When the King is away, the kids will play. This vocal is comprised of the top tier of King Diamond's band members. Pete Blakk and Andy LaRocque on guitars is worth the price of admission alone. But wait, there is more. Mikkey Dee took a break from the Scorpions to play on this album. Hal Pinto is covering the bass duties as well. Pagan's Mind vocalist Nils K LaRue joins the Swedes, bringing some Norse vocal power to things. His power metal style of vocals works well over things; there is clearly a King Diamond influence on what he is doing as he leaps up into falsetto.
The opening track hooks me in more than the second song; some of this is due to LaRue's vocals defaulting to the more expected power metal style, though things are still a little darker. But not darker than King Diamond, I like 'When the Stars Align' more than "' The Resurrected' as power metal can come close to hair metal with song of the anthemic touches, and they work better when they stay on the more metal side of the equation. Even when the singer steers them in a more cock rock direction, at least the riffs are still there. I don't think I am being too picky in this regard, as I love Queensryche, which navigates this well. I think dropping some ofthe vocal layers might be the key here.
I had to go back after my first listen to this album and start again at "Dreams of Darkness" as that is where things began to run together for me. Perhaps it's the way the tempo picked up. Though the chorus on that one worked pretty well. There is a "Them" feel to " Saviours". It works well, has enough darkness to balance things out. "Life Eternal" has a more straightforward chug. They certainly know who they are writing for. The instrumental outro works well. It would take these guys to come close to anything King Diamond does, which is a tall order, making this album worth a 9.5.
I've now been listening to King Diamond for 39 years, and with time my perspective on albums has changed over the years, so now reviewing the entirety of his solo career thus far it only makes sense to rank King Diamond's work in this format. Largely ranked in terms of how the albums scored in the said reviews, which are linked with each entry, in the case of a tiebreaker I defaulted to which album I had listened to the most over the years. I guess I have not made a King Diamond list before since he is one of my favorite artists, and ranking the albums is like ranking your favorite childhood memories. However, with age, I can be more subjective and see past the nostalgic attachments to weigh what really matters when it comes to music which is the songs that stand the test of time. So here are the Top 10 King Diamond Albums.
10-"The Puppet Master"
It might not be placed next to his most classic material but is once again better than the bulk of metal that came out in 2003.
Since we have already reviewed "Give Me Your Soul Please" this is the last installment of this series as we have now covered every King Diamond solo album. This is his 11th album. Lyrically it falls into creepy territory not unlike "The Graveyard", but much like "The Graveyard" I never gave this album much of a chance, but the title track certainly stands the test of time as a solid song. The same lineup as the previous album, and it feels like they have found their stride to recreate his classic sound. In some ways, this is his X-Mas album, as it is set in Budapest during X-Mas time. The riffing is more aggressive on this album and they have reignited the thrash fire a little.
If you are coming into this with no clue what is happening here, it's about a man and his wife who get turned into undead puppets. Kings' baritone mid-range sounds more powerful on this album. Things go more theatrically with "Emerencia", as the vocals focus more on storytelling. The riffing is punchy but not the album's best. The guitar solos on this song point out how well-constructed they are on this album. Not a fan of shredding for the sake of it, but they follow the melodic themes of the song. "Blue Eyes" has a deliberate riff that showcases the more direct approach to songwriting this album has. 2003 was a weird year for metal, the dig releases ranged from Dimmu to Type O to Dream Theater and Opeth, so more progressive metal was on the rise, yet these guys took a more classic approach.
There is a cool galloping riff driving "The Ritual" but the vocals sit oddly on this to tell this story. "No More Me" feels like circus music from Budapest, though the vocals are more of a spoken narrative. Making this feel more like a theatrical interlude than an actual song. "Blood to Walk" works better than "Darkness" which does not feel like it flows as well and is somewhat recycled in terms of tropes he commonly has used over the years, though a few strong riffs keep it pumping. Might be my favorite guitar solo on the album. It also bears to mention that this is the first album his wife Livia Zita began singing backup vocals on. "So Sad" is a power ballad of sorts, not the album's strongest song, and oddly the guitar solos actually rescue it dynamically. Despite using parts of "the Little Drummer Boy" and his previous declaration that there were no presents for it, he insisted on writing it, and it's a decent song if you seperate it from these facts. The last song does hammer forward with locomotive strength. I will round this up to a 9.5, which does not place it next to his most classic material but is once again better than the bulk of metal that came out in 2003.
When this album was released I did not like it as I wanted to stand up against "Abigail", so giving it a listen now to see if my expectations and the subsequent letdown were justified. The opening track kicks it a little harder than I remember. This is the first album to find Mike Wead join the fold, this album also features Matt Thompson, so it's pretty much the current band but Hal Patino rejoined them for this album on bass. It does match up close to an album like "Give Me Your Soul Please" sonically. The production feels like it has not changed much in this era. Crazy this was 25 years ago. The chorus of "Mansion in Sorrow" is too rock n roll and the drumming contributes to this. Not as bad as I remembered, but not his best song either. I can hear that I wanted this album to be darker than it was when I first heard it.
"Miriam" is an improvement over "Mansion in Sorrow" The riff grooves more and his voice sounds great. But I get what spurned my initial judgment of this album. I would have dialed it in with more reverb like the original album. "Little One" is more of a ballad. I can appreciate this is more melodic than the original album, the syncopation with closer to where mainstream than what is on brand for these guys aside from King's vocals. The guitar solos are totally dialed in on this album, but there is some weird Led Zeppelin-like groove on this album that is the first time I have perceived their influence on him I just do not think it should be as apparent, as what their strength has been up to this point is doing their own thing. Granted this is 10 albums into his solo career and not many metal bands who are not Iron Maiden can boast of having 9 great albums. The riff that switches the groove midway into this song is pretty killer.
