Written by Alex Stojanovic TRACK LISTING Diablo Where I Reign Residue Idle Hands Trophies Of The Tyrant Crucifixation Tension Everything I Hate About You Toxic Two Fists Rage Shrapnel From Hell I Rise Release Date: May 17, 2024 / Label: Reigning Phoenix Music Website: kerrykingofficial.com |
Kerry King - Guitars / Mark Osegueda - Vocals / Phil Demmel - Guitars / Kyle Sanders - Bass / Paul Bostaph - Drums
Despite Paul being one of the dead giveaways for his solo band, one thing Kerry managed to keep under wraps quite well was who was going to be in his solo band. In an age where internet sleuths are running wild trying to figure secrets out with constant speculation, I will give Kerry credit for being able to keep the lineup under wraps for as long as he did, and surprising everyone with the reveal. While everyone was hell bent on thinking that Phil Anselmo and Gary Holt would round out the lineup initially, it was a nice surprise to see that Phil Demmel, Kyle Andrews and Mark Osegueda ended up being the crew that rounded it out, and they all do a great job on the album..... despite its large mediocrity.
It's been well documented over the years that Kerry tends to stay stuck in a corner musically, which to me shows real laziness in a musician (bring on the hate, I don't care). His debut solo album From Hell I Rise is no different than Repentless, which was also a really flat album. Sure, all the trademark Slayer elements are there: the speed, the grooves, the screaming vocals, the anti-religious lyrics, but what this album lacks completely is creativity and memorability. Some of these song titles are cringe-worthy as well. I mean, "Where I Reign", "Everything I Hate About You", "Two Fists", "Rage", "From Hell I Rise", hello?! The fact that these types of titles, even the juvenile lyrics themselves, are coming from a man that's turning 60 this year, is further proof that he tries too hard to be badass and cool, when in reality, it just makes him look corny. It may work when you're in your teens and 20s, but the older you get, it would make more sense if you added some cleverness to them to show off some of your wisdom.
It's also no surprise that most songs sound like direct throwbacks or quotes to previous Slayer songs. Case in point, "Tension" gives a pretty big nod to "When The Stillness Comes". There are also a couple of songs that were left over from the Repentless sessions; which is again, no surprise. The title track being one of them, and the other being "Rage". The only elements that give this album any sort of support are the performances from everyone else in the band. Mark Osegueda shines brightly in the vocal department. As identifiable his voice is, you can't help but hear hints of Tom Araya in areas of the album, if not on the whole thing. Phil Demmel also shines with some rather great soloing that's both melodic and chaotic at the same time. The production is the other saving grace of the album, thanks to Josh Wilbur. Then again, even with great production, I ask you to find me one song that stands out. You unfortunately can't because there is none.
I'm always championing the concept of bands adding new elements to their sound to keep evolving and expanding and making things exciting, while still holding on to their core sound. For me, the way I see it is that if you made a name for yourself with a certain sound and style, and as a member of a legendary band, the whole point of a solo album is to try and make something that wouldn't have exactly worked with your main band, and not have it be an exact copy of the main band. Of course, the addition of a song or two with the main band's sound for the sake of familiarity is always welcomed and encouraged, but at the same time, surprise us with something unexpected. Sully Erna of Godsmack is a perfect example.
To sum it up, I got exactly what I was expecting and it's just another run-of-the-mill Slayer album with a different singer, which was Kerry's goal at the end of the day. What would've made this album stand out was some experimentation with other elements that we've never heard from him before, in addition to all the Slayer elements we all know. There is one little harmony between him and Demmel in the title track, which adds a different element that you never heard in Slayer before. Everything you've heard throughout Slayer's career, minus the nu-metal of Diabolus In Musica, is present, with nothing new or surprising.
As legendary as Kerry might be, and with the exception of a few good moments on the album, he honestly can't write a good full-length all on his own to save his life. He may be proud of it, as he should be, but I take pride in being brutally honest and blunt. At this point, he's just continuing to beat his creative juices into the ground. The move of not letting Gary Holt contribute riffs to Repentless was a huge mistake because that album failed to hold up as a great swansong for Slayer. If he lets Phil Demmel and possibly everyone else contribute riffs or ideas to the next album, and make it more of a full collaborative effort, he might just have an album worth of remembrance and staying power this late into his career.
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