When Death Angel's Mark Osegueda joined Kerry King's solo band, he knew that performing some of Slayer's iconic tracks would be part of the gig. In a recent interview with Full Metal Jackie via Loudwire, Osegueda shared his excitement over taking on Slayer's catalog, particularly noting his favorite track to sing live.
"Right now, my favorite to sing is definitely 'Black Magic,'" Osegueda revealed. "It's great. I love all the Slayer stuff we've done so far with this band live, but 'Black Magic,' it just has such a vibe to me." The song’s energy resonates deeply with both the singer and the crowd, Osegueda describing fans erupting whenever a Slayer song hits the setlist, particularly when he nails some of his highest notes.
Osegueda's journey into Kerry King's band wasn't an easy one. Speaking candidly, he described the challenge of keeping his new role a secret, especially from his Death Angel bandmates. "The hardest really was just keeping it from the Death Angel guys while we were on tour. That was really the most difficult part of it. You're up late at night and we're listening to music together and I've just been sitting on this news for so long. We share everything but this… there was NDAs in place that I just couldn't do it."
As rumors swirled, with members of other bands catching wind of his involvement, Osegueda found himself deflecting conversations to maintain secrecy. "There would be some times on tour where someone from another band would come in and… say, 'Hey, I heard about you and Kerry.' So I, in front of the Death Angel guys, I'd grab their arm and walk them outside and be like, 'I don't know what you're talking about.'"
Landing the gig wasn’t a given, even after Osegueda threw his name into the mix. He recalls texting King to express his interest: "I knew Kerry was never quitting. That's why I threw my name in the hat. I just texted him and said, 'Hey, just letting you know I know you're putting together something. I'm throwing my name in the ring.' Then I said, 'Actually, throw my throat in the ring.'" To his surprise, King responded, admitting the idea had crossed his mind.
While other well-known vocalists were reportedly considered for the role, Osegueda was determined to secure his spot. Encouraged by industry friends who unanimously advised him to go for it, he set his mind on proving himself worthy. "Once I put my mindset to that, it just kept escalating. I started working better, singing better, singing more powerfully and more confidently. And it just all fell into place."
