King Diamond - ''Them'' (1988)

 

"Them" is the third studio album by Danish heavy metal band King Diamond, released on 18 July 1988 through Roadrunner Records in Europe, and 13 September 1988 through Roadracer Records in United States. It is the first album to feature guitarist Pete Blakk and bassist Hal Patino.

"Them" is the first of two fictional concept albums about King and his mentally ill grandmother, the second of these being Conspiracy. King falls into a harrowing descent into madness via his grandmother and the voices in the House of Amon, known to the listener only as "Them".

 

 The King Diamond band was formed in 1985 by Danish vocalist King Diamond following the break-up of his previous band, Mercyful Fate. The original line-up consisted of Diamond, his former Mercyful Fate bandmates Michael Denner (guitar) and Timi Hansen (bass), and Swedes Mikkey Dee (drums) and Andy LaRoque (guitar). This line-up lasted for two albums before Denner and Hansen departed, the first of many line-up changes for the band. To date, LaRoque is the only musician besides King Diamond to appear on every King Diamond band release.

With the King Diamond band, Diamond traded the occult-based and blasphemous lyrics of Mercyful Fate for a gothic horror approach. Almost all of the lyrics on King Diamond's albums revolve around a specific story. Only the band's debut, "Fatal Portrait," and 1995's "Spider's Lullaby" stray from this formula, although, even in those cases, several of the songs on the albums feature lyrics that are related to each other. In 2003, Hungarian vocalist Livia Zita was brought onboard to provide female vocals. It marked the first time that King Diamond worked with another vocalist on any of his projects (excluding any guest appearances he made on other artists' projects). King and Livia were later married.

The group saw their commercial success reach its peak in the mid and late 1980's, and their second album, "Abigail" is considered a heavy metal classic. The group was also a target for parents' and watchdog groups who objected to King Diamond's image and what they perceived to be questionable content (although the latter was mostly based on the King's work with Mercyful Fate and his personal connections to Anton LaVey's Church of Satan). The band has continued to work steadily, although they have been on hold in recent years because of King Diamond's health issues, which include back surgery in 2007, and a triple-bypass in 2010.

 

 

 

 

Tracklist:

 Side A
1. Out from the Asylum     01:44
2. Welcome Home     04:35
3. The Invisible Guests     05:02
4. Tea     05:12
5. Mother's Getting Weaker     03:59

Side B
6. Bye, Bye Missy     05:06
7. A Broken Spell     04:06
8. The Accusation Chair     04:19
9. "Them"     01:54
10. Twilight Symphony     04:07
11. Coming Home     01:10

41:14

 

 Line up:

• King Diamond : Vocals, Lyrics, Songwriting (tracks 1-4, 6, 8-11)
• Andy la Rocque : Guitars (lead), Songwriting (tracks 5, 7, 9)
• Pete Blakk : Guitars (lead)
• Hal Patino : Bass
• Mikkey Dee : Drums.

 

 

 

Label: Roadrunner Records. RR 9550 1 

 Recorded and mixed at M.M.C. Studio, Copenhagen, DK.

 Engineer, producer, mixed & effects: Roberto Falcao.

 Artwork cover: Studio Dzyan, Thomas Holm, Torbjorn Jorgensen.

 Special limited edition. Hype sticker on shrink. Contains a printed inner sleeve and a free 12 page full color collectors booklet "The story so far".

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mercyful Fate - Mercyful Fate (1982) [Unofficial Release] (2014)

This album has about 100 different editions.

 

Official Releases:

First pressing: 1982 The white border was either a misprint or the record company didn't like the look of it and changed it to black. It is unknown how many copies were released.

Second Pressing: 1982 with black border.

Third Pressing: 1982 with black border distributed by Bertus Holland
From 1987-onward this is printed as side one of the compilation Mercyful Fate - The Beginning . That version however moves track 3 ("Doomed By The Living Dead") to the beginning.

Bootleg Pressing:

First Bootleg Pressing: 2001 colored vinyl many different colors and shades. The pressing plates were not cleaned in between colors resulting in a wide range of colors, shades and mixed colors many of which are unique and one of a kind. This pressing has matrix numbers RMLP002 A and RMLP002 B , with about 3 characters of space after the "2" . There is a lyric sheet with this pressing. The records typically weigh 154 or 156 grams. The other major difference with the first bootleg pressing is if you look closely you can see horizontal lines , easiest to see on the girls legs, but present throughout the cover.

Second Bootleg Pressing: 2002: White border. Black Vinyl and 4 different colors pressed. Blue, Dark Blue, Green marbled, Dark Green marbled. This pressing has matrix numbers RMLP002 A and RMLP002 B , with about 3 characters of space after the "2" . Some copies seem to have lyric sheet. Vinyl is lighter weight about 132 grams. The horizontal lines seen on 2001 press are not found on this press.