"Slippery Stairs" works better for me, as it feels more like what I expect from a King Diamond album. "the Crypt" sounds musically like more what you expect from a solo Ozzy album. Granted King's voice keeps things more in their wheelhouse. I think the vocals are pretty well produced on this album. Surprisingly this album is not as theatrical as what you might expect from a sequel. "Broken Glass" is a much better song than I remember. I bought this the day it came out, but was so disappointed I think I have listened to this album maybe twice before. Not sure what is going on with "More Than Pain" I'll just write it off as an interlude gone wrong. Things get darker for "The Wheelchair" Aside from the hint of Judas Preist in the riff it's what I want from him.
This trend continues on "Spirits" which rips pretty well. I wonder if I made it through this album, despite being more into hardcore in 2002 I think I was stilling to more Opeth and Meshuggah during this period."Mommy" closes the album and is more theatrical. It is also more deliberate in its tempo which is more of a post-"the Eye" thing for him. It works well enough for what he was going for at this phase of his career. I'll give this album a 9.5, which is not as stellar as "Abigail" but I was a harsher critic in my youth I now have the perspective to understand why this album is what it is. which is still better than what most metal bands can do in terms of songwriting, it's not the heaviest thing ever, but it tells a story in a catchy enough manner with out being too grandiose.
His 9th album is an oddball lineup. It features Glen Drover who went on to play guitar for both Megadeth and Testament. Then Paul Harbour who played in Chastain with the drummer, joined the band. The trend here is that the band was more King Diamond and Andy with other guys stepping in as side men. The chemistry clicks more on the previous album though this album is dark and heavy and King's vocal style is the centerpiece of what sets these guys apart. In truth the vocals to "The Trees Have Eyes" feel like it's from a Mercyful Fate album which is a compliment.
Storywise it's about the legend of an old church in France the Rennes-le-Chateau. It's hard to complain about what goes on here as the riffing is aggressive and songwriting darkly dynamic in its sense of theatrics. "Follow the Wolf" even has a Mercyful Fate-like edge. It bears discussion the contingent of metal heads who like Mercyful Fate but not King Diamond, which is due to the fact things took a more progressive turn where Merycful Fate was more like the precursor to both thrash and black metal, being moreover in the sonic aggression with less gothic trappings. The title track of this album makes more of a distinction as there are more keyboards than we ever heard in Fate. It does not feel as focused as the first two songs.
The riff to "Black Devil" reminds me of Judas Priest, which has always been an underlying influence. They give it more of a groove which makes this song work. "The Pact" also carries more of the thrash feel to its riff, which if pushed further forward in the mix would make this heavier, but all the vocal layers are more dominant since well this is King's record. The gallop of "Just a Shadow' also has more of a Mercyful Fate feel, which is becoming a theme of this record, so if you are typically more of a Fate fan then you should not sleep on this album if you have yet to give it a solid listen. "Help!" has the kind of crunch you would expect a metal act from 2000 to have that preceded the nu-metal movement, which these guys maneuvered around and stayed true to who King Diamond is. No one can ever accuse him of capitulating to the trends.
Where "Passage to Hell" is a theatrical interlude the riff to "Catacomb" reminds me of "Black Album" era Metallica. Granted his vocals help distance the song from it. However, I do not think it could be argued that this is the album's most memorable song. "The Place is Terrible" is the last actual song, as the last track is an instrumental outro. This is a strong song with a great groove for the vocal to fall over. I'll round this one up to a 10 due to the heavy Mercyful Fates vibes this album carries.
It's amazing how much better this album sounds than the previous one and I am surprised that all of that lies in the addition of drummer John Luke Herbert, who only plays on this album and "House of God". They get off to a more energetic start, which finds King's vocal approach more aggressive to match the energy of the music. There are none of the nods to rock n roll that could be heard on the previous release. This rips in a manner that recalls "Abigail" As far as his 90s output goes this is the album I revisit the most. Whatever helped the making of this record fall in place like it did the songwriting finds a balance of being theatric but very fluid. "Life After Death" is a great example of this.
There are songs like the title track that stand up against his most classic material and would be a welcome addition to his live set when he chooses to break it up some from what he's been touring with since right before COVID. His choir of ghostly falsettos is very well-layered. Thematically the is more like "The Eye" as it goes back in time to a creepy era of history, this one just as ripe with magic. The ritualistic drummer is impressive for some guys from Europe to capture. Dime Bag drops a solo on this one, but it's not the best solo on the album."A Secret' is more straightforward with less of the voodoo trapping, but it goes pretty hard in the thrashing break it hits. "Salem" works as a punchy mid-paced chug. The palm-muted breakdown works really well. The effects on his voice are also a nice touch. It's safe to say this is one of his heavier albums.
"One Down Two to Go" starts off as a dreamy ballad and builds momentum into crunchy thrashing. "Sending of Dead" finds the keyboards playing a larger role. It simmers on the mood, with the drums sitting back a bit, so perhaps this dude is what is building the intensity, though the drums vary in where they sit in the mix. "Sarah's Night" is more invested in theatrics. It finds the harpsichord sounds becoming more dominant as the story unfolds. They come back stronger with "The Exorcist" which is supported by a hooky guitar melody. They groove this riff more. King sounds great on this one. The guitar solos are also pretty ripping here as well. They have the riffs down on this album making these songs far more memorable than the past couple of albums. 'the Cross of Baron Samedi" is more deliberate in its pace, but its crunch works. Really this is the last song as it's just outro atmosphere after this even with the hidden track. I'll round this up to a 10, it is a solid return to form.
