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Ill-Starred Son
Metalhead

Joined: Fri Apr 15, 2011 8:10 pm
Posts: 1420
Location: United States
PostPosted: Fri Oct 22, 2021 6:22 pm 
 

Coastliner wrote:
Ill-Starred Son wrote:
does anyone else hear anything particularly unique and "eerie" about that album [...]?


No, but I know where you're coming from because the only album that has an "eerie" aura for me is "Fatal Portrait" - and, surprise, it was my first contact with KD! :lol:

Those first impressions weren't only and purely eerie though but also funny. I mean... that voice... when you first hear those falsettos you don't know whether you should run away in terror or die laughing. Something that is menacing and funny at the same time is: grotesque. Dazzling entertainment for the whole family (Munster).


Fatal Portrait and Them were both my intros to King Diamond and had that eerie quality to them also, especially Fatal Portrait I would agree.

While I can see why some would find King's voice funny, and I'm honestly not usually at all a fan of high pitched vocals, I never felt that way. I think his voice is great and works perfectly for what he's doing.

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Metal_On_The_Ascendant
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Joined: Fri May 22, 2015 6:38 am
Posts: 2973
PostPosted: Fri Oct 22, 2021 6:49 pm 
 

King Diamond can be hilarious. Like The Family Ghost; "...you could easily FAAAALL and break your neck..." and then he titters wildly. That shit tickled me. He was gloriously over the top like Screamin' Jay Hawkins but I think his influences were David Byron and Arthur Brown.

I don't find him as hilarious on the early Mercyful Fate stuff. "Satan's Fall" is frantic and dangerous and the atmosphere on most of the material on Don't Break The Oath is evil in that carnival sense and rather eerie/menacing.

His vocal performance on a song like "The Candle" is top notch for me. Very expressive but also digging into that funnier side unintentionally when he harmonizes with himself. His lows and snarls are also very, very cool.

Also, love his "grandma" voice :lol:
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Ill-Starred Son
Metalhead

Joined: Fri Apr 15, 2011 8:10 pm
Posts: 1420
Location: United States
PostPosted: Fri Oct 22, 2021 7:03 pm 
 

Metal_On_The_Ascendant wrote:
King Diamond can be hilarious. Like The Family Ghost; "...you could easily FAAAALL and break your neck..." and then he titters wildly. That shit tickled me. He was gloriously over the top like Screamin' Jay Hawkins but I think his influences were David Byron and Arthur Brown.

I don't find him as hilarious on the early Mercyful Fate stuff. "Satan's Fall" is frantic and dangerous and the atmosphere on most of the material on Don't Break The Oath is evil in that carnival sense and rather eerie/menacing.

His vocal performance on a song like "The Candle" is top notch for me. Very expressive but also digging into that funnier side unintentionally when he harmonizes with himself. His lows and snarls are also very, very cool.

Also, love his "grandma" voice :lol:


Oh yeah, there are certainly times he can be very funny. Didn't mean to make it sound I never thought he could be, but mostly he just kicks ass.

Yeah, I definitely think he was influenced by Arthur Brown amongst a million others like Uriah Heap, Lucifer's Friend, Bloodrock, Deep Purple etc.

Screamin' Jay Hawkins "I Put a Spell on You" was IMO the heaviest music out there in 1956. Great stuff.

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Benedict Donald
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Joined: Tue Aug 24, 2021 10:36 am
Posts: 3067
Location: United States
PostPosted: Fri Oct 22, 2021 7:42 pm 
 

Ill-Starred Son wrote:
Coastliner wrote:
Ill-Starred Son wrote:
does anyone else hear anything particularly unique and "eerie" about that album [...]?


No, but I know where you're coming from because the only album that has an "eerie" aura for me is "Fatal Portrait" - and, surprise, it was my first contact with KD! :lol:

Those first impressions weren't only and purely eerie though but also funny. I mean... that voice... when you first hear those falsettos you don't know whether you should run away in terror or die laughing. Something that is menacing and funny at the same time is: grotesque. Dazzling entertainment for the whole family (Munster).


Fatal Portrait and Them were both my intros to King Diamond and had that eerie quality to them also, especially Fatal Portrait I would agree.

