Wrestling and heavy metal have long shared an overlapping fan base, and WWE superstar Damian Priest just turned that crossover up to 11. His entrance theme, “Rise For The Night,” has been revamped with none other than Slayer guitarist Kerry King. The updated version, featuring King’s signature thrash guitar work, is now available on all major streaming platforms.
The collaboration between Priest and King debuted in November during WWE’s “Raw” broadcast. Fans were quick to notice the guitar work, which Priest later confirmed on social media, expressing his gratitude: “Thank you, Kerry King, for adding some of his genius to my theme.”
Priest’s metalhead roots run deep. In an interview with Metal Hammer in April 2024, he credited iconic bands for shaping his love for the genre. “I would say that Metallica and Ozzy Osbourne were my first bands where I was, like, ‘Oh, I love this,’” Priest shared. His entrance themes have always leaned toward a heavier sound, but this collaboration brings a new level of authenticity to his on-screen persona.
While this marks King’s first time contributing to a WWE entrance song, his music has crossed paths with pro wrestling before. In 1999, Slayer’s track “Here Comes The Pain” was featured on a now-defunct WCW compilation album. More recently, Slayer’s 1988 classic “South of Heaven” was licensed as a one-off entrance theme for WWE Hall of Famer Edge at WrestleMania 39 in 2023.
Kerry King is gearing up for a 28-date North American headline tour kicking off on January 15, 2025, in San Francisco. Municipal Waste will join as a special guest, with Alien Weaponry rounding out the bill. The tour will close with a final show at the House of Blues in Las Vegas on February 22.