Kerry King’s first solo album, From Hell I Rise, is a forceful continuation of the thrash style he helped define with Slayer, but it is not one long sprint. Breakneck tracks sit alongside punkier bursts and slower, heavier passages, giving the record some welcome changes in pace. Kerrang! critic Dan Slessor rated it 4/5 in 2024; that is his assessment, not a consensus score.
What does From Hell I Rise sound like?
The album is built around fast, aggressive thrash, with Kerry King’s sharp, hard-edged guitar writing at the center. “Where I Reign,” “Crucifixation” and the closing title track are among the most intense examples: Kerrang!’s Dan Slessor described them as breakneck thrash in his review.
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The record works better when its pace changes. “Everything I Hate About You” brings a punkier charge, while “Shrapnel” and “Tension” lean into slower, weightier grooves. Those shifts keep the album from feeling like a single uninterrupted speed run without pulling it far from King’s thrash identity.
Is it basically a Slayer album?
It is not a Slayer release, but the continuity is unmistakable: King wrote the material, and Slayer drummer Paul Bostaph is part of the lineup. The result draws on familiar thrash instincts rather than presenting a major stylistic reinvention. In a June 2024 interview with Louder / Classic Rock, King said he was not aiming for a departure into prog metal and explained that the musicians he chose were longtime friends.
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The band has its own lineup and vocal presence. Mark Osegueda of Death Angel sings, with Phil Demmel on lead guitar and Kyle Sanders on bass alongside King and Bostaph. The players give the songs a band feel rather than making the album simply a guitar showcase. Slessor praised their contributions, while the mix of rapid attacks and slower sections gives each player more than one setting to work in.
How the album came together
From Hell I Rise is King’s debut solo album, released May 17, 2024, through Reigning Phoenix Music, following Slayer’s final performance in 2019. The label announced it on February 5, 2024, identifying the lineup and Josh Wilbur as producer. The label said the vast bulk of the record was made at Henson Studios in Los Angeles in about two weeks.
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King described his writing process in the June 2024 Louder / Classic Rock interview as sitting down with a guitar and a phone to record ideas. The songs retain a direct, riff-led focus that suits that approach.
Is From Hell I Rise any good?
For listeners who want King’s recognizable thrash approach with a few changes in tempo and texture, it is a satisfying first solo statement. Its strengths are the concentrated guitar attack, the force of Bostaph’s drumming and the contrast between fast tracks and slower or punkier ones. Its narrow stylistic range is also part of the deal: this is not an attempt to remake King as a different kind of metal songwriter.
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- Kerry King
- From Hell I Rise
Slessor’s 4/5 rating in Kerrang! reflects one critic’s favorable view, particularly of the album’s intensity and musicianship. A separate 2026 review of the extended edition describes it as aggressive and old-school in orientation, but neither review establishes a broad critical consensus.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What’s on the extended deluxe edition?
The 2026 extended deluxe reissue retains the original 13-track album and adds five demos featuring King on demo vocals, for 18 tracks total. Napalm Records’ listings describe a deluxe CD and a colored 2-LP edition, with new cover artwork and a revised layout. Retail stock and edition details can change, so check the listing before buying.
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| Track position | Track | Edition |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | “Diablo” | Original album |
| 2 | “Where I Reign” | Original album |
| 3 | “Residue” | Original album |
| 4 | “Idle Hands” | Original album |
| 5 | “Trophies of the Tyrant” | Original album |
| 6 | “Crucifixation” | Original album |
| 7 | “Tension” | Original album |
| 8 | “Everything I Hate About You” | Original album |
| 9 | “Toxic” | Original album |
| 10 | “Two Fists” | Original album |
| 11 | “Rage” | Original album |
| 12 | “Shrapnel” | Original album |
| 13 | “From Hell I Rise” | Original album |
| 14 | “Crucifixation” (demo) | Extended deluxe |
| 15 | “From Hell I Rise” (demo) | Extended deluxe |
| 16 | “Two Fists” (demo) | Extended deluxe |
| 17 | “Rage” (demo) | Extended deluxe |
| 18 | “Trophies of the Tyrant” (demo) | Extended deluxe |
The bonus tracks are most useful to listeners curious about how the songs sounded in an earlier, rougher production stage and about King’s own demo vocals. They add a perspective on the making of the record, rather than five new album songs.
Quick Recap
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