Recommendations of the Editorial team
Slayers have been one of the most important bands in metal history since the early 1980s. The guitar duo Jeff Hanneman and Kerry King changed the metal guitar with its hard, merciless riffs and the often dissonant, chromatic solos. While Jeff Hanneman is generally considered the better soloist of the two, Kerry King is controversial as a figure. King polarized – both as a type and as a guitarist. Many feel especially his solos as uninspired, completely arbitrary, as a chromatic muffle without meaning and purpose. As now: is Kerry King a good guitarist or not?
Kerry King: guitar soli with Chromatik Galore!
Let us first devote ourselves to Kerry King’s guitar solos – because they offer the most attack area. One thing is clear: King may not be a classic soloist who shines with well -composed, melodically thought -out guitar runs. Rather, his solos are dissonant, chromatic undertaking – machine gun salvos, siren -like noises, which are less than virtuoso insoles, but rather to underline the dark, aggressive atmosphere of the songs. Federation? As high as possible!
In any case, you can’t sing along with a kerry king solo. He prefers to leave this to bands like Iron Maiden or Judas priests – of which he, according to his own statements, was influenced. Learning Kerry-King-Soli by heart is not a great pleasure-every guitarist knows that. Because a certain randomness, a lack of structure, can hardly be discussed. And yes that Jeff Hanneman was the better soloist at Slayer – there should actually be something about that.
“Weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee Weeee”
In guitarist circles there is even the running gag: “My favorite solo by Kerry King is that works: Weeeee Weeeeee Weeeee.” This implies: for some, his solos all sound the same. Little ambitious guitar acrobatics on the upper bands, no scales, no classic runs. Clay ladders? Don’t need slayers – everything chromatic. Every sound goes. Nevertheless: no twelfth tone music in the classic sense. Would the metal world be much poorer without the solos of Kerry King? Maybe not. But without his riffs and songs – definitely.
Kerry King: Muscular Riffs with tribal tattoos
And let’s be honest: Kerry King’s riffs are like himself – muscular, impressive. If these reefs were people, they look like they have tribal tattoos, bald and carry sunglasses all day. Like King, they are similar to the late WWF wrestler Macho Man Randy Savage. If the riffs have free time, they pump in the gym and tip over one energy drink after the other.
And honestly: Kerry King wrote to some of the greatest metal songs in history-among others at “South of Heaven” and “Discipler”.
It was he who kept the slayer going after Jeff Hanneman could not continue for health reasons – and later after his too early death.
King is like Motörhead and The Ramones.
King knows what he wants. And just like the Ramones or Motörhead, he never compromises. He also made no secret of the fact that he did not plan to change his style. Yes, there was a punk album from Slayer (Undisputes Attitude, 1996)-that was due to Jeff Hannemann. Kerry King, however, remained true to his anabolic riffs and series solos in his life.
Is King a good guitarist? The question is somehow as if you ask: Is Johnny Ramone a good guitarist? The answer: basically it doesn’t matter. Technically, there are many in metal that are better for worlds – but that is not really that in the case. Undoubtedly, Kings Soli are not a big masterpieces in the classic sense, his riffs a lot, much more, his songs definitely. Because about Slayer-we agree with metal fans-little to nothing actually goes, right?