The legend of the accelerated guitars of thrash metal, Kerry King, releases his first solo album, From Hell I Rise, today (17th) via Reigning Phoenix Music, promising to be full of power and brutality. The former Slayer guitarist takes pen and paper to start writing this new chapter of his long career, giving life to thirteen highly intense songs to bring this metal gem to our ears. All of these are accompanied by Paul Bostaph on drums, Kyle Sanders on bass, Phil Demmel on guitar, and Mark Osegueda on vocals.
As expected, the guitar’s sound doesn’t wait and the record begins with “Diablo,” an instrumental track of almost two minutes that’s only the initial brushstroke to the power unveiled through each song. It’s immediately followed by the drums with unstoppable blast beats, both powerful and fast. “Where I Reign” can also hear for the first time the voice of Osegueda outside of Death Angel in a surprising performance, where the vocal technique has its own role, delivering an almost electric sound that elevates even more the power of this work. The guitar riffs take center stage, naturally, but on a striking level; it’s not Slayer what you hear; it’s Kerry King in all his splendor.
Among the standout tracks is “Residue,” where a more intense guitar strumming accompanies powerful percussion, maintaining the album’s tension. This leads to the strong vocal growling, a testament to Osegueda’s versatility, allowing for a better appreciation of Sanders’ bass work. “Idle Hands” is another track that demands attention with its mind-exploding guitar progressions. This was the first single released by King, and it showcases his technical prowess without any restraint.
“Trophies of the Tyrant” looks quite similar to what we have already heard, but it takes a remarkably unexpected turn in the last seconds. If we talk about fast songs with high content, then we are describing “Everything I Hate About You,” which, with only 1:21 min, moves between the speed of the strings and the powerful pounding of the drums in an impressive, energetic sample.
The album’s remaining tracks follow the same line of acceleration, with synergistic changes in the middle of the songs, adding value beyond any expectation. The disc ends with “From Hell I Rise,” whose guitar feels like it reaches back to King’s origins, generating the expected satisfaction for those who follow the guitarist’s career.
In short, From Hell I Rise is a record full of hard thrash metal. The thirteen tracks are comprised with extreme brutality and filled with fast and sharp guitar solos. The quality of the high-powered vocals and the virtuous technicality of the instrumentation make this album a masterful piece and a worthy release that should be listened to at full volume several times.
Order Kerry King’s From Hell I Rise via this location.