I reviewed "The Spider Lullabye" in 2015 so we are moving on to "The Graveyard". This period always feels like an odd one to me, as King assimilated the Texas band Mind Storm into his band. This is where Herb Simonsen, Chris Estes, and Drummer Darrin Anthony came from. 1996 marks a time when had certainly shifted into its own grooving aggression that rejected the trapping of the 80s. Thus they were trying to fund where they fit in. The album is about revenge, mental illness, and superstition rather than the occult. "The Spider's Lullabye" bridged things in this direction, it's a lot like a heavier Alice Cooper, with King's over-the-top vocals as the narrative. Even this remastered version is not doing to original recording a great deal of favors. To their credit, it is punchier and heavier.
The pace picks up for the second song. This mix is much more compressed which I suppose was more common from metal in 96, as it has a rawer sound than previous albums. I would place the guitar higher in the mix with almost non-existent bass. There is also more of an underlying rock vibe here. The chorus is pretty strong though. "Heads on the Wall" starts off as more of a ballad. I think it builds up well on the chorus, this is really an underrated song. On the flipside "I'm Not a Stranger' could not come out in 2025, as it delves into the creepy child abduction part of the album. "Digging Graves" might be the most noteworthy song on the album. It moves at a doomier pace than what you expect from him. It also has one of the album's best guitar solos.
"Meet Me at Midnight" is powered by a more aggressive attack. The opening riff might be one of his heaviest. Once again the guitars could have come forward in the mix. "Sleep Tight Little Baby" opens theatrically, the tempo is darker and closer to doom. The chorus leans further into doom. It is not the album's most focused song as some of the storytelling loses momentum, though the solo section is really cool. "Daddy" is sung from an ...um interesting point of view. Another turn to a slower pace, though this one feels like a darker dramatic power ballad. The plus is you get to hear him sing more from his chest register. "Trick or Treat" is a much stronger song, it's mid-pace works of a deliberate syncopation.
"Up From the Grave' is more of a theatrical interlude. The keyboard tone on "I Am" is unfortunate. I guess he was going for more of a Deep Purple sound. The guitar mix hampers the song, and vocal lines are not as focused as what we heard from him on previous albums. The guitar solo on this song is pretty great, but that is not going to make or break the song. It's been so long since I have listened to this album these are almost like new songs. The Last song "Lucy Forever" finds him trying harder. making this song work. The mix of this album makes me round it down to a 9, there are some strong moments but the bar he set for himself is pretty, though this is still better than what most bands from this era are capable of.
Now we are 5 albums deep into King's solo career. This album is the only one to feature drummer Snowy Shaw of Therion fame behind the kit to replace Mikkey Dee, who left to join Motorhead. The first thing you notice is the thrashing speeds are dialed back and there are darker more deliberate riffs that power the opening track which might as well be the title track. The story is not as laid out with as blatant of a narrative on this song, though the story unfolds as the album progresses. We know witches are involved. The story becomes clearer in "The Trial" or at least the stage is set for the French witch trials. There is a taunt syncopation to the creeping groove of the song. The overall sound on this album evolves to fit the times to some extent.
"Burn' has become a staple in his live shows over the years, and is certainly one of the album's strongest songs, which feels like it's more akin to the sound from 'Abigail". Though this album feels like a logical progression from "Conspiracy". King's vocals are also toned down a little and less shrill. Listening back to this album it now sounds like "Two Little Girls" is an atmospheric build-up to "Into the Covent" using a similar theatrical dynamic as what was heard at times in "Them". The drumming is solid on this one, and the chorus works pretty well, but it does not have the same fire we heard on the first four albums. It builds most intensely coming out of the solo section.
The production was kept more in-house than the previous album and I can hear how they are trying to replicate more of a "Them" sound on this one. All things I did not pick up on when this album came out in 1990. I was still in high school and was just happy to have a new King Diamond album though my tastes at the time were leaning in the direction of Pantera, Deicide, and Slayer. "Though I do not recall ever hearing anyone scream for "Father Picard" at a King Diamond show. I think even for the time the guitars could have been beefed up in places. "Behind These Walls" has a great deal going on from harpsichord sounds to a more "Conspiracy' flare for high-stakes storytelling. The fire is also back in the guitar solos.
There is more of a "Sleepless Nights" feel to "The Meetings". At five albums into his career, it's not surprising that Kind Diamond had begun to slightly settle into a songwriting formula. While it's very played "Insanity" is an instrumental interlude. At times it feels like something Led Zeppelin would have done. "1642 Imprisonment" gets the job done and sounded better on the second pass through not a song I remember from back when I listened to this album on a more regular basis. The album closes with "The Curse" It's very deliberate with a more Dokken feel to the drumming. Not sure if these are King Diamond's hookiest vocal lines. I'll give this album a 9, not his strongest moment but still better than most, the stakes were being raised for the metal in 1990 and he was trying to find where he fit in the shifting tides.
One element we have not yet discussed which is more relevant in 2025, and taken for granted during the release of King Diamond's early solo career, is that the albums were produced by the band. Roberto Falcao who is credited as the producer for the album's following "Abigail" which he engineered, was also the band's keyboardist at the time. Granted as engineered my guess here is he set up the mic placement in the studio and handled the technical elements more often associated with a producer, though producers also have some creative input in the recording process, this was clearly King's show, so he was dictating the sounds he wants as Falcao was at the soundboard. Why does any of this matter go into "Conspiracy"? you ask.
In some ways, the stakes were higher due to the success of "Them". This explains why they brought in Chris Tsangarides, who was the big metal producer at the time having worked with Thin Lizzy, Ozzy, and Judas Preist. Chris's job aside from mixing the album was to produce the guitar solos. You can hear how he homogenized "Sleepless Nights" into something that had more in common with Ozzy's middle-of-the-road work at the time. From King Diamond's perspective, he worked on the sessions for Priest's "Sad Wings of Destiny album so that meant something. "Sleepless Nights" which was the most focused song of this album, certainly stands the test of time better than the opening track.
