The King was in El Paso, Kerry King, that is.

The King was in El Paso, Kerry King, that is.

When the Ashes of Leviathan Tour was announced a couple of months back, there was reason to get excited, I mean Mastodon and Lamb of God in a co-head lining tour, who wouldn’t get excited, right?  But if you look at the flyer, in small print, it says, Kerry King.  So, I’m thinking, Kerry King from Slayer? Yeah, Kerry King from Slayer, you idiot.  With that said, my excitement for this show just went thru the roof and I started counting down the days. 

What I was in store for was Kerry’s solo project that probably was in the making before Slayer’s last show in 19, who knows?  Word has it the boys have or are getting back together this year, that would be fantastic, but Kerry is full steam ahead with his current endeavors, just released his new album under his name, From Hell I Rise, 90 days ago.  So, he’s out on the road in support of his newest release with his new band and what a band it is, I hate to use the term Super Group, but you can feel free to call it, Mark Osequeda from Death Angel, Kyle Sanders from HELLYEAH, Phil Demmel from Machine Head and Paul Bostaph from Slayer, does it get any better than that?, you tell me.

They went through a nine-song set list in a little more than an hour, but I gotta tell ya, when they did Raining Blood followed by Black Magic, you could see the roof on the Coliseum start to rise, the place went ballistic, multiple circle pits that collided into each other creating a perfect storm on the floor, it was quite the sight.  I’ve spoken to many that attended Sunday’s show, and the general consensus was that Kerry King stole the show, some may argue that statement, some may agree, but all I know is that Kerry came to make a statement, starting over after 40 years, no big deal, nothing has changed, I mean its Kerry King, right?  Out of all the tattoos he has, he’s got a KFK on him, it’s not his initials, its Kerry Fucking King, and I couldn’t agree more.

Review and Photography by Tim Schumann

Set List-

Where I Reign

Trophies of the Tyrant

Residue

Toxic

Idle Hands

Shrapnel

Raining Blood

Black Magic

From Hell I Rise