King Diamond

Tomorrow’s Rain – Ovdan Review

Tomorrow’s Rain – Ovdan Review

By Twelve on April 19, 2024 in Reviews, Doom Metal, Gothic Metal, 23 comments

“Tomorrow’s Rain is an interesting beast. The Israeli six-piece treads between doom and gothic metal, and made a splash with their debut Hollow in part because of the sheer number of guest musicians who participated in the album. Now, four years later, the band returns with their sophomore full-length, Ovdan (“Loss”), an album with a deeply personal backstory. This was recorded after vocalist and founding member Yishai Swartz suffered a heart attack severe enough to warrant open heart surgery.” Rain and recovery.

Attic – Return of the Witchfinder Review

Attic – Return of the Witchfinder Review

By Dr. A.N. Grier on April 7, 2024 in Reviews, Heavy Metal, 44 comments

“Mmmmmm… King Diamond-core. It’s been seven years since Attic delivered its top-form masterpiece, Sanctimonious. And now, They’re is back again to ensure I’m erect for the remainder of the year. This new record continues the trend the band has been on even before Kim Bendix Petersen was but a wily sperm in his father’s nutsack. Delivering no-frills, old-school Satanic heavy metal, this German quintet combines soaring falsettos, creepy organs, and Mercyful Fate-esque dueling guitar work to shape yet another hour’s worth of music.” Something’s alive up there.

Yer Metal Is Olde: Illwill – Evilution

Yer Metal Is Olde: Illwill – Evilution

By Dr. A.N. Grier on March 10, 2024 in Yer Metal Is Olde, Thrash Metal, 18 comments

“Evilution is the sole LP from quasi-supergroup Illwill. This odd band consisted of King Diamond and Mercyful Fate greats Andy LaRocque, Sharlee D’Angelo, and Snowy Shaw. While it’s common for these lads to form, join, or guest in many projects over the years, this might be one of the strangest collaborations in their storied careers.” Licensed to ill.

Kontact – Full Contact Review

Kontact – Full Contact Review

By Dolphin Whisperer on January 19, 2024 in Reviews, Heavy Metal, Occult Rock, 32 comments

“When a band draws so clearly on an aged aesthetic, the results can be hard to parse as pastiche, worship, or otherwise. Even moreso in niche corners like the epic heavy metal crowd, where soaring vocals of varying qualities—all hoping to stick in your mind regardless—triumph alongside thick kicks, thicker riffs, and battle-tested builds, worshippers of the riff conflict with worshippers of the riffers. Enter Kontact, a young Canadian troupe whose 2022 release, the cheeky-titled EP First Contact, played tightly on the ideas set forth by the idiosyncratic but ever-mountainous Manilla Road, but with enough of their space-bound palette to paint a few stripes of their own.” Bad touch.

Angerot – The Profound Recreant Review

Angerot – The Profound Recreant Review

By Ferox on March 25, 2023 in Reviews, Death Metal, 19 comments

“Angerot ventures deep into the Valley of Ov on The Profound Recreant, leaning hard into the strain of theatrical Satanism that ran through their first two albums. We’re defiling daughters here, swallowing other people’s mucous, and slaking the lust of the recently widowed. Choirs chime in to document the various blasphemies, with horns and keys dropping by to add occasional symphonic flourishes.” Devil by the tail.

Black Cross Hotel – Hex Review

Black Cross Hotel – Hex Review

By Dr. A.N. Grier on November 12, 2022 in Reviews, Industrial Metal, Punk, 25 comments

“Is there anything better than a horror-themed album? I think not. But, being the mentally unstable King Diamond fan that I am, I’m sure that’s no surprise to anyone. But you won’t find soaring falsettos and soloing as old as Steel on Black Cross Hotel’s debut record, Hex. Instead, you’ll discover Killing Joke-inspired industrial metal mingled with punky vocals and synths that you’d swear came from a John Carpenter movie.” The horror….

Them – Fear City Review

Them – Fear City Review

By Dr. A.N. Grier on October 31, 2022 in Reviews, Heavy Metal, 51 comments

“It’s with great trepidation that I come to you this day. It’s 1980-something, and the world is coming apart. The Reagan administration has begun, John Lennon is dead, crime riddles the streets, and, by a freak toxic waste accident, KK Fossor is back. And back with a vengeance. After the death of his family and the destruction of the villainous Peter Thompson, we arrive at a new chapter of the story. On a mission to rid the world of Thompson’s bloodline, KK travels to the cesspool that is Fear City.” Pizza rats and baseball bats.