This is the first album by King Diamond after the initial demise of Mercyful Fate. It was released in ’86. Strangely, for the kingly one this is not a concept album. Although Andy De LaRoque plays on the album, he doesn’t contribute to writing as he was a last minute replacement.
Just has some people struggle with the Cookie Monster vocals in a lot of today’s metal bands, a lot of people back in the day couldn’t quite get thier head around the falsetto squeals of King Billy. Personally, it doesn’t bother me that much as long as the music is good, and for the most part this album does indeed rock.
Favourite tune is The Portrait which is a reference to Dorian Gray, and the music is Prog metal before it was a thing and Mr. LaRoque riffs and plays like a beast. Other tunes of note are Charon which opens up Side 2 with some killer riffage and a pounding groove from Mickey Dee; and Lurking In The Dark where again, the axe playing of Mr. LaRoque is seriously good.
Of course, after this we all King D would go onto better things. Not a bad album though.
7/10 from The Grooveman.
