MetalMusicArchives.com Homepage
Forum Home Forum Home >Metal Music Lounges >Metal Bands, Artists and Genres Appreciation
  New Posts New Posts RSS Feed - King Diamond appreciation thread
  FAQ FAQ  Forum Search   Events   Register Register  Login Login

King Diamond appreciation thread

 Post Reply Post Reply Page  <12
Author
Message
Yog Sothoth View Drop Down
Forum Newbie
Forum Newbie
Avatar

Joined: 23 Nov 2011
Location: US
Status: Offline
Points: 6
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Yog Sothoth Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 25 Nov 2011 at 12:19pm
I saw Mercyful Fate twice. The first time was for the "In The Shadows" and unfortunately he had no range for the higher notes whatsoever. He said he had a cold, and it showed. He also got understandably pissed during the "Come To The Sabbath" shout/response deal when the crowd warbled out "sabbaaaaaaath!" in an almost mocking off-key fashion, which wasn't cool since the guy did say he had a cold, and let's face it, I never expected MF to have a reunion in the first place so you'd think we'd all be happy just for that. He called us a bunch of fucking assholes, finished the song and left.
 
Next time I saw them was for the Time tour (end of '94 or early '95, can't remember), and he was in top form and that was just a great show all around.
 
I dig the 80's King Diamond stuff (especially Abigail), but MF's Melissa and Don't Break The Oath albums take the cake by far for me since they were my gateway albums from regular heavy metal to the much darker underground stuff. That song "The Oath" freaked the hell out of me, especially since I had a Catholic upbringing at the time. Rebellion at its finest!
 
As for post-The Eye Diamond, I've only heard Abigail II (yeah, the title sucked me in to see how he was going to progress the creepy story that seemed complete) and didn't care for it at all.
Back to Top
IndianaJones View Drop Down
Forum Newbie
Forum Newbie
Avatar

Joined: 01 Feb 2011
Status: Offline
Points: 24
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote IndianaJones Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 09 Jan 2012 at 12:03pm
Great music, especially the trio Abigail-"Them"-Conspiracy. All albums that I've heard are good, but for some reason I have never enjoyed The Eye as much as everyone else seems to. I enjoy the music that came after the first five albums too, especially the two new ones. Give Me Your Soul... Please was a step down in quality concerning the story, but in musical terms I think it was very good. Puppet Master seemed very good also, but since I've heard it only a couple of times I can't really judge it rightfully.

The nineties seem a bit underrated, although it didn't continue the pure awesomeness of the first few albums, the music was in no means bad. I haven't heard The Graveyard, and I've heard the Spider's Lullabye only a couple of times, but they're a lot better than what people generally state. I'm very fond of the House of God also, it has a really tight atmosphere that sucks you deep into the story if you're in the right state of mind. HoG reminds me a bit of The X-Factor by Iron Maiden, for they both reveal their true strength only when you listen them completely focused and have time to dive in to their atmospheric soundscapes.

And yeah, Mercyful Fate is awesome too, the first two albums are legendary and I liked In the shadows very much too. Besides these three I've only heard 9, which I didn't enjoy that much because it steers more towards a heavier and darker sound.
Back to Top
Pelata View Drop Down
MMA Metal Reviewer
MMA Metal Reviewer
Avatar

Joined: 21 Jan 2011
Location: NC - USA
Status: Offline
Points: 339
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Pelata Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 09 Jan 2012 at 1:37pm
I used to not be a fan of King Diamond's vocals back in the day...it kept me from getting into them. I was so into Dickinson/Tate/Halford that King's unusual tone & style rubbed me wrong.

Now, however, I find myself digging it...especially the early Mercyful Fate stuff...
Back to Top
UMUR View Drop Down
MMA Special Collaborator
MMA Special Collaborator
Avatar
Errors & Omissions Team / Retired Admin

Joined: 25 Mar 2010
Location: Denmark
Status: Offline
Points: 18056
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote UMUR Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 09 Jan 2012 at 2:03pm
His vocals are definitely an aquired taste.
Back to Top
Parsifal View Drop Down
Forum Newbie
Forum Newbie
Avatar

Joined: 24 Feb 2012
Location: Burlington, VT
Status: Offline
Points: 15
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Parsifal Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 24 Feb 2012 at 2:08pm
I'm a huge fan of both King Diamond and Mercyful Fate. Melissa, Don't Break the Oath, Fatal Portrait, Dead Again, Them, Puppet Master...all have been massive for me.
 
I've just rediscovered both 'Fate and King in the past few years, and after first dismissing the more recent stuff like Into the Unknown, Conspiracy, 9, and Time, I took the time with headphones and finally heard them for what they really are: excellent releases! They are more suited to at least semi-concetrated listening, as the subtleties can get lost when just cranking them on the stereo.
 
But of course the 80s material is closest to my heart, magnificent, black traditional metal with superb musicianship and songwriting. 
 
