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KERRY KING's friends are telling him they like his debut solo album better than any single record he has done in his career

03-07-2024

SLAYER guitarist Kerry King has launched the third in a series of interview videos to promote his recently released debut solo album, “From Hell I Rise”.

Asked about the response to “From Hell I Rise” so far, Kerry said: “I’ve heard from not only friends, journalists, people I’m doing interviews with that they like this better as a whole than any single record I’ve done in my career. It’s hard for me to say that, because I’ve been a part of all that stuff. But good friends are really fired up about this record that wouldn’t blow sunshine up my ass. And journalists I’ve known for a long, long time, but we’re not just acquaintances; they’re friends of mine that I don’t get to see because of the pandemic. And now things are getting fired up. I’m gonna see all my journalist friends again. But people are talking this record up really big. And they’ve all heard the whole thing, of course, ’cause they’re doing interviews about it, so they have backup to their story. But I’ve heard people are really stoked about this record. I like this record a lot. I like (SLAYER‘s final album, 2015’s) ‘Repentless’ a lot. But I think the performance of everybody is better on this one.”

Regarding the decision to name his band KERRY KINGKerry said: “Well, first and foremost, it was never supposed to bear my name. (Laughs) It just kind of fell into place. We worked for months, we worked for years trying to come up with a fucking name that worked that wasn’t taken, wasn’t used by some other company that made a trademark, a conflict of interest. And it was time for some of our first shows to be announced and we had to roll with something. So we had this logo. Somebody said, just call it KERRY KING. Everybody knows who you are, everybody knows what you’re about. That being said, the pressure didn’t really hit because everything was done and recorded before we ever got to KERRY KING. It was an afterthought, and we had nowhere to go. And everybody loved the logo, so, you know — insert my name.”

Kerry also talked about the rest of the KERRY KING lineup, which consists of Mark Osegueda (vocals; DEATH ANGEL), Phil Demmel (guitar; MACHINE HEAD, VIO-LENCE), Kyle Sanders (bass; HELLYEAH) and drummer Paul Bostaph (SLAYER, TESTAMENT, EXODUS). He said: “I’ve already had questions about somebody asking me, ‘Is this gonna be a touring band for this album, and then the next album you put another band together?’ which I thought was the oddest question I’ve been asked in a long time. And I’m, like, ‘No, I want this to be a band from day one. I want it to be a band.’ We’re all about the same age and hopefully we all decide when time is to retire that we all agree on it. So, we can stick together for three records, four records, five records. Depends how fast we put stuff together, depends how fast touring cycles go. But my intention is for this to be the band from now until the day this band’s done.”

Check out the video below.

Watch the previous episoded below.

Last month, Kerry spoke to Consequence about his tendency to write lyrics — with both SLAYER and his solo project — that are critical of organized religion. Asked what he sees in the real world that leads him to write songs on that topic, Kerry replied: “Well, I think it’s a farce. When I was in grade school, I couldn’t tell you what grade, but during the summer one year, my parents said, ‘Hey, you want to go to Sunday school?’ Because I did all kinds of extracurricular stuff at school. So I’m, like, ‘Yeah, I’ll check it out.’ I didn’t know what church was. And this isn’t what gave me my hatred for it, but it’s just a fun story. So I went to Sunday school, and like a week into it, I went to my parents. I’m, like, ‘I don’t think I want to go to this anymore.’ Even that little kid knew it was a bunch of dog shit.”

He continued: “It’s like politics these days. What’s said in the press is gone within 48 hours. All the things Donald Trump did as president, I remember seeing on the news how many lies he’d made in four years, and like 36 hours later, it’s like it never happened. That’s basically how religion is. You hear about all these priests around the world getting convicted for sexual assault or inappropriate conduct with minors, and a day later it’s gone. But I remember that shit, and it’s been fueling my lyrics for the last probably 40 years. So, thank you religion for keeping me occupied.”

Last month, King talked to Germany’s Moshpit Passion, about the increased prevalence of lyrics about religion and occult themes in heavy metal today compared to how it was when the band first started out more than 40 years ago. He said: “Yeah, I think people got desensitized over the decades, ’cause when we came out, it was far more taboo than it is now. And I think what I do is more like just putting opinions on the table.”

He continued: “I think a lot of people are just born into their beliefs — they come down from their parents, their friends, whatever. And I don’t believe in God or the devil — I don’t believe in anything; I’m an atheist — but I like to put options on the table for those people that may never question what they believe or why they believe it. I don’t care if you believe in God — good on you; have fun with that; that’s a good story — but I just like to throw things on the table and say, ‘Hey, have you ever thought of a different perspective? Have you ever thought of all the preachers that get arrested for fondling little boys?’ This world isn’t perfect. So I just put things out on the table and hopefully get people thinking about their own life and figure things out for themselves.”

He later added: “That’s why, first and foremost, I always say I am an atheist. I don’t believe any of it. But I don’t mind writing about it. (Laughs) I like to think of my songs as mini screenplays that give you visuals in your mind. And it just makes you think of things, makes you think like you’re watching a movie in your head. Maybe someday somebody will make up a movie based on a short story by Kerry King, and that story is my song.”

Watch the previously released ‘Residu’ and ‘Idle Hands’ below.

KERRY KING EUROPEAN TOUR DATES:
Due to logistical issues, the European tour will now conclude on 29th June. Refunds for the cancelled shows are available from the point of purchase.
 
03.06.2024 NL Tilburg – 013
04.06.2024 NL Enschede – Hertog Jan Zaal
06.06.2024 SE Sölvesborg – Sweden Rock Festival
07.06.2024 DE Nürburgring – Rock am Ring
08.06.2024 PL Gdańsk – Mystic Festival
09.06.2024 DE Nuremberg – Rock im Park
11.06.2024 DE Hamburg – Große Freiheit 36
12.06.2024 DE Berlin – Huxleys Neue Welt
13.06.2024 AT Nickelsdorf – Nova Rock
15.06.2024 CZ Hradec Králové , Rock For People
16.06.2024 UK Derby – Download Festival
18.06.2024 UK London – Electric Ballroom
20.06.2024 BE Dessel – Graspop Metal Meeting
21.06.2024 DK Copenhagen – Copenhell
22.06.2024 FI Nummijärvi, Nummirock Metal Festival
26.06.2024 ES Viveiro – Resurrection Fest
27.06.2024 FR Clisson – Hellfest
28.06.2024 FI Helsinki – Tuska
29.06.2024 PT Lisbon – Evil Live Festival, Altice Arena
 
Tickets: https://kerrykingofficial.com/#tour

King‘s debut solo album, “From Hell I Rise”, was released on May 17 via Reigning Phoenix Music. All material for the LP was written by the 60-year-old musician, who was accompanied during the recording sessions by guitarist Demmel, drummer Paul Bostaph (SLAYER), bassist Kyle Sanders (HELLYEAH) and vocalist Mark Osegueda (DEATH ANGEL). Helming the sessions at Henson Recording Studios in Los Angeles last year was producer Josh Wilbur, who has previously worked with KORNLAMB OF GODAVENGED SEVENFOLD and BAD RELIGION, among others.

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