Kerry King has shared an update on his second solo album, with Josh Wilbur returning as producer. Speaking with Brian Slagel on the 100 Songs That Define Heavy Metal podcast, the Slayer guitarist said, “It’s a slam dunk. It’s fucking crushing.”
King described the material as an extension of From Hell I Rise and singled out the new record’s intro as one of the best he has written.
From Hell I Rise arrived on May 17, 2024, through Reigning Phoenix Music. Its recording preceded a basic milestone for King’s solo band: playing together as a complete group. King explained that unusual beginning to Igor Miranda of Rolling Stone Brasil in April 2025, describing a record assembled before the musicians had established their working relationship onstage.
During the sessions, King and drummer Paul Bostaph were the only members who played together. King recorded the rhythm guitar parts for Phil Demmel, while bassist Kyle Sanders and vocalist Mark Osegueda recorded separately. Their first experience playing as a full band came during a music video shoot, with their amplifiers unplugged. Rehearsals for their first show followed.
Osegueda’s place in the project had developed through a much longer audition. The Death Angel singer volunteered early and spent eight months recording demos before joining, returning when he could to try different approaches and improve his performances. King had known him for decades, but the process gave the guitarist a chance to hear how much ground Osegueda could cover beyond his familiar work.
By that April 2025 interview, their shared touring experience had changed how the group operated. King said playing together had become natural after numerous shows, giving the musicians the familiarity they had lacked when recording the debut.
The second album’s recording schedule entered the public picture in March 2026, when Independent Artist Group announced that it would represent King outside the United States and Canada. According to Pollstar’s report, the agency’s plans called for King to enter the studio that April and begin a new solo tour in early 2027.
