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Mercyful Fate - Don't Break The Oath review



Reviewer:
10

744 users:
8.83
Band: Mercyful Fate
Album: Don't Break The Oath
Style: First wave of black metal, Heavy metal
Release date: September 07, 1984
Guest review by: ponderer


01. A Dangerous Meeting
02. Nightmare
03. Desecration Of Souls
04. Night Of The Unborn
05. The Oath
06. Gypsy
07. Welcome Princess Of Hell
08. To One Far Away
09. Come To The Sabbath
10. Death Kiss [demo] [2007 reissue bonus]

1984 was an interesting year for metal which saw the birth of peak albums like Iron Maiden's Powerslave and Metallica's Ride The Lightning, as well as offerings from Dio like The Last In Line and Metal Church's self-titled debut. Mercyful Fate's Don't Break The Oath was easily the darkest and heaviest album out of that group. The band would finally peak with the original lineup to bring us an album that showcased everyone's talents. From King's behemoth satanic prayer Don't Break The Oath to Timi Hansen's relentless driving bass lines in Night Of The Unborn, the band would make their mark in history as a serious black metal act. It's unfortunate that the world would have to wait nearly ten years before the band would return again in 1993.

Don't Break The Oath is a black metal offering which in 1984 had literally no comparison. Ride The Lightning and Powerslave were certainly as fast and as heavy, but both were exploring different genres lyrically while King was denying Jesus Christ and welcoming the princess of hell. Although he would return again in 1986 with Abigail, which King Diamond's fans know to be his grand masterpiece, he would never do anything as dark or as blasphemous again. It would also be unfair to toss Don't Break The Oath into only one musical genre because there are plenty of progressive concepts throughout. The album would make such an impression on this reviewer that I would eventually have the cover art tattooed on my right arm.

I didn't give it a 10 for originality because it follows right along the same lines as Melissa which isn't a bad thing at all, just more refined.


Rating breakdown
Performance: 10
Songwriting: 10
Originality: 9
Production: 10

Written by ponderer | 17.06.2008




Guest review disclaimer:
This is a guest review, which means it does not necessarily represent the point of view of the MS Staff.


Comments page 2 / 2

Comments: 40   Visited by: 276 users
05.06.2010 - 19:04
Marcel Hubregtse
Grumpy Old Fuck
Elite
OKay, enough off-topicness, back to discussing Don't Break The Oath.
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Member of the true crusade against European Flower Metal

Yesterday is dead and gone, tomorrow is out of sight
Dawn Crosby (r.i.p.)
05.04.1963 - 15.12.1996

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09.06.2010 - 01:42
ponderer
Lord Regnier are you a crackhead? Get a clue dude.
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09.06.2010 - 02:33
Lord_Regnier
Written by ponderer on 09.06.2010 at 01:42

Lord Regnier are you a crackhead? Get a clue dude.

Only because I'm explaining matters I don't expect the average dumb metalhead will understand, it doesn't mean I can't be right.

Marcel and Angelic Storm might not agree on everything but they understand what I mean. As for you and Dayfly, you miss the point.

Anyway, in Dayfly's case, the 'ignore' function will be very convenient I guess.
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"Why would we fear death, when life is so much more frightening?"
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10.06.2010 - 13:46
ponderer
There ya go, start ignoring people who have a different opinion than yours. That's real educated and mature on your part. You've already managed to alienate yourself by making absurd baseless proclamations on here in public so why not go a step further and just out yourself completely by ignoring everyone.

Marcel really hit the nail on the head when he said black metal was an atmosphere and feeling back in the early 80's. More importantly though, Mercyful Fate were doing something that nobody else really was at the time which was combining heavy metal riffing with progressive concepts. MF don't get a lot of credit for this, but if you go back and take a closer look at Melissa and Don't Break the Oath, you'll notice there are progressive concepts everywhere. How many structure, time changes and breaks are there in Satan's Fall and The Oath alone? MF were really touching upon something new that would within a few years time really explode which was progressive metal. Bands like Fates Warning would soon follow their lead but take things in a more mystical, fantasy type direction.

