DEATH ANGEL frontman Mark Osegueda has opened up about joining SLAYER guitarist Kerry King’s solo band, detailing how the opportunity came together and how he approaches the challenge of performing SLAYER material live.
Speaking during a recent appearance on the Iron City Rocks podcast, Osegueda reflected on becoming part of King’s post-SLAYER project, which also features Paul Bostaph (SLAYER) on drums, Kyle Sanders (HELLYEAH) on bass, and Phil Demmel (formerly of MACHINE HEAD) on guitar.
Osegueda made it clear from the start that the experience has been overwhelmingly positive.
“I love working with Kerry, and I love being in that band,” he said (as transcribed by Blabbermouth). “It’s a blast. I love all the guys. It’s been a great experience. It sure has.”
According to Mark, the path to joining the band wasn’t as straightforward as a simple invitation. Instead, it began with industry chatter he overheard while attending a NAMM convention during the pandemic era.
“Now, when the opportunity presented itself, it presented itself in an odd way as so much I also sought it,” Mark explained. “I did — I sought it. ‘Cause I kind of caught wind, at one of these NAMM conferences… I was somewhere at one of the NAMM conventions, and at this particular one, a couple of people just approached me. They were in the industry. I had no idea. And I was down there performing with [the all-star metal collective] METAL ALLEGIANCE. It was at the after parties at the hotel or whatnot, and a couple different people from different circles came up to me that particular year and said, ‘You’re one of the people Kerry’s considering for his new project.'”
“It kind of took me aback,” he continued. “I’m, like, ‘Really?’ Because I’m friends with Kerry, and it was never mentioned to me. And then it started getting a little mouse in my head running. And then I kind of started really thinking about it. This was during the pandemic now. A few months had gone by, and the pandemic was happening, I started just really thinking about it, and I approached a few people of mine that are heavy hitters in the music industry as far as musicians and some management companies. And I said, ‘Hey, I’m just throwing this out there. What would you think if I was approached by Kerry? Do you think I should do it?’ And these were people that are far more successful than me in music, than many people in music. [Laughs] And they were, like, ‘You’d be a fool not to.’ So when I kind of heard that, that’s when it kind of hit me. And as I said, me and Kerry are friends. So I just kind of texted him and just said, ‘Hey, man. I know you’re putting something together. And I just wanna throw my hat in the ring.’ I go, ‘or rather my throat in the ring.’ And his response was, ‘I’d be lying if I [said I] hadn’t thought about it.’ And I said, ‘Okay.”
From there, the collaboration slowly took shape behind closed doors, with Osegueda traveling to Southern California to work privately with King on demos: “So then me and him just started — he started sending me things, music, just instrumental things, and then started sending me music and sheets of lyrics and then some guide vocal stuff. And then I started going down to Southern California and demoing things with him, just privately. We didn’t let anyone know we were doing this.”
Over time, those sessions evolved into the full debut album.
“We eventually ended up demoing what [has] come [to be] the whole first [Kerry King] record. But he already had the whole [rest of the] band picked out, except he kind of waited until the last minute before he finally said, ‘Okay, you’re the guy.'”
When King finally made the offer official, Osegueda didn’t hesitate.
“And when he finally did, he pulled me aside — this was a couple of years later, since I started the process — and he just kind of said, ‘If you want the gig, it’s yours.’ And I just gave him a big hug. I’m, like, ‘F**k yeah. I do.’ And it’s been great. It’s been a great experience. And I look forward to more to come with them too. I just love playing music. As long as I’m busy playing music, I’m happy.”
Osegueda was also asked whether he felt any hesitation about singing SLAYER songs live, given the unmistakable vocal presence of Tom Araya.
“Well, I’ve always respected Tom, and I really admire his voice and always have,” Mark said. So, actually, when I got the gig with Kerry, we were mostly just working on the original material with that. Kerry pretty much had what he wanted. He laid down the guide vocal and said, ‘This is what I want, just more aggressive.’ So I just went in there and gave it my all and made it very, very aggressive. So, that came out. That’s just me at my most aggressive, I guess, delivery of anything. And then it’s when it came to playing live and that’s when we throw in some SLAYER songs. But with that, I’m a SLAYER fan, so it doesn’t take me long to learn the songs. So I just get up there and I do him justice — I do Tom justice. That’s the way I see it, for sure. And I say that because justice needs to be done, if you’re gonna sing him, ’cause got such a unique voice and I think a great voice. And that’s why — I do my best to do him justice, and I think I do.”
Kerry King’s debut solo album, From Hell I Rise, was released in May 2024 via Reigning Phoenix Music. Produced by Josh Wilbur (KORN, LAMB OF GOD, AVENGED SEVENFOLD, BAD RELIGION), the album was largely recorded at Henson Recording Studios in Los Angeles — a historic space associated with legendary recordings by THE DOORS, PINK FLOYD, RAMONES, and SOUNDGARDEN, among others.
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