 


Edited by Parsifal - 24 Feb 2012 at 2:09pm
Back to Top
UMUR View Drop Down
MMA Special Collaborator
MMA Special Collaborator
Avatar
Errors & Omissions Team / Retired Admin

Joined: 25 Mar 2010
Location: Denmark
Status: Offline
Points: 18056
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote UMUR Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 24 Feb 2012 at 2:54pm
I much prefer the 80s albums too (I include "The Eye" among those).
Back to Top
UMUR View Drop Down
MMA Special Collaborator
MMA Special Collaborator
Avatar
Errors & Omissions Team / Retired Admin

Joined: 25 Mar 2010
Location: Denmark
Status: Offline
Points: 18056
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote UMUR Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 25 Feb 2013 at 3:31pm
I�ve listened to this one tonight:
 
 
It�s actually slightly better than I remember although around song 8 or 9 the album becomes a bit stale. It picks up again towards the end though. I don�t think Voodoo is among his best work (the lyrics and the concept work really well though), but I had a pretty good time listening to the album again after I hadn�t listened to it in a couple of years. My issue with the album is that the riffs are sometimes repeated too much and that they aren�t always that interesting. I miss the 80s thrash tinged heavy metal riffing. Overall there�s not much of that on the album. A couple of the tracks feature some killer riffs though and of course the solo work is brilliant. Another issue is the lifeless drumming. Come on man! Show some enthusiasm behind that kit. Some of those rythms are sooo boring...


Edited by UMUR - 25 Feb 2013 at 3:32pm
Back to Top
Daysbetween View Drop Down
Forum Senior Member
Forum Senior Member
Avatar

Joined: 18 Oct 2012
Location: Scotland
Status: Offline
Points: 249
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Daysbetween Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 25 Feb 2013 at 5:42pm
I am also a big MF / KD fan since the beginning when they seemed to be constantly in Kerrang magazine. I would never be without Melissa, Abigail & Them on my mp3 player. An album that has not been mentioned yet that is worth hearing is my fave outwith the early albums - Abigail II. It even has a cool cover.

Back to Top
UMUR View Drop Down
MMA Special Collaborator
MMA Special Collaborator
Avatar
Errors & Omissions Team / Retired Admin

Joined: 25 Mar 2010
Location: Denmark
Status: Offline
Points: 18056
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote UMUR Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 26 Feb 2013 at 12:42am
None of the post-"The Eye" albums rock my boat wildly, but they are all good quality releases. I seldom listen to them though. If I want to hear King Diamond it�s almost always one of the old albums that come on. The same with Mercyful Fate. It�s almost always the two early albums or "The Beginning" that comes on. I really like "In the Shadows" though, but from there it was downhill IMO. And of course downhill doesn�t mean bad when we�re talking KD/MF.

Edited by UMUR - 26 Feb 2013 at 12:43am
Back to Top
Vic View Drop Down
Forum Senior Member
Forum Senior Member
Avatar

Joined: 02 Mar 2011
Location: Crete, Greece
Status: Offline
Points: 330
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Vic Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 26 Feb 2013 at 4:04am
Let us not underestimate Time. That album is great.
42
Back to Top
UMUR View Drop Down
MMA Special Collaborator
MMA Special Collaborator
Avatar
Errors & Omissions Team / Retired Admin

Joined: 25 Mar 2010
Location: Denmark
Status: Offline
Points: 18056
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote UMUR Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 26 Feb 2013 at 4:47am
I like "Time" but it�s not as great as "In the Shadows" in my bookSmile. A step down so to speak...
Back to Top
Vic View Drop Down
Forum Senior Member
Forum Senior Member
Avatar

Joined: 02 Mar 2011
Location: Crete, Greece
Status: Offline
Points: 330
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Vic Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 26 Feb 2013 at 6:20am
I would rather say that In the Shadows and Time (both) are a step down from the first two Mercyful Fate and the first five King Diamond albums. I really don't hear a major difference in quality between ...Shadows and Time to be honest. Both contain a few stellar songs and a couple of truly King Diamond-calibre masterpieces (Is That You Melissa? and Time, respectively). 

Egypt, My Demon, The Mad Arab, the rendition of Return of the Vampire with Lars on drums (his last truly good performance imo - check how Ghost has stolen the chorus of that song in their song Ritual, the one with the Symphony of Destruction riff! *wink*), The Old Oak (that one would be an epic if it was recorded with the 84 lineup, or the Abigail one...). All great metal songs, so unique both in sound and composition style, it just goes to show you what an unbelievable entity King Diamond is for metal music. And there are plenty more to be found throughout his MF/KD careers after, unfortunately scattered. 9 has a few dynamites as well (3rd fave in the post-84 stuff), Sold My Soul is a catchy gem for example, with that special KD flavor in the vocal lines (that aaaaahhhh-aahhh stuff!) to give it an edge. 

What I am trying to say is that compared to the first 7 albums in KD's career, in my personal, informed but also rather biased opinion, only the Greats can be compared, the huge names of metal. A 7 streak is a huge rarity in the entire rock genre, it is not something to be brushed aside lightly. Including the impact factor and the unforgettable place in the metal universe. Iron Maiden, who can also claim such a monstrous number of classics (although the first two MF demolish the DiAnno albums imo - and I like those very much) released No Prayer for the Dying and Fear of the Dark. I daresay I'd take the MF albums easily over those. I'd only keep the three obvious songs from FoTD to be honest. And let us not forget the X-Factor and Virtual XI. Spider's Lullaby and Graveyard, eyes closed for me. 

