SLAYER guitarist KERRY KING has released an expanded deluxe edition of his debut solo album, "From Hell I Rise," via Reigning Phoenix Music — and its biggest draw is the chance to hear King himself singing. The reissue includes five previously unheard demos featuring his own "scratch" lead vocals, offering a rare glimpse into the writing process behind the record.
King has cut scratch vocals on his demos for years as a songwriting tool, but this marks the first time those recordings have been made public. The five tracks featured are "Crucifixation," "From Hell I Rise," "Two Fists," "Rage" and "Trophies Of The Tyrant," each presented in raw, pre-production form.
True to his self-deprecating nature, King had no illusions about his singing. "I just sound like an angry white punk kid," he said. "I think it sounds kind of adolescent." He also explained why he never seriously considered fronting the band himself: "I knew I didn't wanna sing because I can't sing and play that much." That decision led him to recruit DEATH ANGEL's Mark Osegueda, whose powerful delivery defines the finished album.
Beyond the demos, the deluxe edition arrives with new cover artwork by James Bousema and a revamped layout featuring additional photos. A lavish limited earbook edition — capped at just 666 copies worldwide — bundles two LPs, a live CD and a live Blu-ray documenting the band's debut performance at Reggies in Chicago. The earbook is available exclusively via Reigning Phoenix Music mailorder in Europe and the U.S.
"From Hell I Rise," King's first project outside SLAYER, has been a critical and commercial success, proving the thrash icon still has plenty of venom left after his legendary band's retirement. His solo lineup is a metal powerhouse, pairing King with Osegueda on vocals, Phil Demmel (ex-MACHINE HEAD, VIO-LENCE) on guitar, Kyle Sanders on bass and longtime SLAYER drummer Paul Bostaph behind the kit. The deluxe edition of "From Hell I Rise" is available now.