What Is The Perfect KERRY KING Riff? The SLAYER Guitarist Responds

SLAYER guitarist Kerry King, who is promoting his recently released debut solo album, "From Hell I Rise", was asked by Germany's Metal Hammer magazine to name "the perfect Kerry King riff." He responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I think that's a question for fans. The perfect Kerry King riff, to me, is probably the newest one I made up that I'm excited about on any given day. The perfect Kerry King riff — it's really difficult, but we're very notorious historically for making up songs with tons of riffs, and there's tons of riffs on this album, 'From Hell I Rise'.

"For me, on this album, let's say, I like the breakdown in the song 'Crucifixation'. It's got a lot of harmony going on. It elevates from just the riff to one harmony to the next harmony to the next harmony. It's also got a bunch of drum-fill breaks, which I was very happy to present to Paul [Bostaph, SLAYER and KERRY KING drummer] when I made that song up. I said, 'Hey, dude, I've got a song that's got recurring drum fills. Man, I need you to do your best Bill Ward [BLACK SABBATH].' And I think we did that. And I'll pick that riff for now because it's a big part of a super-thrashy song, but it's very heavy and slow and very SABBATH-influenced."

"From Hell I Rise" was released on May 17 via Reigning Phoenix Music.

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).

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

Now the KERRY KING band is ready to embark on a European tour that will start on June 3 — on King's 60th birthday. The trek will combine 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.

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.

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.

Five years after SLAYER played the last concert of what was being billed as the band's farewell tour and just days after the SLAYER guitarist unveiled the details of his solo project, Kerry and his longtime bandmates announced that they will reunite to play at the Aftershock, Riot Fest and Louder Than Life festivals in September and October.