KERRY KING Shares Behind-The-Scenes Footage From Making Of 'Residue' Music Video

Kerry King has shared behind-the-scenes footage from the making of the music video for "Residue", the second single from his upcoming debut solo album, "From Hell I Rise". Co-directed by Jim Louvau and his partner Tony Aguilera, who have made videos for Jerry Cantrell, Sebastian Bach, EXODUS and KILLER BE KILLED, the clip was shot at their downtown Phoenix studio in early April, and features King's new band consisting of drummer Paul Bostaph (SLAYER),bassist Kyle Sanders (HELLYEAH),guitarist Phil Demmel (formerly of MACHINE HEAD) and vocalist Mark Osegueda (DEATH ANGEL).

According to Louvau, his concept for the video was simple: "A fiery, bitchin', heavy fucking metal performance introducing the world to Kerry King's new project and band members. A no-bullshit, no-prisoners showcase of the bandmembers, performing while engulfed in flames and surrounded by burning pentagrams."

"I come from a big fire pedigree," said King, "and my music works with fire. I've always written horror-type music, so it made sense to incorporate fire into the first video, where you get to see the entire band, which I think is just awesome. I think fire goes hand in hand with the devil, and I'm no stranger to talking about the devil."

Added Louvau: "I knew this would be the first time that the world was going to see the band performing together, so I wanted to create a fast-moving visual assault. Pyrotechnics and Kerry King clearly go hand in hand and seem to fit like a glove, so Tony and I wanted to create something that felt familiar but also something new and exciting. I also knew I could get away with certain visuals like a burning pentagram."

"From Hell I Rise" will be released on May 17 via Reigning Phoenix Music. All material for the LP was written by the 59-year-old SLAYER guitarist. Helming the "From Hell I Rise" recording 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.

"From Hell I Rise" track listing:

01. Diablo
02. Where I Reign
03. Residue
04. Idle Hands
05. Trophies Of The Tyrant
06. Crucifixation
07. Tension
08. Everything I Hate About You
09. Toxic
10. Two Fists
11. Rage
12. Shrapnel
13. From Hell I Rise

King told Rolling Stone of the LP's first single: "'Idle Hands' are what I've been doing the last four years. That and 'From Hell I Rise' have been my frame of mind in the last four and a half years."

As for the decision to call the band KERRY KING, the guitarist explained: "It was going to be KING'S REIGN for a long time, which is really cool. But even with that one, I went to the guys, like, 'I'm not a vain dude. I don't want my name to be a part of it.' We talked about BLOOD REIGN for a while, but it didn't work. Every time I came up with anything remotely cool, it was taken by some obscure band in Eastern Europe. It became KERRY KING because I love that logo."

King said the album is about "various religious topics, some war entries, heavy stuff, punky stuff, doomy stuff, and spooky stuff, with Herculean speeds achieved," adding, "If you've ever liked any SLAYER throughout any part of our history, there's something on this record that you'll get into, be it classic punk, fast punk, thrash, or just plain heavy metal."

King added there's more to come, too. "Even with a record in the can, I've still got so many songs that need to be finished," he said. "This is what I know how to do…number one being music, number two being metal. It's been a part of my life for 40 years, and I'm nowhere near being done."

KERRY KING will be special guest on the upcoming LAMB OF GOD/MASTODON North American "Ashes Of Leviathan" co-headline tour. The six-week run will launch on July 19 in Grand Prairie, Texas and will wrap on August 31 in Omaha, Nebraska. KERRY KING will make the band's 2024 concert debut next month, beginning with a recently announced club show at Reggie's in Chicago on May 7 that will serve as a warm-up to the band's Welcome To Rockville festival appearance on May 9. KERRY KING will also play Sonic Temple on May 16.

During SLAYER's final show back in November of 2019 at the Forum in Los Angeles, California, King took off his signature chains from his belt, held them high, dropped them onto the floor, turned around and walked off the stage. "I knew early on that I wasn't done, and I had no intention of not continuing to play," he revealed in a press release.

King previously told Metal Hammer his solo album would follow in the sonic footsteps of his former band. "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 percent of it would have been, maybe it would have been exactly what I'm putting on this one."

Photo credit: Jim Louvau