When this came out I was a teenager and King Diamond was my favorite artist so I was just happy to get a new album, so while I loved it and appreciated it was continuing the "Them" story, it hit differently than that album. "Lies" does not crunch or punch like the thrash adjacent to previous work, it is more like arena metal. But lyrically this song was relatable when it came to just telling authority figures what they wanted to hear to not get locked up. Also, something to consider is the time of this album's release things were changing Soundgarden released "Louder Than Love" and Faith No More changed the game with "The Real Thing" so King Diamond was one of the last defenders of the faith, even Judas Priest dropped "Painkiller" the following year to prove there was no middle ground in metal anymore it was getting heavier or go home to survive the changing tides of music. Meanwhile King Diamond is making creepy power ballads like "Visit From the Dead' in his own vacuum.
"The Wedding Dream" pushes the story's narrative forward, but in some ways at the cost of the songwriting. "Amon Belongs to Them" might be the album's most underrated song. It packs more of a punch than the bulk of the album. It holds more groove than every song but "Sleepless Nights". I think where some of this album's strengths do lie is the guitar playing is more melodic, but the flipside is that it's also not as heavy. There are some interesting sounds on the instrumental "Something Weird". "Victimized" is a song I had forgotten about until listening back to this album. It's also a little more aggressive than the direction this album was heading, and not unlike what we heard back on "Give Me Your Soul Please". While he sings the word conspiracy I am not sure why this was not just the title track, but here we are. Weirdly, this album ends with an instrumental. While it still sounds like something in his wheelhouse, feel it's an odd way to end it. I'll give this a 10 as it's an ambitious task and King Diamond did it and kept his momentum, while making an album that bridged him over to mainstream metal audiences that were not already onboard for "Them"
Continuing through the iconic catalog of King Diamond. We are at his third solo album. His storytelling becomes more pronounced, and the production is not as dark and reverb-heavy as the previous album. This album features bassist Hal Patino replacing Timi Hansen. Pete Blakk takes over for Micheal Denner, forcing Larocque to really step it up. Mikkey Dee's drumming steps up with the recognisible fill leading into what is King Diamond's most famous song. The shrill call of "Grandmaaaa..." is his calling card for novice listeners. The bass is not as present in the mix as it was on "Abigail" and the drums are taking more of the spotlight. Rightfully so this is the pinnacle of Dee's playing. Andy also makes his mark with some memorable solos. In some ways, the songwriting brought more thrashing to compete with where the music was going, but the songs are still very hooky.
Dee's playing gives a more urgent drive to the uptempo energy powering "Invisible Guests". Despite the darker gothic melodicism giving the album its theatrical nature, the blood-pumping intensity, kept King Diamond from lagging behind bands like Slayer and Testament who were rising in popularity at this time. He was still just as relevant in the conversations regarding the heavy music of the day. King himself reached a perfect middle ground with his vocals, he can play the characters of the story while still singing aggressively, even with his high falsetto wails. Another example of where his metal yodels do not feel as dated as say Fates Warning.
"Tea" is the first song that slows down into something more melodic and flowing though the verse riff gets gritty as needed with a powerful chug. the song This is also the song that lays the story out without sounding like an awkward musical narrative. "Mother's Getting Weaker" is punchier, with the riffing getting more aggressive to convey the stakes being raised for Mother. The trade-off between his more baritone moan and his falsetto is well balanced, the phrase "just looking forward" finds him in more of a growl, which would go on to inspire bands like Emperor. "Bye Bye Missy" is also one of King Diamond's most underrated songs, it is understandable why he does not play it outside of the story of the album in a live set with "Welcome Home" the real live staple. But the verse riff to this song is great with its crunch.
"A Broken Spell" does not hit as hard as the previous songs, but was better than the bulk of shit coming out in 1988. "The Accusation Chair" finds them getting heavier. The vocals lock in more with the guitars than the previous song. When his vocals shift into more of a Gullom-like croak at the end of the song it's very effective at carrying the mood of the story. "Twilight Symphony" continues to play off their songwriting momentum. It is also one of the album's stronger choruses. This is technically the album's last song as it ends with more of an outro. I'll give this album a 10, it's almost a 10.5, given the grandiose nature, but these songs in many ways work best as the larger concept than on their own.
A lot was going on when this album was released in 1987. Thrash was kicking things up big time and they had to step up their game here and get heavier to stay current which they did with profound grace on songs like "A Mansion in the Darkness" which is a ripper. This album marks King's committing albums to a full conceptual story arc. LaRocque was writing more marking a new technical sense to the arrangements, not making them complex just to be complex or getting caught up in the math, but very intricate yet organic shifts. King's singing also reaches new heights. His highs are higher and lows are more of a demonic growl. All of this and there is a more aggressive darkness that gives this album an untouchable vibe.
"The Family Ghost" was oddly one of the singles from this album, despite the title track being the show stealer. This song is still great, there is just nothing as iconic as the song 'Abigail' though it's all far beyond what anyone else in metal could do at the time. The guitar that leads into "The 7th Day of July 1777" is stellar, this is one of the album's stronger songs. The storytelling really unfolds on this one but it never feels lyrically cumbersome. Nor does this album feel dated to me when I listen back to it. That says a lot as I bought this album when it came out 38 years ago and keep returning to it.