While I can see why some would find King's voice funny, and I'm honestly not usually at all a fan of high pitched vocals, I never felt that way. I think his voice is great and works perfectly for what he's doing.


The "Nuns Have No Fun" EP was my first exposure, followed shortly after by "Melissa". As a 14 year old, who at the time wholeheartedly believed in gods and devils (Catholic by birth), I can honestly say I was practically petrified when listening to it initially. LOL

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Tornado
Metalhead

Joined: Wed Jun 03, 2009 3:21 pm
Posts: 533
Location: United Kingdom
PostPosted: Sat Oct 23, 2021 4:22 am 
 

1980's Mercyful Fate and King Diamond are fucking ace. Don't Break the Oath and Abigail top the list, with Melissa and Fatal Portrait not far behind (although Fatal Portrait really should have had The Lake on there instead of Voices From the Past).

Conspiracy is better than Them in terms of production, songwriting and solos, but let down somewhat by a shit album cover and Side B (3 out of 6 tracks are instrumental/spoken word, 2 of which conclude the album).

1990's onward can be rather patchy, the best of which are probably In the Shadows, The Eye, Time and The Puppet Master.

I also think that, although he didn't write much music for either band, Michael Denner added so much to the songs. He will be sorely missed on the Mercyful Fate reunion tour/album.

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LordStenhammar
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Joined: Sun Oct 21, 2012 10:46 am
Posts: 3062
Location: Not in Sweden
PostPosted: Sat Oct 23, 2021 5:04 am 
 

Later output from both bands is pretty much on the same level, so it all comes down to the first 4 KD albums versus MF stuff before the reunion. And if it wasn't for Abigail, Mercyful Fate would probably win. But I'll never have the same experience again like listening Abigail for the first time. Right when Arrival starts you just know that this album will be something.

But it's not just about the classics. Take In the Shadows and Time from MF for example. Fucking great albums.

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Acrobat
Eric Olthwaite

Joined: Fri Jul 06, 2007 8:53 am
Posts: 8854
Location: Yorkshire
PostPosted: Sat Oct 23, 2021 5:23 am 
 

Tornado wrote:

I also think that, although he didn't write much music for either band, Michael Denner added so much to the songs. He will be sorely missed on the Mercyful Fate reunion tour/album.


Denner writing credits include:
'MDA'
'Gyspy'
'Night of the Unborn'
'To a One Far Away'
'A Gruesome Time'
'Room of Golden Air'
'Nightmare be Thy Name'
'Mirror'
'Fifteen Men and A Bottle of Rum'
'Deadtime'

And with KD:
'Charon'
'Halloween'
'Haunted'
'No Presents for Christmas'
'The Possession'

Certainly, he's no slouch when it comes to writing as there are many, many classics amongst those. Sure, King, Andy and Hank are more prolific but Mr. Denner is a fantastic writer in his own right. Of course, I think he's the best lead guitarist in both bands, too, but he's a massively talented guy in general. It's silly that he's not included in the reunion.
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Aldrahn333
Metalhead

Joined: Sat Jul 29, 2006 7:28 pm
Posts: 477
PostPosted: Sat Oct 23, 2021 2:08 pm 
 

markhebb wrote:
Coastliner wrote:
markhebb wrote:
That’s a super low rating for The Eye…


Well, compositionally it's not worse than the other ones from that period but to me, it doesn't really feel like a metal album although it intends to be one. It's dominated by keyboards / organ while the fake drums sound like fake drums. The notion that a good keyboard player / programmer could probably recreate most of the album on his own leaves a sour taste. In short and in my view: good idea – bad execution, unfortunately. I think a re-recording with far more prominent guitars, real drums and an organic, earthy band sound would be interesting.


The one everyone loves that I don’t “get” is Conspiracy. No idea why….


Strangely, I have the same feeling with "Them", while "Conspiracy is part of the best Trilogy, imo

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Empyreal
The Final Frontier

Joined: Thu Nov 30, 2006 6:58 pm
Posts: 35183
Location: Where the dead rule the night
PostPosted: Tue Oct 26, 2021 7:59 pm 
 

I keep meaning to try the last few MF albums, but I cannot stop just going back and replaying the first two again.

