with fevered intensity and groove flexes. 'Residue' is the second track to be released from the record before its release, starting with a rolling war-like drum beat until it explodes in to a screaming mid-tempo trudge with chugging guitars. The solos are plentiful and soaring with intricate detail. 'Idle Hands' was the first track to be released from the album and charges forward with frantic energy and explosive destruction. Kerry King's guitarwork is at its prime here and Osegueda's vocals are determined, relentless and venomous.

'Trophies of the Tyrant' is shorter in length but it decimates with serious groove stomps and squealing dual-guitar battles. 'Crucifixation' just screams Slayer which isn't a bad thing. Frantic aggression and venomous rasps rip you apart with the added touch of a slow and sinister build-up at its midway point complete with crushing basslines, thunderous rolling drums and evil riffs. Don't let that fool you however as the intensity is tripled as the guitars rip in to you with more screaming solos and headbanging insanity. This is definitely one of the strongest tracks of the album. Speaking of Slayer-esque tracks, 'Tension' has that ominous air about it that Slayer have always been known for. Sinister, roiling riffs and dark atmosphere with more venomous vocals, building drums and dizzying solos. 'Everything I Hate About You' is a quick, sharp jab to the jugular at only a minute and a half long however it is full of intense, thrashy spite.

'Toxic' begins the last third of the record, it's politically charged and furious with the entire world. 'Two Fists' pummels you in to submission from the very first second with a punk edge. It's angry and rasping as it stomps its way forward like an unstoppable bulldozer crushing everything in its wake. 'Rage' is everything you would expect from a track of that name; in your face, thrashing ferocity that doesn't hold back in the slightest. The solos are prevalent once more brimming with attitude and devastation. 'Shrapnel' is the penultimate track of the record and it opens with like the gates of hell with a brooding atmosphere and sinister riffage with rolling war-drums. Osegueda's vocals gradually build until a devastating scream bursts the track wide open. Finally, the title track brings the record full circle with the same ferocity it began with.

A modern continuation of Slayer's later albums, particularly the album Repentless where a couple of the From Hell I Rise tracks were retrieved from the Repentless recording sessions. Is this a bad thing? No, King himself has already said that this is the style he loves to play and will continue to do so. You know exactly what you're getting with this record; straight up, in your face, glorious thrashy heavy metal with a punk attitude. This is a solid heavy metal record and is signature Kerry King through and through.

Rating: 7/10
Release Date: May 17th 2024
Released By: Reigning Phoenix
FFO: Slayer, Death Angel, Machine Head, Testament, Kreator

Track List

01 - Diablo
02 - Where I Reign
03 - Residue
04 - Idle Hands
05 - Trophies Of The Tyrant
06 - Crucifixation
07 - Tension
08 - Everything I Hate About You
09 - Toxic
10 - Two Fists
11 - Rage
12 - Shrapnel
13 - From Hell I Rise