"Omens" is really well written and, in some ways perhaps the most accessible song on the album as the guitar playing is more melodic than aggressive. The tense palm-muted bridge groove creates urgency. When it comes to the most underrated King Diamond songs' "the Possession" should be at the top of the list. The riffing is killer, and the vocals fit like a glove over them. The chords that are picked out leading into the solo section are just great songwriting. "Abigail" should be in the top 10 metal songs of all time. The arrangements are heading in a more progressive direction on this album and the last song is proof of that fact. In some ways, it is like Judas Priest but more nuanced guitar playing. This album is one of the rare legendary occasions where I go beyond the bounds of how I normally rate albums to give the elusive 11. It goes all the way up.
While King Diamond gets a great deal of mention here since he is one of my all-time favorite metal artists, I've only taken retrospective looks at "The Spider's Lullabye" and "Give Me Your Soul Please", though there have been reviews for the multiple times I have seen him live since this blog has been active. So I am going to review every King Diamond solo album in order of release aside from the two previously covered. Since this is black metal history month here, it only makes sense to do so given the fact he is one of the most influential figures in Black Metal, though these albums are not in and of themselves black metal, they are dark, and filled with the kind of eerie atmosphere any black metal fan should adore, unless they are a gluesniffer who only listens to blast beats.
His first post- Mercyful Fate solo album. The lineup still included Micheal Denner and Timi Hansen from Mercyful Fate Mikkey Dee was a new addition along with Andy LaRocque who just added solos, making this one of the only albums he does not write on. Much like "Spider's Lullabye" it's one of the few albums where the entire album is not a story. The first side of this LP and the last song here comprise the story which was about a spirit freed from a book that possesses a portrait that speaks to her mother, so not far from what was happening in "Abigail". This translates to a cool dark gothic horror feel to the music. Lyrically less 'Satanic" than his Fate days. Occult horror became his new niche.
"The Candle' opens the album with a great deal of vocal bombast, with King really flexing his falsetto on the first two songs for sure, though "The Jonah" is heavier as the accents carry more punch to them."The Portrait" has a more Mercyful Fate-like aggression to it's almost thrashy riffing that Dee's drumming drives masterfully. "Dressed in White" is the first ever King Diamond song LaRocque ever soloed on. This might be one of the album's hookiest songs. "Charon" is my favorite song on the album as it was the b-side on the "No Presents For X-mas" single I got before this album was released. I would likely put it in my top 10 King Diamond songs. His vocals are the best on this one. The groove under the solo feels like it's the precursor to the melodic themes on "Abigail".
"Lurking in the Dark" is a great song, I just noticed today that it works off a similar tension as Maiden's "Number of the Beast". Halloween is obviously cranked every October 31st which, might mean it gets more play than any other song from this album aside from "Charon" if we are talking cumulative since I was wearing that one out as a kid."Voices From the Past" is an interlude that leads us back into the story for "Haunted". If the riffs from "Haunted" were said to be originally for the "Don't Break the Oath" album I would not be surprised as that is what it feels like. Though of the main songs, it is the most leaning in the direction of filler, despite the ripping solos. I like how the songs ends though.
I've had versions of this album that have both had "No Presents For X-mas" on it and other that had not and special singles that have had 'The Lake" as well, so I will count both of them in regards to this review. "No Presents For X-mas" is one of those classics I know every note without having to listen to it. "The Lake" does reference the devil, in more of a Hammer Horror manner, it's what King does and is a pretty strong song , though like "Haunted" just shy of the bar the rest of the album has raised. Even then it was a bonus track I will give this album a 10.
Here's a live review from pre-COVID that I found never got published. This was the same set list, as the 2024 tour, the only changes being the addition of two new songs this time around, and Myrkur as a backing vocalist. Along with the fact he is now five years older, though all of us are as well. So wanted to go ahead and share these thoughts of that show, as they are still relevant, considering we are still waiting around for a new album 18 years since "Give Me Your Soul Please" was released,
I caught the second date of King Diamond’s “Institute” tour and it was clear that the King is still reigning. Bands like Slayer are beginning to retire, yet the King is playing bigger venues than when I first saw him in 1988. He has a new album coming out on the first of the year and a Mercyful Fate reunion making rounds through European Festivals in the spring. Not bad for a 63-year-old who had triple bypass surgery ten years ago. He is certainly hitting his notes more consistently than when I last saw Rob Halford ten years ago, who was 55 at the time. What is it about the King that finds him contining to not only endure but find new success?
If you are a regular reader of my thoughts on spread throughout the internet then you might know the King is my favorite metal artist of all time. You would also know that instead of biased gushing, I hold my favorites up to mythically high standards that most at some point fail to meet leaving a select handful who never disappoint. When it comes to things like a new single dropping or a live show, my mind weighs it against when I first popped the cassette of “Abigail” into my Walkman or saw him on the “Them” tour. Like adidcts craving the nostalgia of the first high, juxtaposed against not wanting to rehash what you have already heard them do..
These might seem like impossible standards for artists to live up to, but the very best can sometimes in different ways. For example, I saw Iron Maiden this summer and it was clear they are pros and have a big energy show. Though it was all business. King Diamond loves what he does and who he becomes. This shone through despite getting the news earlier in the day that his friend and former bass player Timi Hansen died. His production value has increased in terms of the spectacle. The stage was made to look like an asylum where his upcoming album "The Institute"; is set.; He did play the lead single from this album "Masquerade of Madness" which was pretty heavy and fits nicely alongside his other works, making me look forward to the new album. The bulk of the set drew from the first few albums of his solo career "Fatal Portrait", "Abigail", "Them", "Conspiracy" and "The Eye" along with the title track from "Voodoo". Not only does he go out on tour in his 60s, but picks his most vocally demanding work to sing. He knows the fans want his and delivered. I think his appreciation of his fan base and staying true to his brand creates a more fervent loyalty. He sticks to what works and doesn't tamper with that for the sake of mass appeal.
