King Diamond announces North American tour dates with Uncle Acid & the Deadbeats, Idle Hands
Reveals upcoming album details
After introducing a new live show, as well as music, at festivals across Europe this summer, King Diamond is now ready to officially reveal the title and theme for the first studio album in 12 years: The Institute! Fans can expect the debut single to arrive this fall and an album in 2020; in the meantime, a tour teaser with a sneak peak of the new stage set can be viewed at: youtu.be/AdoUczDwKh4
King Diamond comments about the upcoming album The Institute:
“For reasons unknown to you, it is clear that you have no way of making it to ‘The Institute’ on your own at this point. Therefore, we will bring THE INSTITUTE to you.
You don’t want to miss this special opportunity for treatment only we can give you. It could be for your own good, you know…”
In support of The Institute project, King Diamond will embark on a North American tour with Uncle Acid & the Deadbeats and Idle Hands in November/December.
King Diamond comments:
“Watch out North America, we are coming for you this Winter. I’m very proud to bring two special and amazing guests to you. Their names are Uncle Acid & the Deadbeats, plus Idle Hands.
Make an appointment now…kingdiamondcoven.com“
Uncle Acid & the Deadbeats adds:
“As the long nights draw in and the temperatures drop, I can’t think of a better artist to creep around North America with than the legendary King Diamond. You’ll all be in for a treat…See you there!”
Idle Hands adds:
“Touring with the iconic King Diamond is nothing short of a dream and we are excited to make it a reality.”
See below for all dates! Meet and Greet with King Diamond is available for the first time ever on this tour – VIP Meet and Greet packages which include one ticket to the show and exclusive merchandise go live this Tuesday at 10am ET at: kingdiamondcoven.com
King Diamond tour dates
w/ Uncle Acid & the Deadbeats, Idle Hands
Nov. 2 – Dallas, TX – Bomb Factory
Nov. 4 – Atlanta, GA – Tabernacle
Nov. 5 – Orlando, FL – Dr. Phillips Center
Nov. 7 – Brooklyn, NY – Kings Theatre
Nov. 8 – Worcester, MA – The Palladium
Nov. 10 – Philadelphia, PA – The Tower Theater
Nov. 11 – Baltimore, MD – The Lyric
Nov. 12 – Montreal, QC – M-Telus
Nov. 14 – Detroit, MI – The Fillmore
Nov. 15 – Cleveland, OH – The Agora Theatre
Nov. 16 – Louisville, KY – The Palace Theatre
Nov. 18 – Chicago, IL – The Riviera
Nov. 19 – Minneapolis, MN – Palace Theater
Nov. 22 – Denver, CO – The Fillmore
Nov. 23 – Salt Lake City, UT – The Complex
Nov. 25 – Seattle, WA – The Paramount
Nov. 26 – Portland, OR – The Schnitzer
Nov. 27 – Vancouver, BC – The Queen Elizabeth
Nov. 29 – San Francisco, CA – The Warfield
Dec. 1 – Los Angeles, CA – The Wiltern
Dec. 2 – San Diego, CA – Magnolia
Dec. 3 – Anaheim, CA – The Grove of Anaheim
Dec. 4 – Phoenix, AZ – Comerica
Stay tuned for more news about The Institute coming soon!
King Diamond online:
https://www.kingdiamondcoven.com
https://twitter.com/kingdiamond
https://www.facebook.com/kingdiamond
King Diamond launches new video, “Arrival (Live at Graspop)”, from upcoming DVD/Blu-ray, ‘Songs For The Dead Live’!
On January 25th, KING DIAMOND will release a new DVD/Blu-ray, ‘Songs For The Dead Live‘, via Metal Blade Records.
