In a recent interview with Australia’s Blunt magazine, SLAYER guitarist Kerry King discussed the band’s cross-generational appeal.
When asked whether he believes SLAYER‘s music has “resonated with younger generations,” Kerry replied (as transcribed by Blabbermouth): “I think so. I thought that 20 years ago. You would see older brothers bringing younger siblings or even parents bringing their kids because this kind of music isn’t alienating in a family environment. You know what I mean? Like, it’s not uncool if you like the same music your parents do. It’s like, that’s really cool. And this is one of the odd types of music that that is allowed.
“So, yeah, you see all kinds of… Like, the first show we did [with the] Kerry King [solo band], we did a small club outside of Chicago, and I saw a lot of older fans because they knew to go buy the tickets so fast because they’re gonna go [quickly] — it was, like, a 400-seater; it was tiny. So there was a lot of our probably first-generation fans. But, yeah, all the time I see kids in SLAYER shirts, kids in Kerry King shirts, or METALLICA, MEGADETH. It’s just the type of music, metal. Metal is more of a brotherhood than any kind of music that I can think of.”
King released his debut solo album, From Hell I Rise, on May 17. In addition to King, the album features DEATH ANGEL vocalist Mark Osegueda, longtime SLAYER drummer Paul Bostaph, former HELLYEAH bassist Kyle Sanders, and ex–MACHINE HEAD and ex-VIO-LENCE guitarist Phil Demmel.
According to King, the new music consists of “various religious topics, some war entries, heavy stuff, punky stuff, doomy stuff, and spooky stuff, with Herculean speeds achieved. If you’ve ever liked any SLAYER throughout any part of our history,” he adds, “there’s something on this record that you’ll get into, be it classic punk, fast punk, thrash, or just plain heavy metal!”
As King admits, “Even with a record in the can, I’ve still got so many songs that need to be finished. This is what I know how to do…number one being music, number two being metal. It’s been a part of my life for 40 years, and I’m nowhere near being done.”
Reeder, the visionary behind Metal Addicts, has transformed his lifelong passion for metal into a thriving online community for metal aficionados. As a fervent devotee of black metal, Reeder is captivated by its dark, atmospheric, and often unorthodox soundscapes.