Kerry King says his new project is “an extension of Slayer”

Former Slayer guitarist Kerry King has called his upcoming solo album “an extension” of the legendary thrash metal band’s material in a new interview.

• READ MORE: Slayer film ‘The Repentless Killology’ is vulgar, gruesome and problematic – just like the band

King spoke with Metal Hammer to update fans about his album, which is slated for release in the summer. In the interview, he expressed that the album – which was finished in June 2023 – will follow in the sonic footsteps of his former band. “If I wasn’t in Slayer, I would be a Slayer fan,” he said.

“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 per cent of it would have been, maybe it would have been exactly what I’m putting on this one.”

The guitarist went on to discuss what fans can expect from the yet-untitled release: “There’s definitely some fast stuff on it. It’s not the fastest thing I’ve ever done, but I’ve done some pretty fast stuff. There’s definitely some Herculean speeds getting achieved on this, but there’s heavy stuff. There’s punky stuff. There’s doomy stuff. Pretty much any aspect of any kind of music we’ve done in our history, I think you’ll find on this record.”

Nonetheless, he remained tight-lipped when asked to reveal the collaborators he worked with on the solo debut, simply stating: “It’s my intention that everybody that’s on the record is going to be in the band, hopefully for its entirety.” In July 2022, King confirmed that former Slayer drummer Paul Bostaph will join him in his solo endeavours.

In the interview, King also clarified that the album will not feature any guest appearances, conveying his belief that they would not be “reproducible live”. “We addressed that pretty early and suggestions were made, but my answer was always that it’s not reproducible live,” he mused. “I don’t want to waste songs and not be able to play them live.”

The last update King provided about his solo album was in November 2023, when he revealed that the album will be released this year. In 2022, the musician also confirmed to Metal Hammer that his solo output will mirror his material with Slayer, stating: “I played this new song for a buddy, and I said to him, ‘If there’s anything I’ve written in the last few years that sounds like Slayer, it’s this.’ And he said, ‘That sounds like you could have pulled it off of any Slayer record’.”

Slayer’s last release prior to their 2019 disbandment was the film The Repentless Killology. In NME’s review of the part-narrative, part-concert film, James McMahon commented that while the film depicts questionable violence and political imagery, Slayer proved an exceptional live band, stating: “If The Repentless Killology really does mark the end for Slayer, the world without them is undoubtedly a nicer place, but also so much more boring.”

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