Mercyful Fate :
Mercyful Fate & Pre -Mercyful Fate :
The Definitive Demos N' Rarities Collection
(Box Set)
Mercyful Fate
is a Danish
heavy metal band
from Copenhagen,
formed in 1981
by vocalist
and guitarist
Hank Shermann.
Influenced by
progressive rock
and hard rock,
and with lyrics
dealing with
LaVeyan Satanism
often with ironic
or sardonic use of
Christian themes
and the occult,
Mercyful Fate
was part of the first wave
of black metal
in the early to mid-1980s,
along with
Venom and Bathory.
The band is also cited as
a formative influence
to the then-nascent genres
of thrash metal
and death metal,
as well as
the Norwegian
black metal scene.
Since its inception in 1981,
Mercyful Fate
has released
seven studio albums,
two extended plays,
and four
compilation albums.
After several
line-up changes
and self-made demos,
they released their
self-titled EP
in 1982,
with the line-up of
King Diamond
(vocals),
Hank Shermann
(lead and rhythm guitars),
Michael Denner
(rhythm and lead guitars),
Timi Hansen
(bass),
and
Kim Ruzz
(drums).
With this line-up,
the group recorded
its first two studio albums:
1983's
Melissa
and
1984's
Don't Break the Oath.
In spite of their reputation
as one of the most
acclaimed bands of
the European
heavy metal scene
of the 1980's,
Mercyful Fate
was the subject of controversy
due to their satanic imagery,
and one of their songs
"Into the Coven"
(from Melissa)
later gained notoriety
for appearing as one of the
PMRC's
"Filthy Fifteen" list
of objectionable songs.
After disbanding in 1985
due to musical differences,
four out of the
five members of
Mercyful Fate
reunited in 1992
and recorded the album
In the Shadows,
which was released
the following year.
During the 1990's,
the band released
four more studio albums
and went through
several line-up changes.
Mercyful Fate
went on hiatus in 1999,
but had reunited
on occasion during
the 2000's.
On August 1, 2019,
it was announced that
Mercyful Fate
was reuniting on
a more permanent basis,
with plans to tour
and release a new album,
which will be their
first since 9
in 1999.
The staff of
Loudwire
named
Mercyful Fate
the 35th best
metal band
of all time.
History
Formation and first releases
(1981–1985)
Mercyful Fate
was originally formed
in Copenhagen
in the spring of 1981,
following the dissolution
of the band
Brats.
Brats
were a
punk/metal band
featuring future
Mercyful Fate members
King Diamond
and guitarists
Hank Shermann
and
Michael Denner.
After two studio albums
and several line-up changes
including the addition of
Diamond and the
departure of Denner
Diamond and Shermann
began writing new material
that was much heavier
than any of Brats'
previous work.
DANGER ZONE
was Formed By
Michael Denner
After He Left The Band
BRATS,
King Diamond and Hank Shermen
Contributing To It's
Demo Recording
After Danger Zone
Members Formed
MERYFUL FATE ,
They released their
self-titled EP in 1982.
This line-up consisted of
King Diamond,
Hank Shermann,
bassist
Timi Hansen,
drummer
Kim Ruzz
and guitarist
Michael Denner.
In July 1983,
Mercyful Fate
recorded their debut album
at Easy Sound Recording
in Copenhagen.
Entitled Melissa,
the album was produced by
Henrik Lund and released in
October 1983
through Roadrunner Records.
Melissa
has been referred to as
"one of the first records
to start to develop an
'extreme metal' sound"
and was major influence
on the
then-emerging thrash metal,
death metal
and
black metal genres.
The character of Melissa,
a witch who was burned
at the stake,
appears for the first time
on the eponymous
debut album
and intermittently
throughout the band's
later work.
One of the album's tracks,
"Into the Coven",
received particular attention
two years later,
when it was listed by
the Parents Music Resource Center
(PMRC)
as one of their
"Filthy Fifteen"
songs due to its
perceived occult content.
King Diamond was,
in reality,
interested in
LaVeyan Satanism,
which he called
"a life philosophy"
and stated that it had nothing
to do with the Devil
of Abrahamic Religions.
After a number of concerts
around Denmark,
Mercyful Fate
entered the studio in
May 1984
to record their
second studio album
Don't Break the Oath,
which was released on
September 7, 1984.
During the album's
supporting tour,
the band played the
US for two months
and made festival appearances
in Germany.
Despite winning a cult following
around the world,
Mercyful Fate
broke up in
April 1985,
due to musical differences.
Guitarist
Hank Shermann
wanted the band to move
to a more
commercial sound;
King Diamond
refused and announced
his departure from
Mercyful Fate,
which led to the band
breaking up.
After disbanding
(1985–1992)
After Mercyful Fate broke up,
King Diamond,
along with
Michael Denner
and
Timi Hansen,
formed the eponymous
King Diamond band.
Both Denner and Hansen
stayed with the group
until 1987's
Abigail,
after which both left
King Diamond.
They were replaced by
Mike Moon and Hal Patino,
respectively,
and
King Diamond continued
releasing albums even after
Mercyful Fate
had reformed.
After leaving
King Diamond,
Denner opened up a
record shop in Copenhagen,
until 1988,
when he formed the band
Lavina
(which would later become Zoser Mez),
along with former
bandmate
Hank Shermann.
Hank Shermann had formed
the hard rock band Fate
in 1985,
after having left
Mercyful Fate.
With Fate,
Shermann released two albums:
1985's
Fate
and
1986's
A Matter of Attitude.
After leaving the band,
Shermann joined-up with
Michael Denner
to form Lavina.
During the time
Mercyful Fate were disbanded,
Roadrunner Records
released three
Mercyful Fate
compilation albums.
The Beginning was released on June 24, 1987, and featured material from the band's 1982 self-titled EP, as well as rare live and studio recordings. On May 12, 1992, Return of the Vampire was released, which was another compilation of rare studio recordings. On October 6, 1992, Roadrunner Records released A Dangerous Meeting, a greatest hits album under the King Diamond name, featuring material from both Mercyful Fate and King Diamond.
Reunion (1992–1999)
In 1992,
King Diamond,
Hank Shermann,
Michael Denner
and
Timi Hansen
reunited to reform
Mercyful Fate
drummer
Kim Ruzz
was replaced by
Morten Nielsen
The result was the band's
third album
In the Shadows,
which was released on
June 22, 1993
through Metal Blade Records.
The album also featured
a guest appearance by
Metallica drummer
Lars Ulrich
(a fellow Dane)
on the track
"Return of the Vampire".
For the album's supporting tour,
Morten Nielsen
was replaced by
King Diamond drummer
Snowy Shaw,
due to a knee injury
Nielsen had sustained.
Bassist
Timi Hansen
was also replaced by
Sharlee D'Angelo,
as Hansen
did not want to take part
in touring.
On June 27, 1994,
the band released
The Bell Witch,
an EP
of live tracks,
as well as
studio recordings
from
In the Shadows.
No comments:
Post a Comment