My point of course is not a KD vs IM streak but to point out that such a comparison is absolutely conceivable, on all fronts (albums, individuality, skill, album covers etc) and to further suggest that King Diamond is the only metal artist I can think of who kept his streak on such a dignified level, even though he had spent himself over two bands releasing albums regularly. At least, I can think of no other. In the Shadows and Time are two albums that any metal band would be proud to have released and that is not written lightly like the cliche that follows many a dud... 

Just listen to these melodies. They are so pure King Diamond genius that they still get me after all these years. The beautiful guitar solos simply rise to the occasion.



Respect to Michael Denner for that last solo. 



Seriously guys. Those two belong in the pantheon of ROCK MUSIC.

.......aaaaaand my King Diamond fanboyism display is now over! :)

42
Back to Top
UMUR View Drop Down
MMA Special Collaborator
MMA Special Collaborator
Avatar
Errors & Omissions Team / Retired Admin

Joined: 25 Mar 2010
Location: Denmark
Status: Offline
Points: 18056
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote UMUR Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 26 Feb 2013 at 8:35am
^HeadbangerMy fanboyism never ends. Can�t wait to see King Diamond play CopenHell 2013 in June.
Back to Top
Nightfly View Drop Down
Forum Admin Group
Forum Admin Group
Avatar
Death, D/S/D, T/S/G Teams

Joined: 07 Apr 2010
Location: UK
Status: Offline
Points: 4939
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Nightfly Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 12 Apr 2015 at 6:32am
I was a big fan of King Diamond back in the 80's, especially Abigail and Them but more recent albums have passed me by. I notice later albums aren't that highly rated here but I'm curious to check some of them out.
Back to Top
UMUR View Drop Down
MMA Special Collaborator
MMA Special Collaborator
Avatar
Errors & Omissions Team / Retired Admin

Joined: 25 Mar 2010
Location: Denmark
Status: Offline
Points: 18056
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote UMUR Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 12 Apr 2015 at 6:59am
^Honestly it´s more of the same, just with a more compressed digital production, and a less organic and innovative drummer (no one beats Mickey Dee). It´s enough for me to seldom listen to anything after The Eye, but there are actually quite a few great releases after the "Classic" period (first five albums). I personally enjoy both Voodoo (my review is here: http://www.metalmusicarchives.com/review/voodoo/300131) and House of God.
Back to Top
Nightfly View Drop Down
Forum Admin Group
Forum Admin Group
Avatar
Death, D/S/D, T/S/G Teams

Joined: 07 Apr 2010
Location: UK
Status: Offline
Points: 4939
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Nightfly Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 12 Apr 2015 at 8:37am
^ Thanks for the recomendations. great review of Voodoo by the way, I'm going to check that out next. I agree, Mickey Dee is awesome. Whilst he really drives Motorhead and they couldn't have a better drummer he's underused and doesn't get to display the chops he's capable of. 
Back to Top
UMUR View Drop Down
MMA Special Collaborator
MMA Special Collaborator
Avatar
Errors & Omissions Team / Retired Admin

Joined: 25 Mar 2010
Location: Denmark
Status: Offline
Points: 18056
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote UMUR Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 12 Apr 2015 at 8:48am
^I hear you.
Back to Top
Time Signature View Drop Down
MMA Special Collaborator
MMA Special Collaborator
Avatar
Honorary Collaborator

Joined: 04 Apr 2010
Location: Denmark
Status: Offline
Points: 7690
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Time Signature Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 12 Apr 2015 at 9:18am
I saw KD at Copenhell in 2013 (I think). That was probably the best show in the history of that festival.

And, regarding KD's more recent output, I think most of it is pretty good. I don't mind the more compressed production or the more traditional drumming style.
Back to Top
Dobbie03 View Drop Down
Forum Senior Member
Forum Senior Member
Avatar

Joined: 17 Jan 2015
Location: New Zealand
Status: Offline
Points: 1639
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Dobbie03 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 12 Apr 2015 at 3:32pm
I LOVE King Diamond. I really like the first few albums.  I do prefer Mercyful Fate though.
Back to Top
 Post Reply Post Reply Page  <12
  Share Topic   

Quick Reply
Name:

Message:
   NoFollow is applied to all links from this forum
 Enable BBcodes
Security Code:
Code Image - Please contact webmaster if you have problems seeing this image code  Refresh Refresh Image
Powered by Web Wiz CAPTCHA version 4.03 wwf
Copyright ©2005-2013 Web Wiz
Please enter the Security Code exactly as shown in image format.
Cookies must be enabled on your web browser.

Forum Jump Forum Permissions View Drop Down

Forum Software by Web Wiz Forums® version 10.16
Copyright ©2001-2013 Web Wiz Ltd.

This page was generated in 0.212 seconds.