King Diamond

Someone has to die for someone else to be born. When Mercyful Fate disbanded in 1985, their frontman, King Diamond, did not sit idle long. He decided to push further with his heavy metal vision, taking onboard two of his previous bandmates, Michael Denner and Timi Hansen. The trio jointly came to the decision that playing simply as King Diamond would be the smartest move business-wise – after all, the King was a reputable figure and the move quickly proved to have been the smart thing to do. The lineup of the first incarnation of the group was joined by Mikkey Dee and Andy LaRocque. In 1985, they managed to release a demo tape and a single “No Presents for Christmas,” to then a couple of months later hit the world with their debut album, Fatal Portrait. The album was a great success, selling over 100,000 units in the US only and offering the first big hit song of King’s solo career – “Halloween.”

From 1987 to 1990, Diamond kept things pretty busy. He released four records in this period, with his heavy metal formula becoming ever more complex and progressive with each one. Not just music-wise, but also with his lyrics, as King Diamond opted to tell his tales through concept albums. Records such as Abigail and The Eye are living classics in King’s discography. His other material released in the 90s was also enthusiastically received by fans. In the 2000s, the Danish Prince of Darkness kept things steady, releasing four more records into the world, the best of which being, at least according to the fans, Abigail II: The Revenge. Although, Give Me Your Soul… Please remains his latest release, he’s been hard at work on its follow-up, The Institute, since 2018.