Kerry King | Texas Review | Ralph Arvesen
Kerry King performing during the Ashes of Leviathan at the Germania Insurance Amphitheater in Austin, Texas on July 20, 2024. (Photo: Ralph Arvesen)

Kerry King, known for his thrash metal riffs in Slayer and his pet snakes, is a legend. Slayer's "Raining Blood" and "Hell Awaits" are just a few of the iconic songs King wrote or co-wrote. Along with Metallica, Megadeth, and Anthrax, Slayer defined thrash metal in the 80s and early 90s. After Slayer's hiatus in 2019, King released his debut solo album, From Hell I Rise, in 2024.

King started playing guitar at 13, inspired by guitarists like Eddie Van Halen and Tony Iommi. In 1981, he co-founded Slayer with Tom Araya, Jeff Hanneman, and Dave Lombardo. Their aggressive music and anti-religious lyrics made them thrash metal pioneers. Albums like Hell Awaits and Reign In Blood cemented their place as extreme metal titans.

King and Araya (Hanneman died in 2013) stayed with Slayer for 43 years, releasing 12 studio albums and more. When Slayer went on hiatus in 2019, King formed a band with metal veterans like Slayer drummer Paul Bostaph and vocalist Mark Osegueda from Death Angel. Their 2024 debut, From Hell I Rise, is a punishing collection of new thrash songs that carries on the Slayer tradition.
Fan reviews:

I have always been a fan of Kerry King, he did not disappoint!

Awesome performance!

Epic , can’t wait for them to come back.
Setlist for the show at the Germania Insurance Amphitheater
  • Diablo
  • Where I Reign
  • Trophies of the Tyrant
  • Residue
  • Toxic
  • Idle Hands
  • Shrapnel
  • Raining Blood
  • Black Magic
  • From Hell I Rise

Kerry King shared the stage with Malevolence, Mastodon, and Lamb of God at the Germania Insurance Amphitheater. They continue across the United States and Canada with the last stop at the The Astro Amphitheater in Omaha, Nebraska on August 31, 2024.

Kerry King
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Photos by Ralph Arvesen
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