Third Bootleg Pressing: 2004 Picture Disc 300 copies

Fourth Bootleg Pressing: 2011 In Black Vinyl , White Marbled Vinyl, Redish Purple Vinyl, Clear Vinyl and White Label Test press. Much darker sleeves. Matrix RMLP- 002A and RMLP0021- with about one character of space after the "dash" on side A matrix, with side 1 martix number running together with dash at the end. No lyric sheets. Vinyl weights seem to vary from 152-168 grams

Fifth Bootleg Pressing: 2012 In Green vinyl , Blue Vinyl, Red Vinyl, Purple Vinyl, And Yellow Vinyl. Matrix RMLP- 002A and RMLP0021- with about one character of space after the "dash" on side A matrix, with side 1 matrix number running together with dash at the end. No lyric sleeves. Vinyl weight seems to vary widely from 152-172 grams.

Sixth Bootleg Pressing: 2013 Numbered Picture Disc , Blue Cover Test Pressing (black vinyl) , White border (black vinyl) , White border numbered ediiton (black vinyl) , White border (white vinyl) , White border (yellow vinyl), White border (redish orange vinyl). No matrix number. Some copies seem to come with lyric sleeve but most do not.

Seventh Bootleg Pressing: 2014 Black Vinyl and Red marble vinyl. Bonus tracks.
This press has very dark cover
Matrix / Runout (Side A): RMLP-002-A
Matrix / Runout (Side 1): RMLP -02 -B with about one character of space after the "P" and also after the "2"
Vinyl weighs about 126 grams.

Source: Discogs.

 

⸸ ⛧⛧⛧⛧⛧⛧⛧⛧ ⸸

 

Mercyful Fate is a heavy metal band from Copenhagen, Denmark. The band was formed by vocalist King Diamond and guitarist Hank Shermann in 1981. The original MF line-up shared members with another Copenhagen band, Danger Zone, whom Diamond and Shermann were helping out. Influenced by progressive rock and hard rock, and with lyrics dealing with Satan and the occult, Mercyful Fate were part of the first wave of black metal in the early to mid-1980s. Many of the bands from this movement went on to influence later black metal musicians in the 1990s, particularly in Norway. Mercyful Fate are widely considered one of the originators of the black metal sub-genre. By 1982, the "classic" Mercyful Fate line up of Diamond, Shermann, guitarist Michael Denner (ex-Brats and Danger Zone), bassist Timi "Grabber" Hansen (Danger Zone), and drummer Kim Ruzz was in place. Over the next couple years, the band would release an EP and 2 LPs that would cement their reputation as one the most influential metal bands of the early 1980s. King Diamond's blasphemous lyrics and theatrical stage presence would have many label the band as part of the 1st wave of black metal, although musically the band was closer to the style of Judas Priest or Iron Maiden. The group split in 1985, as Shermann decided he wanted to pursue a more commercial direction. King Diamond launched a solo career, taking Denner and Hansen with him, while Kim Ruzz disappeared into the regular world.

The band's legend continued to grow after their split. In 1993, the classic line up, minus Kim Ruzz, reformed for a new album, "In The Shadows". Hansen dropped out after that release but the group continued on throughout the 1990s. At the same time, King Diamond kept his own solo career going. Michael Denner left the band after 1996's "Into The Unknown" and Diamond and Sherman continued on with new players. 1999's "9" is, to date, the band's last full-length release. King Diamond has stated that MF has not split up but the band is on hold for the foreseeable future. In 2009, Diamond, Shermann, Denner, Hansen, and drummer Bjarne Holm (who has played with the group since 1994) reunited to re-record the songs "Evil" and "Curse Of The Pharoah" for the "Guitar Hero: Metallica" video game.

In 2019, the group announced they would be playing a series of live dates. The line up would include Diamond, Sherman, Wead, Holm, and bassist Joey Vera (filling in for Timi Hansen, who was battling cancer). Timi Hansen lost his battle with cancer on November 4th, 2019.

 ⚰️

 

RMLP-002

 

 -Tracklist:

A1. A Corpse Without A Soul     6:53
A2. Nuns Have No Fun     4:17
A3. Doomed By The Living Dead     5:06
A4. Devil Eyes     5:48
A5. Black Funeral     2:52
B1. Curse Of The Pharaohs     3:50
B2. Evil     4:01
B3. Satan's Fall     10:28
B4. Black Masses     4:30

 

-Line up:

 • King Diamond : Vocals, Lyrics
 • Hank Shermann : Guitars, Songwriting
 • Michael Denner : Guitars, Songwriting (track 2)
 • Kim Ruzz : Drums
 • Timi Grabber (R.I.P. 2019) : Bass.

 

 

 

 Label: Rave-On Records.

 This press has very dark cover

 Seventh Bootleg Pressing 2014

 Re-issue without lyrical sheet on coloured vinyl.

The cover is darker than the Original and even the regular re-issues.

Same track listing as "The Beginning" compilation with tracks re-ordered.

Produced and Mixed by Jac Hustinx

Side A:
Track 1 to Track 4 taken from the self-titled 12" released in 1982.
Track 5 taken from the Metallic Storm compilation released in 1982.

Side B:
Track 1 to Track 3 recorded for the BBC Friday Rock Show in 1983.
Track 4 taken from the Black Funeral 7" released in 1983.
The cover is darker than the Original and even the regular re-issues.

Rave-On Records
P.O. Box 4313
5604 EH Eindhoven
Holland

Mercyful Fate Inc.
328 Hvidovrevej 3TV
2650 Hvidovre
Denmark.

 

12'' EP lyric sheet.

Timi ''Grabber'' Hansen