KERRY KING Is 'Not Against' Idea Of Releasing Demo Versions Of 'From Hell I Rise' Songs With His Lead Vocals

In a new interview with The SDR Show, SLAYER guitarist Kerry King confirmed that he originally laid down the scratch vocals on demo versions of all the songs that appear on his debut solo album, "From Hell I Rise". Asked what his singing voice sounds like, Kerry said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I just sound like an angry white punk kid… I think it sounds kind of adolescent[-like]." King went on to say that his vocals were recorded mostly as "first takes". "Because I know how it goes — unless I stumble on enunciation or something," he explained. "So, yeah, I knew how it went. I just put it on there so we had something existing. I knew I didn't wanna sing because I can't sing and play that much. The easy parts, yeah, but not like Zakk [Wylde, BLACK LABEL SOCIETY] or James [Hetfield, METALLICA] does. They're crazy vocalists that play crazy riffs underneath what they're singing. I don't know how they do it."

Asked if he would ever release his scratch vocal tracks "as a separate bonus thing", Kerry said: "Um, I'm not against it. If you ask me, like, what if Glenn Tipton sang all the PRIEST songs. Would you wanna hear it? I'm, like, that's a weird scenario, 'cause it's fucking Rob Halford. but I'd be curious. It's intriguing."

He added: "We'll see. And I'll sing the next one, too. So it's not like it's going away."

The SLAYER guitarist's solo band played its first concert as the support act for LAMB OF GOD and MASTODON on July 19 at the Texas Trust CU Theatre in Grand Prairie, Texas.

The six-week "Ashes Of Leviathan" tour will wrap on August 31 in Omaha, Nebraska.

Joining Kerry in his new band are Mark Osegueda (vocals; DEATH ANGEL),Phil Demmel (guitar; MACHINE HEAD, VIO-LENCE),Kyle Sanders (bass; HELLYEAH) and drummer Paul Bostaph (SLAYER, TESTAMENT, EXODUS).

In early May, the KERRY KING band performed its first live show at Reggies in Chicago. In the days following, the band went from playing an intimate venue to performing at the huge U.S. festivals Welcome To Rockville (Florida) and Sonic Temple (Ohio).

KERRY KING launched a European tour on June 3 — King's 60th birthday – in Tilburg, The Netherlands. The trek combined headline shows in the U.K., The Netherlands, Germany, Italy and Spain but also festival appearances such as Rock Am Ring, Hellfest, Tuska, Download, Sweden Rock Festival and many more.

"From Hell I Rise" was released in May. All material for the LP was written by the 60-year-old SLAYER guitarist. Helming the sessions at Henson Recording Studios in Los Angeles last year was producer Josh Wilbur, who has previously worked with KORN, LAMB OF GOD, AVENGED SEVENFOLD and BAD RELIGION, among others.