There is only one KING DIAMOND, and for more than thirty years the great Dane has been dropping classic albums and putting on shows fans remember for the rest of their lives. Perhaps the only downside to having such a formidable catalogue is that there are just too many great songs to fit into a single set. However, you would be hard-pressed to find a fan who wouldn’t want to hear 1987’s seminal ‘Abigail‘ in its entirety, and ‘Songs For The Dead Live‘ captures this, twice, and in very different locales. Boasting eighteen songs per set, each of the two shows – Belgium’s Graspop Metal Meeting in June 2016 and Philadelphia’s Fillmore in November 2015 – feature a brace of classic KING DIAMOND and MERCYFUL FATE tracks including “Welcome Home,” “Halloween,” and “Eye Of The Witch” before launching into ‘Abigail‘. The performances of the all-star lineup of musicians, comprising of guitarists Andy LaRocque and Mike Wead, bassist Pontus Egberg and drummer Matt Thompson, are absolutely ferocious, hammering home every single moment.For a preview of ‘Songs For The Dead Live‘, a new video, “Arrival (Live at Graspop)”, can be viewed at: youtube.com/watch?v=zCElPIPWfWQ
Fans can also watch “Sleepless Nights (Live at The Fillmore)” at: metalblade.com/kingdiamond – where you can also pre-order the release in the following formats:
–2DVD/CD 6-Panel Digipak
–Blu-ray (includes audio digital download of Philadelphia Show)
–special edition box set with 5 discs (2DVD, 2CD, 1 Blu-ray) plus poster, flier, laminate, setlist, ticket, sticker, and guitar pick (limited to 3000 copies)
–opaque blue with white splatter vinyl (US retail exclusive – limited to 600 copies)
–opaque red with black splatter vinyl (US webstore exclusive – limited to 200 copies)
–opaque white with black splatter vinyl (US webstore exclusive – limited to 200 copies)
–180g black vinyl (EU exclusive)–transparent amber marbled vinyl (EU exclusive – limited to 700 copies)
–clear ghost white vinyl (EU exclusive – limited to 500 copies)
–orange-brown/black marbled vinyl (EU exclusive – limited to 300 copies)
–black/purple melt vinyl (Nuclear Blast exclusive – limited to 200 copies)
–orange/red marbled vinyl (Napalm exclusive – limited to 300 copies)
–clear lavender marbled vinyl (EMP exclusive – limited to 200 copies)
–clear ash grey marbled vinyl (Bengan exclusive – limited to 200 copies)
–pink blue marbled vinyl (Ebay exclusive – limited to 200 copies)
Captured on film by director Denise Korycki for Wild Wind Productions, she worked closely with King on every aspect of filming, and throughout the viewer finds themselves front and center as the shows unfold. This includes some inventive camera placement, such as riding in on the back of the wheelchair as it is wheeled out to “Out From The Asylum” at the start of the show, or looking up from the coffin at the commencement of ‘Abigail‘ opener “Funeral”, which adds an extra dimension to proceedings. Naturally, the theatricality that has become synonymous with KING DIAMOND is there in full force, making for an even more immersive experience. The gothic stage set and the participation of actors playing out certain scenes tying into the songs definitely increases the drama and the sense of complete disconnect from the trappings of reality, ensuring that the shows remain riveting from start to finish.
While the setlists are virtually identical, the drastic difference in the two venues make for distinctly different atmospheres. The sweeping, epic scale of Graspop and the virtual sea of baying metalheads makes for a particularly thrilling spectacle, King holding them all in the palm of his hand. The Fillmore show is immediately more intimate, and rather than a mixed bag of metal lovers drunk on a weekend of the heavy stuff, the audience is comprised entirely of the KING DIAMOND devout, screaming back every word, their love for their hero bleeding from every frame. ‘Songs For The Dead Live‘ gives those who missed out on seeing these shows in the flesh a chance to vividly experience them, offering so much deeper an experience than your run of the mill live DVD.
Graspop Metal Meeting track-listing
01. Out from the Asylum
02. Welcome Home
03. Sleepless Nights
04. Halloween
05. Eye of the Witch
06. Melissa
07. Come to the Sabbath
08. Them09. Funeral
10. Arrival
11. A Mansion in Darkness
12. The Family Ghost
13. The 7th Day of July 1777
14. Omens
15. The Possession
16. Abigail
17. Black Horsemen
18. Insanity
The Fillmore track-listing
01. Out from the Asylum
02. Welcome Home
03. Sleepless Nights
04. Eye of the Witch
05. Halloween
06. Melissa
07. Come to the Sabbath
08. Them09. Funeral
10. Arrival
11. A Mansion in Darkness
12. The Family Ghost
13. The 7th Day of July 1777
14. Omens
15. The Possession
16. Abigail
17. Black Horsemen
18. Insanity
King Diamond online:
http://www.kingdiamondcoven.com
]]>
KING DIAMOND announces new DVD/Blu-ray, ‘Songs For The Dead Live’
New video “Sleepless Nights (Live at The Fillmore)” now online!
