At one point in “From Hell I Rise” there’s a line that says: “I thought my hatred went away, now it’s fucking here to stay.”
When it was announced that Kerry King was coming back, I assumed that it was going to be an album of shredding. And there’s nothing wrong with that.
Welcome to episode 3405 of Andy Knows Nothing. Look at that lyric in the opening line like he was ever going to become Joe Satriani.
In fairness to me, opener “Diablo” does do that. Instrumental. It is excellent. And it is what I thought this record would be.
Then along comes “Where I Reign” and I am not kidding you, if you can stop yourself screaming “God hates us all” at a couple of points, then it’s the best thrash metal song of the year so far. It’s a sensational piece of work.
And I should have known better than doubt Kerry blinking King, shouldn’t I? Of course he was going to make a thrash metal record and of course, it was going to be fantastic.
Here are the broad facts: he knew he had the fire. And he knew who he needed in his band. Paul Bostaph, who he’d worked with before, bassist Kyle Sanders (Hellyeah), Phil Demmel (formerly of Machine Head) on guitar, and vocalist Mark Osegueda
That last one – the Death Angel man – is important because he’s rather good, right? Harsh on “Residue” as menacing as all hell on “Idle Hands” (which is basically thrash bottled in four minutes) and basically able to handle this in his sleep.
2024 is a bit crap, let’s be honest. The fightback starts on “Trophies Of The Tyrant” visceral anger and Bostaph pummels here. “Disciples of the new aggressor,” spits Osegueda as if he’s anything but.
This is unremitting, unrelenting and unapologetic. The quick-fire delivery of “Crucifixion” is all of those things, and if we haven’t mentioned King’s playing yet, then now would be a good time to do it, as in the middle of this, he just cuts loose, after slowing it down first. My goodness, he sounds happy to be back.
Actually, maybe “happy” is the wrong word, because nothing here sounds full of joy. “Tension” would stab you to death as soon as look at you and I can confirm that “Everything I Hate About You” is not an Ugly Kid Joe cover, instead it is as vicious a hardcore punk thing as you’ll find this side of Terror.
“Toxic” has a look at the politicians of the world and decides it’s not too impressed, let’s leave it there, a thought “Two Fists” elaborates on to a large extent (and that line in the intro is from it) and “Rage” would do as a one-word review for the album because it all burns with it.
The sessions for this apparently wrapped up enough music for two albums, and that’s certainly borne out by the fact that there’s nothing approaching “filler” nothing anywhere near it, as the quite brilliant “Shrapnel” proves, and given that the title track is last and offers to keep doing this until blood rains down from the skies – possibly south of heaven, who knows – I think you can guess the rest.
So, look. “From Hell I Rise” is not the album I imagined it was, but it is the best thrash metal record in a very, very long time, which to be honest, I should have realised it was going to be. Wherever it has risen from, its a wonderful thing.
Almost 600 words and I haven’t mentioned the name “Slayer”. Oh, damn, so close.
Rating 9.5/10