In the Shadows was very good too though. So I gotta get off my ass on this.
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oldmetalhead
Metalhead

Joined: Tue Apr 13, 2021 1:30 am
Posts: 839
Location: Helltown, United States
PostPosted: Tue Oct 26, 2021 9:32 pm 
 

Empyreal wrote:
I keep meaning to try the last few MF albums, but I cannot stop just going back and replaying the first two again.

In the Shadows was very good too though. So I gotta get off my ass on this.

The first two are legendary but I have a special liking to In The Shadows, as it was a great reform to form and I got to see them and meet them on that tour. Hank Sherman in the pirate shirt and vest playing the evil acoustic riff, Is That You, Melissa? :headbang: :metal: :)

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Empyreal
The Final Frontier

Joined: Thu Nov 30, 2006 6:58 pm
Posts: 35183
Location: Where the dead rule the night
PostPosted: Tue Oct 26, 2021 11:27 pm 
 

'Time' is a pretty good album. Might be better if the early shit didn't exist, but it's solid.
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Twisted_Psychology
Metal freak

Joined: Sat May 16, 2009 8:22 pm
Posts: 6260
Location: United States
PostPosted: Wed Oct 27, 2021 11:15 am 
 

King Diamond's consistency over the years is enough for me to put it over Mercyful Fate, but there's really no wrong answer.
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Ace_Rimmer
Metal freak

Joined: Wed Jun 14, 2017 11:30 am
Posts: 4606
PostPosted: Wed Oct 27, 2021 11:23 am 
 

I was cranking 9 the other day and that album rips. I like all MF albums and pretty much all KD though I don't have them all.

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Acrobat
Eric Olthwaite

Joined: Fri Jul 06, 2007 8:53 am
Posts: 8854
Location: Yorkshire
PostPosted: Wed Oct 27, 2021 11:29 am 
 

Empyreal wrote:
'Time' is a pretty good album. Might be better if the early shit didn't exist, but it's solid.


For me, Time stands as its own entity. Great album, wonderful songs, fitting production and, of course, some stellar performances - I much prefer it to Into the Shadows (which I've grown to enjoy more, if I just ignore the TERRIBLE drummer).
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Ill-Starred Son
Metalhead

Joined: Fri Apr 15, 2011 8:10 pm
Posts: 1420
Location: United States
PostPosted: Wed Oct 27, 2021 3:53 pm 
 

Acrobat wrote:
Empyreal wrote:
'Time' is a pretty good album. Might be better if the early shit didn't exist, but it's solid.


For me, Time stands as its own entity. Great album, wonderful songs, fitting production and, of course, some stellar performances - I much prefer it to Into the Shadows (which I've grown to enjoy more, if I just ignore the TERRIBLE drummer).


Agreed. As mentioned, it was my into to both MF and KD as a singer in general, and to this day is my overall favorite work of his. A complete masterpiece IMO.

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Ace_Rimmer
Metal freak

Joined: Wed Jun 14, 2017 11:30 am
Posts: 4606
PostPosted: Wed Oct 27, 2021 4:15 pm 
 

I was never into KD at all until I made a bet on the 1999 Superbowl. I won and got Don't Break The Oath. My life has never been the same.

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Empyreal
The Final Frontier

Joined: Thu Nov 30, 2006 6:58 pm
Posts: 35183
Location: Where the dead rule the night
PostPosted: Wed Oct 27, 2021 4:17 pm 
 

Acrobat wrote:
Empyreal wrote:
'Time' is a pretty good album. Might be better if the early shit didn't exist, but it's solid.


For me, Time stands as its own entity. Great album, wonderful songs, fitting production and, of course, some stellar performances - I much prefer it to Into the Shadows (which I've grown to enjoy more, if I just ignore the TERRIBLE drummer).


I really liked a few of the songs like "Mad Arab" and the title track for sure.

For me In the Shadows just has such a massive thick Halloween atmosphere and killer riffs - I was drawn into that one a bit more.
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Benedict Donald
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Joined: Tue Aug 24, 2021 10:36 am
Posts: 3067
Location: United States
PostPosted: Wed Oct 27, 2021 7:07 pm 
 

I'd rank their reunion-era as follows:

1) In the Shadows
2) Time
3) 9
4) Unknown
5) Dead Again

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