On January 25th, KING DIAMOND will release a new DVD/Blu-ray, ‘Songs For The Dead Live‘, via Metal Blade Records.
There is only one KING DIAMOND, and for more than thirty years the great Dane has been dropping classic albums and putting on shows fans remember for the rest of their lives. Perhaps the only downside to having such a formidable catalogue is that there are just too many great songs to fit into a single set. However, you would be hard-pressed to find a fan who wouldn’t want to hear 1987’s seminal ‘Abigail‘ in its entirety, and ‘Songs For The Dead Live‘ captures this, twice, and in very different locales. Boasting eighteen songs per set, each of the two shows – Belgium’s Graspop Metal Meeting in June 2016 and Philadelphia’s Fillmore in November 2015 – feature a brace of classic KING DIAMOND and MERCYFUL FATE tracks including “Welcome Home,” “Halloween,” and “Eye Of The Witch” before launching into ‘Abigail‘. The performances of the all-star lineup of musicians, comprising of guitarists Andy LaRocque and Mike Wead, bassist Pontus Egberg and drummer Matt Thompson, are absolutely ferocious, hammering home every single moment.
For a preview of ‘Songs For The Dead Live‘, a video for “Sleepless Nights (Live at The Fillmore)” can be viewed at: metalblade.com/kingdiamond – where you can also pre-order the release in the following formats:
–2DVD/CD 6-Panel Digipak
–Blu-ray (includes audio digital download of Philadelphia Show)
–special edition box set with 5 discs (2DVD, 2CD, 1 Blu-ray) plus poster, flier, laminate, setlist, ticket, sticker, and guitar pick (limited to 3000 copies)
–opaque blue with white splatter vinyl (US retail exclusive – limited to 600 copies)
–opaque red with black splatter vinyl (US webstore exclusive – limited to 200 copies)
–opaque white with black splatter vinyl (US webstore exclusive – limited to 200 copies)
–180g black vinyl (EU exclusive)
–transparent amber marbled vinyl (EU exclusive – limited to 700 copies)
–clear ghost white vinyl (EU exclusive – limited to 500 copies)
–orange-brown/black marbled vinyl (EU exclusive – limited to 300 copies)
–black/purple melt vinyl (Nuclear Blast exclusive – limited to 200 copies)
–orange/red marbled vinyl (Napalm exclusive – limited to 300 copies)
–clear lavender marbled vinyl (EMP exclusive – limited to 200 copies)
–clear ash grey marbled vinyl (Bengan exclusive – limited to 200 copies)
–pink blue marbled vinyl (Ebay exclusive – limited to 200 copies)
Captured on film by director Denise Korycki for Wild Wind Studios, she worked closely with King on every aspect of filming, and throughout the viewer finds themselves front and center as the shows unfold. This includes some inventive camera placement, such as riding in on the back of the wheelchair as it is wheeled out to “Out From The Asylum” at the start of the show, or looking up from the coffin at the commencement of ‘Abigail‘ opener “Funeral”, which adds an extra dimension to proceedings. Naturally, the theatricality that has become synonymous with KING DIAMOND is there in full force, making for an even more immersive experience. The gothic stage set and the participation of actors playing out certain scenes tying into the songs definitely increases the drama and the sense of complete disconnect from the trappings of reality, ensuring that the shows remain riveting from start to finish.
While the setlists are virtually identical, the drastic difference in the two venues make for distinctly different atmospheres. The sweeping, epic scale of Graspop and the virtual sea of baying metalheads makes for a particularly thrilling spectacle, King holding them all in the palm of his hand. The Fillmore show is immediately more intimate, and rather than a mixed bag of metal lovers drunk on a weekend of the heavy stuff, the audience is comprised entirely of the KING DIAMOND devout, screaming back every word, their love for their hero bleeding from every frame.
‘Songs For The Dead Live‘ gives those who missed out on seeing these shows in the flesh a chance to vividly experience them, offering so much deeper an experience than your run of the mill live DVD.