Mercyful Fate were definitely pioneering something unique and original but I wouldn't give them 100% credit for starting the whole black metal scene. Their themes and atmosphere were darker than most. How many bands in 1984 had a Satanic prayer as their main song on the album?

What the hell do these dumb punk ass kids know about music anyway? Their concept of black metal consists of heavy eyeliner, black clothing and extreme teen angst because OH BOO HOO they didn't get enough attention as a child. They know literally nothing about the origins of the music and concepts. They are all pampered little brats with a chip on their shoulder because they have no real past on which to base their musical ideas and opinions. In the end they all up end up cutting their own throats and outting themselves publicly anyway so it isn't worth stressing over and fighting about. Their opinions are worthless conjecture rooted in over-medicated self-loathing.

On a lighter note, where's my 6 pack of Piraat beer Marcel?
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12.10.2010 - 21:40
Boxcar Willy
yr a kook
I'm surprised vezzy hasnt crashed the party yet
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14:22 - Marcel Hubregtse
I do your mum

DESTROY DRUM TRIGGERS
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12.10.2010 - 22:40
ponderer
He doesn't have the balls or the fucking knowledge to even get involved in this topic. He didn't even know MF were black metal. It's a classic example of a kid growing up with a Nintendo 64 thinking that's the standard even though there were 2 decades of games before it. There's no future without acknowledging the past.
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15.02.2013 - 22:32
Rating: 10
squidrick420
Written by Marcel Hubregtse on 28.06.2008 at 13:23

Written by ponderer on 28.06.2008 at 12:42



I think one of the main reasons people don't put Mercyful Fate in the Black Metal genre is because King isn't growling. You say "Black Metal" and kids today instantly think screaming and growling, but Black Metal was clearly rooted in darker themes with a relentless driving sound. Just sprinkle in some abstract progressive concepts and you've got Mercyful Fate.

What I see is that people who were into metal at the time Mercyful Fate released their first stuff are the ones who recognize it as black metal whereas today's kiddies have no notion of history and go all revisionist concerning these matters.

To be fair, I was born in 92, but i still consider this to be Black Metal. The difference between me and most of my generation's metalheads is that I took the time to learn the history of what i listen to before i act like i know what i am talking about. I see a lot of kids who think they know everything about metal and it pisses me off, ive been listening to the stuff since i was in elementary school and i still dont think i know nearly enough!
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16.02.2013 - 22:06
Rating: 7
X-Ray Rod
Skandino
Staff
Written by squidrick420 on 15.02.2013 at 22:32
To be fair, I was born in 92, but i still consider this to be Black Metal. The difference between me and most of my generation's metalheads is that I took the time to learn the history of what i listen to before i act like i know what i am talking about. I see a lot of kids who think they know everything about metal and it pisses me off, ive been listening to the stuff since i was in elementary school and i still dont think i know nearly enough!

Modesty is a virtue. Keep it up.
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Written by BloodTears on 19.08.2011 at 18:29
Like you could kiss my ass

Written by Milena on 20.06.2012 at 10:49
Rod, let me love you.

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17.02.2013 - 01:49
Rating: 8
Alex F
Written by X-Ray Rod on 16.02.2013 at 22:06

Modesty is a virtue. Keep it up.

I don't mean to brag, but I was born in '97 and I'm the smartest metalhead of my time
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17.02.2013 - 01:53
Rating: 7
X-Ray Rod
Skandino
Staff
Written by Alex F on 17.02.2013 at 01:49
and I'm the smartest metalhead of my time

You are not asian, so it's useless to brag or do anything of the sort. Nice try though.
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Written by BloodTears on 19.08.2011 at 18:29
Like you could kiss my ass

Written by Milena on 20.06.2012 at 10:49
Rod, let me love you.

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