Celebrity Name: Kerry King
New Company: Independent Artist Group (IAG)
Primary Agents: Michael Arfin, Nick Storch
Department: Music / Global Touring
Territory: Global (Ex-U.S./Canada)
- Kerry King, co-founding guitarist of Slayer, has signed with Independent Artist Group (IAG) for worldwide booking representation outside the U.S. and Canada.
- He will be represented by Michael Arfin (Global Touring EVP) and Nick Storch (Global Head of Artist Development) at IAG’s Music Division.
- King will be booked through IAG both as a solo artist and as lead guitarist of Slayer, with a second solo album due this April and a solo tour planned for early 2027.
- Domestic representation continues with Pinnacle Entertainment, management stays with Rick Sales Entertainment (RSE), and publicity continues through Reigning Phoenix Music and HerFitz PR.
Independent Artist Group (IAG) has signed Kerry King, co-founding guitarist of thrash metal legends Slayer, for booking representation outside the U.S. and Canada.
The deal was brokered by IAG’s Michael Arfin and Nick Storch, who said they are eager to build on Kerry King’s “tremendous international popularity.”
King launched his solo career in 2024 with debut album From Hell I Rise, backed by longtime collaborator and Slayer drummer Paul Bostaph. His solo band also features Death Angel vocalist Mark Osegueda, ex-Machine Head guitarist Phil Demmel, and HELLYEAH bassist Kyle Sanders.
King heads back into the studio this April to record his second solo album, with a new tour scheduled to kick off in early 2027. Meanwhile, Slayer is booked for Rocklahoma and Sick New World Texas, with sets celebrating the 40th anniversary of their landmark 1986 album Reign in Blood.
Pinnacle Entertainment continues handling U.S. and Canada bookings. Rick Sales Entertainment (RSE) remains his management team, while Reigning Phoenix Music and HerFitz PR continue handling publicity.
This signing is part of a wider heavy metal sweep for IAG: the agency also landed Slayer and Mastodon in the same round of deals.
Takeaways
This is a big power move, and not just for Kerry King. IAG is quietly building one of the most formidable heavy metal rosters in the global touring business.
Signing King both as a solo act and as Slayer’s guitarist gives them incredible flexibility when routing international tours. With From Hell I Rise already out and a sophomore album on the way, King’s solo brand is gaining real momentum, and IAG is positioning itself to ride that wave globally.
The timing is sharp too. Slayer’s Reign in Blood anniversary shows at Rocklahoma and Sick New World Texas prove the legacy demand is still massive, and festivals worldwide will want a piece of that.
Having IAG own the international territory means King’s team can now pursue that demand in a much more coordinated, aggressive way than before.
Does King’s ability to tour both solo and with Slayer under one international agency give IAG a rare double-booking advantage in festival markets? Is IAG’s heavy metal signing spree a sign that independent agencies are winning the battle for rock and metal talent against the major booking giants?