Graspop Metal Meeting track-listing
01. Out from the Asylum
02. Welcome Home
03. Sleepless Nights
04. Halloween
05. Eye of the Witch
06. Melissa
07. Come to the Sabbath
08. Them
09. Funeral
10. Arrival
11. A Mansion in Darkness
12. The Family Ghost
13. The 7th Day of July 1777
14. Omens
15. The Possession
16. Abigail
17. Black Horsemen
18. Insanity
The Fillmore track-listing
01. Out from the Asylum
02. Welcome Home
03. Sleepless Nights
04. Eye of the Witch
05. Halloween
06. Melissa
07. Come to the Sabbath
08. Them
09. Funeral
10. Arrival
11. A Mansion in Darkness
12. The Family Ghost
13. The 7th Day of July 1777
14. Omens
15. The Possession
16. Abigail
17. Black Horsemen
18. Insanity
King Diamond online:
http://www.kingdiamondcoven.com
]]>
On September 14th, KING DIAMOND will release LP re-issues of the classic albums ‘Deadly Lullabyes Live‘, ‘Give Me Your Soul…Please‘, and ‘The Puppet Master‘ via Metal Blade Records. Available as 180g picture discs, these exclusive editions can be purchased now at: metalblade.com/kingdiamond
“You can spiral yourself into darkness with these classic King Diamond albums, or you can exhibit them on your wall like I will. Either way, enjoy.” – King
See below for the albums’ track-listings, and stay tuned for more King Diamond news coming soon!
Deadly Lullabyes Live track-listing
Side A
1. Funeral
2. A Mansion in Darkness
3. The Family Ghost
4. Black Horseman
Side B
5. Spare This Life
6. Mansion in Sorrow
7. Spirits
8. Sorry Dear
9. Eye of the Witch
10. Sleepless Nights
Side C
1. The Puppet Master
2. Blood to Walk
3. So Sad
4. Living Dead (Outro)
5. Welcome Home
Side D
6. The Invisible Guests
7. Burn
8. Introductions
9. Halloween
10. No Presents for Christmas
Give Me Your Soul…Please track-listing
Side A
1. The Dead
2. Never Ending Hill
3. Is Anybody Here?
4. Black of Night
Side B
5. Mirror Mirror
6. The Cellar
7. Pictures in Red
Side C
8. Give Me Your Soul
9. The Floating Head
10. Cold as Ice Side D
11. Shapes of Black
12. The Girl in the Bloody Dress
13. Moving On
The Puppet Master track-listing
Side A
1. Midnight
2. The Puppet Master
3. Magic
4. Emerencia
Side B
5. Blue Eyes
6. The Ritual
7. No More Me
Side C
8. Blood to Walk
9. Darkness
10. So Sad
Side D
11. Christmas
12. Living Dead
King Diamond online:
http://www.kingdiamondcoven.com
]]>
KING DIAMOND: ‘Abigail II: The Revenge’, ‘House of God’, ‘Voodoo’ LP re-issues now available via Metal Blade Records!
On August 17th, KING DIAMOND will release LP re-issues of the classic albums ‘Abigail II: The Revenge‘, ‘House of God‘, and ‘Voodoo‘ via Metal Blade Records. Available as 180g picture discs, these exclusive editions can be purchased now at: metalblade.com/kingdiamond
“You can spiral yourself into darkness with these classic King Diamond albums, or you can exhibit them on your wall like I will. Either way, enjoy.” – King
See below for the albums’ track-listings, and stay tuned for more KING DIAMOND news coming soon!
Abigail II: The Revenge track-listing:
Side A
1. Spare This Life
2. The Storm
3. Mansion in Sorrow
Side B
4. Miriam
5. Little One
6. Slippery Stairs
Side C
7. The Crypt
8. Broken Glass
9. More Than Pain
Side D
10. The Wheelchair
11. Spirits
12. Mommy
13. Sorry Dear
House of God track-listing
Side A
1. Upon the Cross
2. The Trees Have Eyes
3. Follow the Wolf
Side B
4. House of God
5. Black Devil
6. The Pact
Side C
7. Goodbye
8. Just a Shadow
9. Help!!!
10. Passage to Hell
Side D
11. Catacomb
12. This Place Is Terrible
13. Peace of Mind
Voodoo track-listing
Side A
1. Louisiana Darkness
2. LOA House
3. Life After Death
Side B
4. Voodoo
5. A Secret
6. Salem
Side C
7. One Down Two to Go
8. Sending of Dead
9. Sarah’s Night
Side D
10. The Exorcist
11. Unclean Spirits
12. Cross of Baron Samedi
13. If They Only Knew
14. Aftermath
http://www.kingdiamondcoven.com
]]>
KING DIAMOND: ‘In Concert 1987: Abigail’, ‘The Graveyard’, ‘The Spider’s Lullabye’ LP re-issues re-issues now available via Metal Blade Records!
On July 13th, KING DIAMOND will release LP re-issues of the classic albums ‘In Concert 1987: Abigail‘, ‘The Graveyard‘, and ‘The Spider’s Lullabye‘ via Metal Blade Records. Available as 180g picture discs, these exclusive editions can be purchased now at: metalblade.com/kingdiamond
“You can spiral yourself into darkness with these classic King Diamond albums, or you can exhibit them on your wall like I will. Either way, enjoy.” – King
See below for the albums’ track-listings, and stay tuned for more KING DIAMOND re-issues coming soon!
In Concert 1987: Abigail track-listing
Side A
1. Funeral
2. Arrival
3. Come to the Sabbath
4. The Family Ghost
5. The 7th Day of July 1777
6. The Portrait
Side B
7. Guitar Solo by Andy
8. The Possession9. Abigail
10. Drum Solo
11. The Candle
12. No Presents for Christmas
The Spider’s Lullabye track-listing
Side A
1. From the Other Side
2. Killer
3. The Poltergeist
4. Dreams
5. Moonlight
Side B
6. Six Feet Under
7. The Spider’s Lullabye
8. Eastmann’s Cure
9. Room 17
10. To the Morgue
The Graveyard track-listing
Side A
1. The Graveyard
2. Black Hill Sanitarium
3. Waiting
4. Heads on the Wall
Side B
5. Whispers
6. I’m Not a Stranger
7. Digging Graves
8. Meet Me at Midnight
Side C
9. Sleep Tight Little Baby
10. Daddy
11. Trick or Treat
Side D
12. Up from the Grave
13. I Am
14. Lucy Forever
http://www.kingdiamondcoven.com
]]>When you look at Shaw’s track record since he appeared on the scene in 1989 as the replacement for Mikkey Dee on the drum stool in the King Diamond band, there is little doubt that the guy lives, breathes and farts metal. And it’s not like it’s just one type or genre of metal. No, no, we’re talking everything from speed, thrash, glam and symphonic to black. Is there in fact anyone more metal than Snowy? Hard to say, but if I’m to trust the promo letter, which came along with the album, Mr. Shaw is betting everything on this. This is the end of being part of other bands, this is a full-on bet on the solo career.
Having given White Is The New Black a few spins, I’m convinced that the drummer/guitarist/bassist/keyboardist/singer is onto something that just might work.
As most of you would have figured, Snowy Shaw isn’t your regular bloke. No, the thing about this debut album is that it is, in fact – wait for it – the best-of album that he’ll make years from now. Yeah, it sounds weird, but why does it make sense? Because (naturally) Shaw has six albums laid out already, and White Is The New Black consists of two songs that represent the style of each of those six (future) albums. Looney. I like it.
What I also like is that the album certainly also shows us that Snowy is a man who refuses to be caged in one particular genre and that he allows his past to be reflected in what he does. He’s certainly a guy who’s got a diverse taste, which is a wonderful thing.
When I listen across the heavy soundscape that makes up White Is The New Black, there are a multitude of references and points of inspiration. Everything from traditional heavy metal over German speed metal to Type O Negative, Rammstein, Venom, Black Sabbath, Priest and Cradle of Filth.
In my book, as diverse as they are, the sources of inspiration are aligned like start signs, and Shaw has a perfect understanding of putting together tunes. The only two songs that fail to impress me are ‘Evil Twin’ and ‘Family Feud’ towards the end of the album – they aren’t bad, but they do tend to be filler material for me – however, that’s all I can complain about.
In sum: A great album by a great musician and a highly recommended effort.
