Some of the best riffs to grace metal denner and shermann imo are the best guitar team... and who can forget the awesome vocals bought to you by the king himself

Just amazing, riffs and solos are epic. King Diamond is great.

Curse Of The Pharaohs... What a masterpiece.

Originality and good ideas ... but too negligent performance. King Diamond's albums from 80s are better.

Also - Andy LaRocque is more talented guitarist than Hank Shermann.

Written by Vasil de Shumen on 15.07.2012 at 17:44

Originality and good ideas ... but too negligent performance. King Diamond's albums from 80s are better.

Also - Andy LaRocque is more talented guitarist than Hank Shermann.

I disagree on ALL counts. Melissa and Don't Break The Oath and the self-titled e.p. are far better than anything released as King Diamond or of the Mercyful Fate reunion.

Andy LaRoque might be a techincally better guitar player but he lacks the ideas and style of Shermann and Denner who are both unique sounding whereas LaRoque isn't.

Written by Marcel Hubregtse on 15.07.2012 at 17:49

... Melissa and Don't Break The Oath and the self-titled e.p. are far better than anything released as King Diamond or of the Mercyful Fate reunion.

Andy LaRoque might be a techincally better guitar player but he lacks the ideas and style of Shermann and Denner who are both unique sounding whereas LaRoque isn't.

I respect your opinion, Marcel.

But I think in Hank has a strong influence of NWOBHM ( + hard rock ), while in Andy no such influence and he is very original musician.

Amazing album,story is just amazing,epic and scary.King is very special metal musician.

The great classical heavy metal album. Not a single weak song.

Fantastic album. Took me a long while to get into King's vocal style, but glad it finally clicked for me.

Happy 30th birthday Melissa

Wha...blackened heavy metal?

Written by Monolithic on 06.11.2013 at 07:46

Wha...blackened heavy metal?

How is it blackened

Written by Daniell on 06.11.2013 at 10:06

How is it blackened

That was my reaction when I saw "Style: Blackened heavy metal" up there.

Written by Monolithic on 06.11.2013 at 10:09

That was my reaction when I saw "Style: Blackened heavy metal" up there.

Slayer sings a lot about satan on their first 2-3 albums, let's call them blackened thrash

This is first wave black metal, whether you like it or not, just like Venom were first wave black metal and old Venom rip-off Bathory were. There was no specific sound to black metal at the time. At the time black metal was about the lyrics. Even Slayer was called black thrash by quite a few people even though they are totally thrash.

It's the second wave of black metal which gave black metal its musical sound. But all were heavily influenced by the first wave bands and by death metal bands such as Morbid Angel. Hell, actually most second wave black metal bands started off as oure death metal (clearest cases in point being Darkthrone and then Mayhem)

Written by Marcel Hubregtse on 06.11.2013 at 14:13

This is first wave black metal, whether you like it or not, just like Venom were first wave black metal and old Venom rip-off Bathory were. There was no specific sound to black metal at the time. At the time black metal was about the lyrics. Even Slayer was called black thrash by quite a few people even though they are totally thrash.

It's the second wave of black metal which gave black metal its musical sound. But all were heavily influenced by the first wave bands and by death metal bands such as Morbid Angel. Hell, actually most second wave black metal bands started off as pure death metal (clearest cases in point being Darkthrone and then Mayhem)

I don't have any problem with Mercyful Fate being called black but blackened heavy metal sounds...strange.

Written by Monolithic on 06.11.2013 at 15:43


I don't have any problem with Mercyful Fate being called black but blackened heavy metal sounds...strange.

oh in that way. There I agree

Written by Guest on 06.11.2013 at 17:35

Written by Marcel Hubregtse on 06.11.2013 at 14:13

This is first wave black metal, whether you like it or not, just like Venom were first wave black metal and old Venom rip-off Bathory were. There was no specific sound to black metal at the time. At the time black metal was about the lyrics. Even Slayer was called black thrash by quite a few people even though they are totally thrash.

It's the second wave of black metal which gave black metal its musical sound. But all were heavily influenced by the first wave bands and by death metal bands such as Morbid Angel. Hell, actually most second wave black metal bands started off as oure death metal (clearest cases in point being Darkthrone and then Mayhem)

But at least in Norway the 2nd wave truly began when they rebelled against the trends and certain sounds like Morrisound and Sunlight. Darkthrone didn't release Goatlord when it was recorded, Mayhem had changed, bands like Old Funeral, Mortem, etc. were wiped away. Also, Bathory and Hellhammer had some 2nd wave ingredients in their music during the 1st wave.

DarkThrone had released Soulside Journey which was pure death metal before they turned into a black metal band.
Bathory were a total Venom rip-off band at the start, totally no 2nd wave sound in them. Hellhammer wasn't even considered 1st wave at the time, they were just considered a crap band that sounded way too punk whilst trying to be metal (and rightly so I would say)

Their next album is better.
Evil and Black Funeral are cool. There is one re-recorded Evil version in last few year, I called it an "improved version" which is breath-taking !!!

Breathtaking genius. Not a note out of place on this entire record. Easily my favorite metal album from any band prior to whenever Metallica hit their peak.

The sole reason why bitches named Melissa are solid lays.

Amazing album. Wonderfully creative riffs.

For me, this album is a good example for a perfect song structure.
It starts off with two excellent songs that catch your attention.
Then a slightly weaker song follows, still a very good one though so you are still there.
Then you squeeze in two songs that are not entirely at par with the rest.
And right when the listener might start to get a bit bored by these songs you come up with the two highlights of the album, first one a bit longer, building up, then closing it with the title track. Album is over.
This is how to do it.

Oh yeah, and -- needless to elaborate on I guess: album is a classic.

This was one of the first ever metal albums I bought as a kid, still one of the best.

40 years later and this album still sounds fantastic?!

the only problem with this album is that it makes me miss the 80's even more

Those vocals, drums, bass, piercing solo's, devastating RIFFS! I can't believe just how good this still sounds after all this time. Mercyful Fate would better do those reunion shows next year.

It took me a couple of listens and failed attempts to get into the vocals - but it finally clicked!

This album is a masterpiece!
So fun, so evil, so many badass riffs, complex guitar soloing... and of course the eye(ear?)-popping vocals that fluctuate between the piercing cry of demonic bats, the serene singing of angels, and the fiery shouts of warriors straight from Hell!

And "Satan's Fall" might be the best song from any King Diamond project - so many different riffs and musical styles fused into one: thrash, prog, black... all before these genres were officially invented!

Not as good as Don't Break The Oath (9.1/10) IMO. 'Evil' is a fantastic song but 'At The Sound Of The Demon Bell' and 'Satan's Fall' bring the overall quality of the album down.

8.6/10 for me.

Written by nonZero on 29.03.2022 at 16:32

'Satan's Fall' bring the overall quality of the album down.

How dare you? That song is an absolute masterpiece! (Oh well, we all have our own opinions )

Written by F3ynman2000 on 29.03.2022 at 16:37

Written by nonZero on 29.03.2022 at 16:32

'Satan's Fall' bring the overall quality of the album down.

How dare you? That song is an absolute masterpiece! (Oh well, we all have our own opinions )

Maybe worth a relisten but it didn't click the first 2 times I've listened to it. Still classed as good in my books (8/10) but it is below average for the album's 8.6/10 IMO.