Artist: Kerry King
Title: “Idle Hands” (Single)
Label: Reigning Phoenix Music
Date: 2/4/2024

I guess it was only a matter of time after Slayer decided to formally retire that we’d be getting some new music from their legendary founder Kerry King. King has assembled a super-powered lineup that features Phil Demmel (Machine Head), Kyle Sanders (Hell Yeah), Mark Osegueda (Death Angel) and Paul Bostaph (Slayer) and together they are ready to deliver some molten hot Metal on a still growing record label, Reigning Phoenix Music. The first track released from the group comes via “Idle Hands” and I’ve spun it a few times before penning these thoughts. It’s a nice and thrashy number and Mark does a great job with the vocals here and despite his years fronting Death Angel I didn’t feel that he sounded like he was from that band. Bostaph is as solid as ever and after so many years on the drums for Slayer surely knows how to keep the time paced nice and fast with King delivering the riffs. “Idle Hands” is an energetic track that I can see inspiring some circle pit activity in the fans at a live and if you are wondering if it sounds like a Slayer track, well it doesn’t at all. At least to me it didn’t, it sounded like a new chapter from the creative mind of King. Great lead guitar work from Demmel and solid bass from Sanders make me interested in what is yet to come.

While it’s too early to predict how something new from Kerry King will go over in the minds of his legacy Slayer fans, I’d have to say that I think we are in for a positive surprise. Though its not a clone of the Slayer style, which I am quite happy to find being the case, the material is heavy and solid. I look forward to more releases and the eventual full-length album. For me, “Idle Hands” is a good step in a promising Metal direction.

Official: https://kerrykingofficial.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KerryKingOfficial/