The fact his imagery has been assimilated into modern metal culture he is revered within the community by metal heads who might not have listened to "Give Me Your Soul Please" . But if you ask them who inspired the look of their favorite Scandinavian black metal band they are not likely to say Gene Simmons. The gothic horror story-lines of the concept albums he has pumped out since "Abigail" has strayed from the Satanic overtones of Mercyful Fate and King is less vocal about his membership with the Church of Satan, but I have still admired him for being true to the what he sings about. For someone who delves into a great deal of fantasy, he is very real.
Metal needs to have darkness, anger, or danger to it that you feel in its vibration. If not it comes across like they are trying to be something they are not. With King Diamond it's a sense of darkness, perhaps run through a filter of Hammer Horror, but he believes in it enough when he takes on these roles to really sell it to the audience. Alice Cooper might do a similar,r but now it feels edited for Disney, where King Diamond takes that to 11 and does not apologize or blame it on his alter ego. His legacy has all the signs of remaining intact and when the show is over in the next 7 years, he will most likely step from the spotlight with the grace and class his career has run off of. Until that day his most recent show is in the top 3 King Diamond concerts I have attended. If you have yet to see him, make this a priority.
I am not big on remastered album. It seems like an attempt to sell you the same album twice. However there are times when it makes more sense. The production value of Mercyful Fate's 1983 debut album, was good for the time. Producer Henrik Lund who also mixed the album, had never worked with a metal band before. King Diamond has later said this was because they assumed he did not want a bunch of amateurs looking over his shoulder, so they only gave him notes. How could you really know how to dial in something that had never really been done before with bands like Iron Maiden and Judas Priest as the only reference points at the time.
A common problem when trying to turn your younger friends onto a classic album is to their ears something like this does not sound as heavy, due to have the guitars sit back in the reverb. This remaster takes the already great songs and elevates the sound quality so that it stands shoulder to shoulder with the dynamic range. This was originally done by Ted Jensen in 2005, and is being re-issued for the album's 40th anniversary. I listened to it at high volume through a pair of studio quality head phones, and found the guitar have more punch to them, as this now has the sonic kick you would expect of an album released today rather than making do with the best 1983 had to offer.
You can feel the double kick on "At the Sound of the Demon Bell" in your chest where it should be. King's vocal layers are clearer, the over all guitar and bass sound brings the levels up to a place where the shrillness of his falsetto is balanced out by the punch of guitar, thanks to the improved compression. In some ways the brighter fuller sounds , take some of the darker tones out , but the overall sound has more attack so this works for the recording. I think there is little reason for me to talk about the songs, here because this is just an improvement to an already perfect album, while I can talk about King Diamond for days on end, the album speaks for itself when it comes to songs. Sure if you have never heard it before it is a must, especially if you are a fan of a band like Ghost, you ripped off Mercyful Fate in many regards, sure King Diamond plays nice and respects the politics of the music business, so has never called bands out in this regard. But this version makes those things more apparent as well as allows you to hear that this was not just heavy for 1983, but holds up against all the black metal bands that came after. One of the best metal album ever made period.
Now we are in the top 30 and harder choices are having to be made. I am having to be more honest with myself; in what we are doing here which is focusing not only on technical vocal ability, in terms of range and power, as well as their dynamics, phrasing and the overall character of their voice. Can they emote from different places? How well does their voice hold up live? . How they control a crowd or their entertainment value as performers is also not a factor; there are some great front men who are also sub-par singers. There are also not going to be any Bob Dylan like singers, who are better songwriters than vocalists.
Pop singers, are far and few between, with; a few country or jazz singers who crossover just enough to qualify for this list, while having a significant influence on rock music. Don't expect rappers on this list or metal vocalists who just scream or growl, but never actually sing. I am keen on singers who are derivative of other singers. The bulk of these do their own thing, the few paying tribute to other artists made enough of an impact with their music. Having a unique vocal quality is going to be one of the most important factors often trumping technical ability. If they sound too much like Steve Perry from Journey after listening to their vocal coach rather than developing their own style, it is also not going to fly. Some of these might have been ignored by mainstream music media, but by the time we get to the top 10, I am sure it will all make sense, so here are the Top 200 greatest rock singers.
30-Chino Moreno
From hushed cooing to full on hard core like screaming, his voice has grown over the years which kept his band from being lost in the mire of nu metal an evolving into their own thing.
29-Maynard James Keenan
The Tool singer who has branched out into projects like A Perfect Circle and Puscifer, has come a long way since he was raging with more of a metal band on the Opiate ep, though even then we heard his potential. He might not try as hard these days, but laid the ground work well.
28- Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan
Not only the greatest of his kind but he brought his traditions into a modern setting by working with western producers. His voice is a spiritual experience.
27-Skin
The front woman for Skunk Anansie knows no bounds when it comes to what she does with her voice. It is a shame they never broke bigger in the States as their are singers who have tired to do what she does and got more credit for not even covering half the ground she does vocally.
26 Cedric Bixler
How often would a band like Mars Volta find themselves putting out songs that are even better than what they were doing 20 years ago. Cedric is the reason for this. Not as aggressive as he was during At the Drive In, he has taken his androgynous voice to new highs.
25--George Michael
After he shattered the world with the Faith album , he followed it up with an album that solidified him as the best make POP singer of his era. He should have been the one to replace Freddie.
24- Chris Isaak
His smooth style of melancholy rock a billy crooning with a mellow western feel , would not hit like it does without his mastery of his falsetto yodels. His low end notes are gutsy and he has tons of power, making him even better live than in the studio.
23-Chris Cornell
The Soundgarden singer continued to make an impression on people with his solo career before he died. He had a Robert Plant like wail to his voice that made him stand out among his peers who were just baritones.
