Death Angel frontman Mark Osegueda has opened up about his relationship with Slayer guitarist Kerry King, offering a rare inside look at the man behind his notoriously intimidating public image. Osegueda shared his thoughts in a recent interview with Extreminal Metal TV, discussing what it’s like to work alongside King in his solo project.
The singer addressed Kerry King’s reputation as a difficult person to approach. He explained that the perception outsiders have of him differs greatly from the person his bandmates know.
“I can see what you mean for people on the outside of it. Yeah, of course. But when you’re in a band with him, he’s actually… He’s pretty wonderful. I consider him one of my dearest friends. And he’s great. He’s funny. He is absolutely hilarious,” Osegueda said. “And his work ethic, it’s insane. So he’s very prolific. He’s constantly busy. But you gotta crack the exterior shell that people see from the outside. But once you get in there and you’re in that inner world, he’s just as social and funny as anyone you’d ever come across. It’s just his approach is maybe different.”
He went on to connect King’s tough image to the broader mythology surrounding Slayer, tracing it back to the band’s early days.
“I think, in a sense, it’s always been the lore of Slayer, even from the days of the spikes and the nails and all that. It was daunting. And moving forward, it’s always been that since. But, again, I’m in the band,” he continued. “So in the band, it’s a wonderful work environment. There’s never anything tense about it. It’s run very well. But from an outsider’s point of view, I could definitely see how people aren’t… I could just see how they’re leery to approach him.”
Osegueda concluded by acknowledging why fans and outsiders might perceive King the way they do, while emphasizing the strength of their personal bond.
“And I could see why they would think that way or feel that way or be made to feel that way. So there you go. I mean, we’ve [Death Angel] toured with him. There you go. [Laughs] I think that’s basically the nicest way I could put it. He’s my f*cking bro.”
Osegueda’s bond with King runs deeper than casual admiration. It took shape in the studio during the making of King’s solo debut, “From Hell I Rise.”
Osegueda handled lead vocals on the full 13-track album, released in 2024. He lent his voice to a project that marked King’s first true solo outing outside of Slayer. That collaboration gave the Death Angel singer a front-row seat to King’s work ethic and creative process, the very qualities he praised in his recent comments.
The record resurfaced in expanded form in June 2026, when King released the “From Hell I Rise: Extended Deluxe Edition.” The reissue added five previously unheard demo tracks, “Crucifixation,” “From Hell I Rise,” “Two Fists,” “Rage,” and “Trophies of the Tyrant,” each featuring King’s own scratch vocals rather than Osegueda’s finished performances. The deluxe package also came with new cover art and an updated photo layout.
King isn’t done yet. He has been working on lyrics for a second solo album and was expected to head back into the studio later in 2026 to begin recording new material. This signals that the partnership between the two musicians is far from over.
That ongoing creative relationship helps explain the loyalty Osegueda expressed in his interview. The Death Angel frontman worked closely with King through the making of an entire album and its expanded rerelease. He speaks from firsthand experience when he pushes back against Kerry King’s fearsome public reputation.