I can’t wait to hear the albums that’ll form the basis for this best-of! 
On June 15th, KING DIAMOND will release LP re-issues of the classic albums ‘Conspiracy‘, ‘The Dark Sides‘, and ‘The Eye‘ via Metal Blade Records. Available as 180g picture discs, these exclusive editions can be purchased now at: metalblade.com/kingdiamond
“You can spiral yourself into darkness with these classic King Diamond albums, or you can exhibit them on your wall like I will. Either way, enjoy.” – King
See below for the albums’ track-listings, and stay tuned for more KING DIAMOND re-issues coming soon!
The Dark Sides track-listing:
SIDE A
1. Halloween
2. Them
3. No Presents for Christmas
SIDE B
4. Shrine
5. The Lake
6. Phone Call
Conspiracy track-listing:
SIDE A
1. At the Graves
2. Sleepless Nights
3. Lies
4. A Visit from the Dead
SIDE B
5. The Wedding Dream
6. “Amon” Belongs to “Them”
7. Something Weird
8. Victimized
9. Let It Be Done
10. Cremation
The Eye track-listing:
SIDE A
1. Eye of the Witch
2. The Trial (Chambre Ardente)
3. Burn
4. Two Little Girls
5. Into the Convent
SIDE B
6. Father Picard
7. Behind These Walls
8. The Meetings
9. Insanity
10. 1642 Imprisonment
11. The Curse
http://www.kingdiamondcoven.com
]]>
On May 18th, KING DIAMOND will release LP re-issues of the classic albums ‘Abigail‘, ‘Fatal Portrait‘, and ‘Them‘ via Metal Blade Records. Available as 180g picture discs, these exclusive editions can be purchased now at: metalblade.com/kingdiamond
“You can spiral yourself into darkness with these classic King Diamond albums, or you can exhibit them on your wall like I will. Either way, enjoy.” – King
See below for the albums’ track-listings, and stay tuned for more KING DIAMOND re-issues coming soon!
‘Abigail’ track-listing:
SIDE A
1. Funeral
2. Arrival
3. A Mansion in Darkness
4. The Family Ghost
5. The 7th Day of July 1777
SIDE B
6. Omens
7. The Possession
8. Abigail
9. Black Horsemen
SIDE A
1. The Candle
2. The Jonah
3. The Portrait
4. Dressed in White
SIDE B
5. Charon
6. Lurking in the Dark
7. Halloween
8. Voices from the Past
9. Haunted
‘Them’ track-listing:
SIDE A
1. Out from the Asylum
2. Welcome Home
3. The Invisible Guests
4. Tea
5. Mother’s Getting Weaker
SIDE B
6. Bye, Bye, Missy
7. A Broken Spell
8. The Accusation Chair
9. Them
10. Twilight Symphony
11. Coming Home
KING DIAMOND online:
http://www.kingdiamondcoven.com
]]>No one (other than Jørgen) really knows what to expect from this show, but some drama is to be expected as a mini coffin is placed on an altar in front of the stage. There are crosses and skeletons on stage as well, and some character with a deformed face and a top hat is walking around the area outside and inside the venue.
Now, those who have figured out that the band name Them is inspired by King Diamond are of course right. The idea for the band came out of Norr’s King Diamond tribute band, and it simply developed into a being of its own, with its own concept story. The tour is based on that story, and totally in the spirit of the King himself, this is not just a tour merely with musicians. No less than three actors are part of the entourage to help make the story of Mary in Sweet Hollow come to life.
Just like King Diamond, music like this will always be an acquired taste. High-pitched vocals are not everyone’s cup of tea, but in this case, I, for one, dig it.
The music accompanying the story is no less than fabulous, perfectly and professionally executed by guitarists Ulle (Lanfear, Septagon)) and Justin Zych (Viking, Valhalla, etc.), as well as bassist Alex Palma (Septagon), keyboardist Richie Seibel (Lanfear) and stand-in drummer Angel Cotte (Demolition Hammer). Troy does the King Diamond clone vocals in style, whilst playing his part as König in the play (or is it musical?).
This is full scale entertainment with baby dolls, fake blood, the works. And the music, well, it’s just brilliant.
All pictures ©Aga Zu (except were stated otherwise). Used with kind permission.