22-King Diamond
You might be surprised the King is not in the top 10 , he would if this was just metal singers. He does have the best metal yodel, but metal yodels alone does not the best make, that is even including his death metal demon snarls and doomsayer moans .King Diamond is great at the songs he wrote , but can you imagine him covering some one else in his style?
21-Peter Steele
How did Peter Steele beat out King Diamond. It was a tough, but, given his band's penchant for covering a song and making it better and his resonate baritone that finds him being able to gracefully navigate a wider range of melodic territory , unless we were ranking by voices most likely to summon Satan then King wins hands down.
So how does this album hold up over time ? If for no other reason I have to love this album because Andy Larocque , my favorite metal guitarist plays on it. You can hear some of Andy's influence in the riffing "In Human Form" comes to mind. Gene Hoglan joined the band for this album. Sadus bassist Steve Di Giorgio played on "Human" so stuck around for this album making this the most impressive line up of this band. 'Jealousy" is a good song ,but lyrically , I think much like Carcass when this album came out in 1993 I was pissed because they were growling about getting their feelings hurt. As far as more technocal metal goes the opening riff to "Trapped in a Corner' is pretty cool. Like most of the songs on here the riffs wind around each other and are aided by the rubbery bass lines of Di Giorgio who plays around them like jazz. When they hit the grooves and lock in all together the results are fucking sick.
"Nothing is Everything" allows Gene to prove he might be the best metal drummer ever. "Mentally Blind" is best when is slows into the more melodic section, when it is off to the races I begin to check out. They pulls out some classic metal moments that work pretty well after the solo. There are some cool accented section in the title track , but here is when the math becomes dense and I once again begin to check out slightly, I think back when I was smoking pot this kind of death metal was easier to pay attention to. I check back in for 'Out of Touch" . There is alos kind of a John Tardy emoting to Chuck's voice that is evolved since "Leprosy" . The bass freak out is pretty awesome leading into the solo. But as a song well, it's metal.
The album does have a solid ending I will give it a 9.5 , some of that is my threshold hold for high wanking metal tapered in the second act. If that is your sort of thing then round it up I think for sure for what this is it deserves to be some where among the great death metal albums. Andy's playing is stellar and I think this album serves as a testament to what this kind of tech/. prog metal can , be and no that was not meant as a pun since half of this band is now Testament.
The second date of their tour fell on the Tabernacle in Atlanta. It is a fitting venue since it used to be a church so still has the stained glass windows. I had excellent seat in the VIP section so I was on the first balcony on the right had side overlooking the stage. I will start by saying it might sound like a dream gig opening for King Diamond For the first opener Idle hands who went on at 6:50 found the audience at 30 percent capacity. I think this works for them as they are a young band who played their instruments well, but still seem to be gathering their footing playing in larger venues to crowds of this kind on larger stages. They had one guitarist who was more flamboyant in their performance seemed like they had been plucked from an 80s hair metal band. Watching them it was clear they were all distinct individuals with separate influences. Their drummer was the star of the show with jazz like nuance to his playing.It might sound like a dream gig opening for King Diamond, but you are talking about the greatest metal front man next to Bruce Dickinson, so the singer of Idle Hands who had a more Jim Morrison by way of the Cult thing going on was up against insurmountable odds . He was probably wondering what he had gotten himself into.
Up next was Uncle Acid and the Dead beats. Everyone I spoke to was aware of the buzz about the band. I like their studio output myself so was curious to see how this translated live. The result was something more heavier and in line with stoner doom rock than the kind of creepy 60s vibe I get from their albums. Perhaps playing for a more overt metal crowd prompted this. I still recognized the song they just came in on a denser cloud of distortion than expected. Some of this was due to the more stripped down approach, there were not keyboards to help give the more 60s sound. The dual vocal approach was unexpected. They were tight was a response I got most from members of the audience I talked to. They are headliners in their own right, so it is no surprise the are a well oiled machine on stage. The movies projected behind them were surreal 60s spectacles I would not wanted to have seen tripping. I do not think a King Diamond show would be one I would want to drop acid at and when I was doing drugs I think I might have been drunk or stoned, but do not recall anything stronger when seeing him,
This show now marks the 8th time I have seen King Diamond. It is not mystery if you are a regular reader that he is one of my all time favorite artists. I have been listening to him for over 30 years now. When I saw Iron Maiden they are pros and big energy, but King Diamond loves what he does, who he becomes and the fact this shown through after he got the news earlier that day his friend and former bass player Timi Hansen died is unbelievable.By the time he went on the floor was packed and I was glad I was in the balcony. The stage was made to look like an asylum where he upcoming album "the Institute" is set. He did play a new song from this album called "Masquerade of Madness" which was pretty heavy and fits nicely along sie his other works, making me look forward to the new album. The bulk of the set drew from the first few albums of his solo career "Fatal Portrait", "Abigail" , "Them", "Conspiracy" and "the Eye" along with the title track from "Voodoo". Not only does he go out on tour in his 60s, but picks his most vocally demanding work to sing. He knows the fans want his and delivered.
He had his female back up singer who did join him to double up some of the higher parts. In the bast while he has sounded great, I wondered if this was because he could not pull it off by himself, but there were several sections where he pulled off his upper register by himself no help needed pretty flawlessly. Hitting notes Bruce Dickinson ascend Rob Halford can no longer dream of at their age. I have been an advocate since teenage years that Kind Diamond is the greatest metal singer ever and this confirmed years of flying his flag. Did he have effects on his voice ? Yes, but so do the two singers I previously mentioned. They band was great the bass player who was the new kid the past 3 times I have seen King Diamond has now really settled in. I was surprised given Timi's death that they did not play any Mercyful Fate, though he dedicated the last song "Black Horsemen" to him and said from this point on it would be dedicated to him. Overall this one was on the best shows I would not say the number one show, but in the top 3 King Diamond concerts I have attended.
