Kerry King recently revealed that his new band is essentially an extension of SLAYER
Speaking with Metal Hammer magazine, Kerry King discussed the upcoming debut album from his solo project, saying it has been “done since June” 2023.
Discussing the musical direction of his solo material, he said: “If I was ever to try anything different [from SLAYER], I guess that would be the time. But no, I really have no desire to do anything different. If I wasn’t in SLAYER, I would be a SLAYER fan. So yes, I think it’s an extension of SLAYER, and I think a lot of people will think it might have been the next record. I guess maybe 80% of it would have been, maybe it would have been exactly what I’m putting on this one. In my eyes, I think it’s a definite extension, a follow-up to [SLAYER‘s 2015 final album] ‘Repentless’ for sure.”
He continued: “There’s definitely some fast stuff on it. It’s not the fastest thing I’ve ever done, but I’ve done some pretty fast stuff. There’s definitely some Herculean speeds getting achieved on this, but there’s heavy stuff. There’s punky stuff. There’s doomy stuff. Pretty much any aspect of any kind of music we’ve done in our history, I think you’ll find on this record.”
Kerry added: “For me, the slowest [song] is similar in vibe to [‘Repentless’ track] ‘When The Stillness Comes’. That one came out really cool and spooky. And then there was one where my entire intention was to write something like the SCORPIONS‘ ‘Animal Magnetism’ crossed with the ‘chug’ of ‘Hell Awaits’. That one came together pretty early. I like that song a lot. I mean, I like all of them a lot, but that one, that one’s got a different vibe for sure.”
Kerry King has yet to reveal the rest of the musicians who appear on his upcoming LP, but he did say that it is “my intention that everybody that’s on the record is going to be in the band, hopefully for its entirety.”
Over three years ago, SLAYER‘s drummer, Paul Bostaph, unveiled his participation in Kerry King‘s upcoming project.
Kerry’s latest musical venture, aptly named KERRY KING, has disclosed its initial two U.S. performances: the first on May 9, 2024, at the Welcome To Rockville festival hosted at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida, and the second on May 16, 2024, at the Sonic Temple Art & Music Festival held at the Historic Crew Stadium in Columbus, Ohio.
In prior interviews, Kerry King emphasized that his post-SLAYER musical pursuits would maintain a sound familiar to fans who have grown accustomed to his signature style.
SLAYER‘s farewell global tour kicked off on May 10, 2018, with the band’s determination to reach as many locations as possible, ensuring fans had the opportunity to witness one last SLAYER performance and bid their farewells. Over the course of the 18-month tour, spanning seven legs and featuring appearances at major summer festivals, the band delivered over 140 shows across 30 countries and 40 U.S. states. The tour concluded at the Forum, marking the end of an era for SLAYER.
