David Halbe 
Mercyful Fate is a Danish heavy metal band from Copenhagen, formed in 1981 by vocalist King Diamond and guitarist Hank Shermann.
The impact of Mercyful Fate is nearly unfathomable. In my opinion, they are one of the greatest metal bands of all time. Many consider them the originators of the ‘Satanic Panic’ and one of the founding fathers of Black Metal.
Arriving during an age where the computer and internet were unavailable, cassette tape trading and word of mouth exposure was how metalheads heard about new bands.
Heavy Metal was exploding in the early ‘80s and I was lucky enough to grow up with friends who, at that time, had recently moved to the US from England. The NWOBHM was in full swing in the UK and because of this relationship, I knew who Bathory, Venom and of course Mercyful Fate were in my early teens.
I remember driving to a local park to get stoned and listen to a cassette tape of Don’t Break The Oath. Marijuana and metal offered a mental clarity few could achieve without assistance. In my mind, Mercyful Fate always seemed in a class all their own, their music was just too good. King Diamond, along with Michael Denner and Timi Hansen, had formed a new group simply called King Diamond. Both Denner and Hansen stayed with the group until 1987’s Abigail, after which they both left.
In 1992, King Diamond, Hank Shermann, Michael Denner and Timi Hansen reunited to reform Mercyful Fate. The result was the band’s third album In the Shadows, which was released via Metal Blade Records. The album featured a guest appearance by Metallica drummer Lars Ulrich.
This lead to the release of other studio efforts: Time (1994), Into the Unknown (1996), Dead Again (1998) and 9 (1999).
Unexpectedly, in August of 2019, Mercyful Fate announced they were reuniting on a more permanent basis with plans to tour and potentially release a new album. Then in June of 2019, Mercyful Fate performed their first live show since 1999! The band debuted a brand-new song titled “The Jackal of Salzburg”.
So far, that is all that’s transpired but there is a new King Diamond album, titled Saint Lucifer’s Hospital 1920 expected to be released sometime this year! The album is supposed to be the first part of a two-part horror concept story, with the second part to follow later.
King Diamond also offered a single from the album called “Spider Lilly,” released in late 2024.
Needless to say, I am very excited to hear new material by King Diamond but potentially also from Mercyful Fate as well. I’ve seen King Diamond many times live, both back in the day and recently, but I’ve never seen Mercyful Fate live. They are on my ‘heavy metal bucket list’ and I would give anything to see it happen.
New albums and tours by both groups could be a dream come true. Until then give me “Come to the Sabbath” on any dark and stormy night. My goal is to put the ‘Satanic Panic’ into you! \m/
MERCYFUL FATE is:
- King Diamond – Vocals, Keyboards
- Hank Shermann – Guitars
- Bjarne T. Holm – Drums
- Mike Wead – Guitars
- Becky Baldwin – Bass