Last night I had to correct London who was under the impression that everyone went to Live Aid to see Queen. I had to correct this by showing her clips of the Live Aid performances by Led Zeppelin, David Bowie, Black Sabbath and Judas Priest. She like Ozzy and the boys best so has been on a tangent of wanting to see videos of Ozzy going crazy. This morning I expanded upon it and took the opprotunity to play live videos of other bands to get her thoughts on it so here we go
Ozzy - "Mr Crowley" from 83
London- "He kinda looks like you when you had long hair. He is not going crazy here"
Motley Crue - "Looks That Kill " from 87
London : "Eh, they are not as good as Ozzy"
Marilyn Manson- Live show from 96
London : "He has black hair like you used to. Why is he wearing booty shorts. He is having a fit. I don't even wear booty shorts. Who could have a crush on this guy?"
Judas Priest - "Heading out to the High way " live mid 8os.
London-" He is not singing like an old lady hear , so that is better, I like it"
Slipknot-"Live From 99"
London- "I don't think they sing as good in the masks , the sound is too low, I don't like them"
Gwar - Live from 90
London- "He doesn't sing very well, why is he more famous than you, you think better than he does, so does King Diamond. "
King Diamond - "Deadly Omens" live from 89
London- "I can tell be the singing that this is King Diamond, so of course it's good"
Ghost- Live from 2018
London- " This is crap, if they want to be King Diamond they have to sing better than that"
Lita Ford " Kiss Me Deadly"
London- "This is not metal, how can this be metal"
In This Moment -Live 2018
London- "Are they going to just dance or sing" singing starts "I guess this is ok for a girl"
Chelsea Wolfe- "Live 2016"
London- "This is a little better than the last one, rather see Ozzy"
Ozzy Osbourne - "Crazy Train Live 83"
London- "I think I can go crazier than him, I think I could crush faces if I had to"
This is the second part of a four part series I am doing, with a theme of if you are sharing your life with someone once of the most important things you can share is your music. It's the pieces of me that I don’t have words for as they are an amalgamation of my thoughts and emotions relating to sonic vibrations. Music can always take me back to a place in time. We are going through the angry teen years, which were also filled with drugs, but not the real hard stuff that comes in the next installment. It's interesting to imagine how two people might have interacted at different times in their life if they met under different circumstances. So this is a soundtrack to that. I have organized it in terms of the year these songs are released . The story they tell is somewhat loose. This is me giving these songs as token to someone of what was inside me before they knew me. This is what my life sounded like before I met them. Me Against the World
Here we are at the end of our Top 50 Metal Guitarists list, The death of a guitarist I played with turned my thoughts to what makes a good guitarist great. Metal finds the stakes for guitarists high. Shredding can come before playing a fucking song. While all of these guitarists can play a solo, I was also looking for tone, impact on the genre as a whole and how their personalities came through in their playing. So this list of the top 50 Metal Guitarists. If you don't find your favorite guitar player here then know they were just wankers.
10-Adrian Smith
His Band is primarily propelled by the galloping bass, but they are also known for their twin guitar harmonies. His partner in crime Dave Murray could be on this list too, but Adrian Smith's playing always struck me as being a little more nuanced.
9-Dimebag Darrell
His vulgar display of riffing hits you like a cowboy from hell. His solos embrace chaos and melody. He has influenced modern metal tremendously, his original styling and chops that managed to place him above his hero Ace, when it comes to metal Dimebag is just more fucking hostile.
8-Jerry Cantrell
Some of the more melodic and mournful grunge thanks to the drugged trappings of his band that killed their lead singer. Equally blues base as he is a technical shredder his metal chops can slip out of any run
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7-KK Downing
Until their peers Iron Maiden, Downing's band was not driven by the bass. They were less technical and sometimes more aggressive. It was their album "PainKiller" that really put un-believers to rest.
6-Piggy/ Denis D’Amour
His sound evolved from dissonant thrash into a space age prog metal sound that defined his band's weird and wonderful brand of metal. While they took influence from bands like Killing Joke and Discharge, Piggy blended that with a angular metallic aggression to create one of the most unique sounds ever.
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5- Alex Lifeson
Lifeson beat out Piggy, due to the fact if his band did not exist then metal and progressive rock might not find themselves so often hand in hand. You might question how metal is Rush, so I suggest getting back to me after hearing "2112" and "Caress of Steel" this is not to say they were metal for the duration of their career as they became radio rock , but those two albums alone solidify his place here.
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4-Selim Lemouchi
He died on my birthday four years ago. Seeing this guy live made me a believer as he was one of the best guitarists I have ever seen live. His band the Devil's Blood, played a jammy style of retro doom boogie. He has two other guitarists in his band that he had to play around and still found the space to do some amazing things.
3-Randy Rhodes
Some times his tone is too bright for me and I'll blame that on his days with Quiet Riot. He inspired a decade of shred, more tasteful than all the Yngwies , he blended the neo-classical touches in a hard rock context.
2-Andy Larocque
Andy beat out Randy because Rhodes' weakness is his strength, he plays darker. Andy also has a more aggressive playing style making him a much more metal player than Rhodes. Andy's style of playing fit perfectly with the horror motif of King Diamond's writing making them the perfect match.
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1-Toni Iommi
There was a second I had him at number two, but them I thought about the "Mob Rules" and "Heaven and Hell" albums where he plays with the same firey precision that Andy does and summons a similar darkness years before , not to mention his use of the devil's note created heavy metal so there is that.
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