Kerry King hasn’t reinvented himself in any form or fashion, as he calls his debut album, From Hell I Rise, an extension of Slayer itself. He speaks the truth as the record bangs and slams with raging power, lyrics that spit anger at everyone while dropping in screeching solos amongst the maelstroms.
After a chugging intro titled “Diablo” King leads the charge on the mega effort “Where I Reign”. The tune reminds of the best of Slayer with screaming vocals from Mark Osegueda (Death Angel) slamming guitar from King and Phil Demmel, an awesome breakdown around Kyle Sanders bass and Paul Bostaph’s drums; the tune certainly scratches that Slayer itch.
The album has slight metallic nuances, but for most tracks, you know what you are going to get: loud guitars and thrashing low end, as Josh Wilbur’s production keeps everything balanced. Brutal drums, machine gun riffs, and a scorching solo highlight the burning “Residue,” while “Trophies of the Tyrant” is built around a heavy-as-all-hell stomping march.
King has stated that he didn’t want to end Slayer, so when a track like “Idle Hands” reminds directly of “Raining Blood,” the yearning for past days is clear. However, his new band delivers the goods as well, especially on “Crucifixion,” where the group uses frantic thrashing before a grooving midsection that is head-banging ready.
“Tension” lives up to the title, simmering yet never exploding, “Everything I Hate About You” is a touch punk-ish with a brief run time and directness, while “Toxic” simplistically boils down to everything in the world sucks. The crushing from the start, “Two Fists” literally tries to fight the world, while “Rage” is a galloping wild ride. “Shrapnel” gets a touch theatrical with big arena-ready antics before the album delivers a knockout blow with the title track finale as the cascading riffs and powerhouse drumming close the record on a high note. Fans of the legendary metal gods Slayer will bang their heads and slam with appreciation listening to From Hell I Rise as Kerry King keeps his old band’s spirit burning bright.
