KERRY KING Wants To 'Bang Out' Second Solo Album Shortly After Completing 'From Hell I Rise' Touring Cycle

In a new interview with Brian Aberback of The Aquarian, Kerry King spoke about his return to the live stage five years after SLAYER played what was at the time being billed as the band's final gig. He said: "I'm very into playing. It's not the travel. I love going to cities, of course, but getting to cities is a pain in the ass. I would love if I never traveled again; I'm cool with that, but I'm put here to perform and I enjoy performing. I'm looking forward to performing and the more we rehearsed and the more polished we got this stuff, and the more songs we have for the future, so I'm just getting stoked."

Referencing his solo band, consisting of drummer Paul Bostaph (SLAYER),bassist Kyle Sanders (HELLYEAH),guitarist Phil Demmel (formerly of MACHINE HEAD) and Mark Osegueda (DEATH ANGEL) on vocals, which will release its debut album, "From Hell I Rise", on May 17 via Reigning Phoenix Music, Kerry said: "I said to Paul, 'I want to go immediately into the studio and bang out record two afterward.' When you're fresh off the tour and sharp, you can do a super quick performance because we'll all be rehearsed on it. That's the plan. I've got everything in place to make that happen now. We're going to be on tour and I can work on lyrics for pieces that aren't finished yet. Hopefully everything will be done by the time the tour's done."

Regarding why he chose to play his first solo concert at a small club on May 7 at Reggies in Chicago, Kerry said: "It was just so we could get in a performance scenario without being thrust into it with everything out of your own hand [at this month's Welcome To Rockville and Sonic Temple festivals]. We want to prepare. We don't want to be onstage bumping into each other. Kyle's a lefty so there's going to be a new thing that we've got to look out for. It's a warm-up; that's why it's got to be small. It is just to get your sea legs going, but it's going to be intense and it's probably going to be a sweatbox."

As for how much of "From Hell I Rise" will be in the set, Kerry said: "The problem, so to speak, is all my set times are going to be different. Reggies is a headline set. I'm not going to go in there with an hour-and-a-half of material, but we'll probably play around an hour and 15 or an hour and 20. Those two festivals are either 50 minutes or 60 minutes.

"I'm looking to play the majority of the record. I don't want to play all of it. I feel if I play all of it there's no reason to come back. However long the set is, I'll fill it in with SLAYER songs that I wrote or helped write."

King went on to say that he intends to hit the road again with his solo band after the LAMB OF GOD/MASTODON tour, which runs through August 31, and the three SLAYER reunion shows this fall. "That's my plan," he said. "I'm waiting for plans to fall into line. I definitely want to play out. I'm imagining the touring cycle going well, well into 2025, including next summer's European festival circuit."

Kerry's 17-song setlist for the Reggies concert included six SLAYER tracks as well as 11 of the 13 songs that appear on "From Hell I Rise".

All material for "From Hell I Rise" was written by the 59-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.