SINCE lead vocalist and bassist Tom Araya announced his decision to retire from Slayer in 2019, guitarist and founding member Kerry King has made no secret of his disappointment. He has gone on record to say he felt the decision to put Slayer to bed was too soon as there was still plenty left in the tank, at least where new music was concerned.
But Araya had spoken his mind citing health reasons and a desire to spend more time with his family whilst saying that “metal was a young man’s game”. Though Slayer soldiered on after influential drummer Dave Lombardo leaving in 1992 and even the death of guitarist Jeff Hanneman in 2013, replacing the voice of the band is altogether more difficult.
While Slayer have agreed to reform for a few select festival dates, there shall be no more new material. But King has not been sitting idle twiddling his thumbs with his first solo record released last month on Rising Phoenix Records.
For his first new venture, King has assembled a tight collection of highly experienced musicians including Slayer cohort Paul Bostaph occupying the drum stool. Completing the line-up is Mark Osegueda of Death Angel on vocals, former Vio-lence and Machine Head guitarist Phil Demmel, Hellyeah bassist Kyle Sanders, which pretty much makes this a bona fide thrash super group.
But is From Hell I Rise any good? Initial fears that this will be a Slayer-lite record minus Araya’s input as vocalist and lyricist are brushed aside from the opening salvo of Where I Reign. Fast, aggressive and choc-full of memorable riffs designed for immediate impact, the album is a throwback to the genre’s formative years.
Many of the songs seem like a throwback to Slayers early days circa Show No Mercy and Hell Awaits which is no bad thing in itself. Coupled with the obvious fun the band is having, the whole exercise translates into a solid collection of tunes guaranteed to get old headbangers’ neck muscles a thorough workout.
Osegueda, in particular, does a fine job modifying his vocal technique to avoid the project sounding like a Death Angel demo. He gruffs up his singing to give it a nice edge but without coming off like an Araya-wannabe.
Standout tracks include Residue and Shrapnel, where the band showcase its collective chops by sucking listeners into a vortex of chugging riffs, twisted solos and suitably evil-sounding vocals.
This is a damn fine effort from King and if this is the standard he has set for his post-Slayer output, fans can expect more quality metal from this veteran headbanger who has written more than a few chapters in the history of heavy metal.
Perhaps the best compliment that can be paid to this album is that it is proof that is age is but a number.
This is a thoroughly fun piece of work that will have both old and young fans turning up the volume knob and striking air guitar poses.
Long may the King reign!
