BIOGRAPHY
Danish band featuring vocalist King Diamond, guitarists Hank Shermann and Michael Denner, bassist Timi Hansen, and drummer Kim Ruzz. Mercyful Fate won a large cult following thanks to their dramatic lyrics, showing a Gothic obsession with evil and the occult, and Diamond's amazing vocal range, which shifted from a low growl to a banshee scream, plus the interplay of Shermann and Denner. The band's first ep was Nuns Have No Fun. The band broke up after two full-length albums Melissa and Don't Break The Oath owing to differences of opinion about what direction the group should take (Shermann wanted a more commercial approach). Diamond pursued a solo career in the mid-'80s. In 1993, the group reformed its original lineup, with the exception of Ruzz (King Diamond drummer Snowy Shaw joined instead). The initial results were quite successful, as the group seemed to pick up right where it left off, much to the delight of their fans. Hansen left after the first reunion record, In the Shadows, and was replaced by Sharlee D'Angelo on its 1994 follow-up Time; drummer Shaw's place was taken by Bjarne T. Holm for 1996's Into the Unknown. Dead Again followed in 1998, as did further lineup shifts; original member Denner called it quits, and the band recruited Mike Wead to take his place on guitar. This lineup remained in place for 1999's 9.
LAST KNOWN LINE-UP:
Vocals : King Diamond (Kim Bendix Petersen) (Black Rose, Brats, Danger Zone)
Guitars : Hank Shermann (Rene Krolmark) (Brats, Fate, Zoser Mez, Gutrix, Shermann Soldiers, Virus 7, Force of Evil)
Guitars : Mike Wead (Mikael Wikström) (King Diamond, Abstrakt Algebra, Witch, Memento Mori, Hexenhaus)
Bass : Sharlee D'Angelo (Charles Peter Andreason) (Arch Enemy, Sinergy, Illwill, Dismember, Witchery, Facelift, Spiritual Beggars)
Drums : Bjarne Thomas Holm (Bob Lance) (Force of Evil, Fate, Gutrix, Shermann Soldiers)
FORMER MEMBERS:
Guitars:
Michael Denner (Brats, Danger Zone, King Diamond, Zoser Mez, Force of Evil)
Carsten Van Der Volsing (Brats) (played on the very first MF demo)
Benny Petersen (on 'Burning the Cross' demo)
Bass:
Timi ''Grabber'' Hansen (King Diamond, Danger Zone)
Drums:
Jan Musen (played on the very first MF demo)
''Old'' Nick Smith (Danger Zone)
Ole Frausing
Kim Ruzz
Morten Nielsen
Snowy Shaw (Dream Evil, Notre Dame, Illwill, King Diamond, Memento Mori)
DISCOGRAPHY
Curse Of The Pharaohs (1981)
1.)Curse Of The Pharaohs
2.)Return Of The Vampire
3.)Corpse Without A Soul
4.)Burning The Cross
5.)Walking Back To Hell
6.)Running Free
7.)Black Masses
8.)Hard Rocker
9.)Combat Zone
10.)Love Criminals
11.)Mission: Destroy Aliens (M.D.A.)
Nuns Have No Fun (Mercyful Fate EP) (1982)
1.)Doomed By The Living Dead
2.)Corpse Without A Soul
3.)Nuns Have No Fun
4.)Devil Eyes
Black Masses (Single 1983)
1.)Black Masses
2.)Black Funeral
Melissa (1983)
1.)Evil
2.)Curse Of The Pharaohs
3.)Into The Coven
4.)At The Sound Of The Demon Bell
5.)Black Funeral
6.)Satan's Fall
7.)Melissa
Don't Break The Oath (1984)
1.)A Dangerous Meeting
2.)Nightmare
3.)Desecration Of Souls
4.)Night Of The Unborn
5.)The Oath
6.)Gypsy
7.)Welcome Princes Of Hell
8.)To One Far Away
9.)Come To The Sabbath
10.)Death Kiss [Only on remaster]
The Beginning (1987)
1.)Doomed By The Living Dead
2.)Corpse Without A Soul
3.)Nuns Have No Fun
4.)Devil Eyes
5.)Curse Of The Pharaohs
6.)Evil
7.)Satan's Fall
8.)Black Masses
9.)Black Funeral
Note: Compilation of rarities.
Return Of The Vampire (1992)
1.)Burning The Cross
2.)Curse Of The Pharaohs
3.)Return Of The Vampire
4.)On A Night Of The Full Moon
5.)A Corpse Without A Soul
6.)Death Kiss
7.)Leave My Soul Alone
8.)M.D.A.
9.)You Asked For It
NO COVER ART AVAILABLE
Egypt (Promo Single 1993)
1.)Egypt
In The Shadows (1993)
1.)Egypt
2.)The Bell Witch
3.)The Old Oak
4.)Shadows
5.)A Gruesome Time
6.)Thirteen Invitations
7.)Room Of Golden Air
8.)Legend Of The Headless Rider
9.)Is That You Melissa?
10.)Return Of The Vampire...1993
The Bell Witch (EP 1994)
1.)The Bell Witch
2.)Is That You, Melissa
3.)Curse Of The Pharaohs (Live)
4.)Egypt (Live)
5.)Come To The Sabbath (Live)
6.)Black Funeral (Live)
Review:
Kind of a weird one to start off with as a first review, but I just happen to be listening to it at the moment. Anyway, there's nothing really new here besides the live tracks as the two studio ones appear on "In The Shadows" as well. With that said, the live tracks absolutely kick ass, the band sounds in top form and King's voice just reigns supreme as always. If your into live renditions Id reccomend getting it, if not, this one is really only for the completeists.
Time (1994)
1.)Nightmare Be Thy Name
2.)Angel Of Light
3.)Witches' Dance
4.)The Mad Arab
5.)My Demon
6.)Time
7.)The Preacher
8.)Lady In Black
9.)Mirror
10.)The Afterlife
11.)Castillo Del Mortes
Into The Unknown (1996)
1.)Lucifer
2.)The Uninvited Guest
3.)The Ghost Of Change
4.)Listen To The Bell
5.)Fifteen Men
6.)Into The Unknown
7.)Under The Spell
8.)Deadtime
9.)Holy Water
10.)Kutulu (The Mad Arab Pt. 2)
Dead Again (1997)
1.)Torture
2.)The Night
3.)Since Forever
4.)The Lady Who Cries
5.)Banshee
6.)Mandrake
7.)Sucking Your Blood
8.)Dead Again
9.)Fear
10.)Crossroads
9 (1999)
1.)Last Rites
2.)Church Of Saint Anne
3.)Sold My Soul
4.)House On The Hill
5.)Burn In Hell
6.)The Grave
7.)Insane
8.)Kiss The Demon
9.)Buried Alive
10.)9