King Diamond: Fatal Portrait (import) [METAL BLADE]

Why you'll love it

This Metal Blade reissue is on 180g vinyl with a lyric insert and download card. It's the Danish band's debut, and it has sold over 100,000 copies in North America alone.

This edition

• 180g vinyl
• Lyric insert
• Download card included
• Import

About the album

Most bands start with a demo; King Diamond started with a ghost story. Fresh from Mercyful Fate, the falsetto-wielding Dane built his new band's first album around a tale of a candle, a spirit called Molly and a portrait that won't stay quiet. The title comes from Oscar Wilde's The Picture of Dorian Gray, where the painting is called "the fatal portrait" more than once.

Five songs (the first four and "Haunted") form the story, from the eerie "The Candle" through "The Jonah," "The Portrait" and "Dressed In White." Andy LaRocque joined at the last minute, and his solo on "Dressed In White" doubled as his audition; he's been in the band ever since. Michael Denner adds lead guitar, and "Charon," "Halloween" and "Voices From The Past" fill out a record of twin-guitar heavy metal at full theatrical tilt.

It was the start of a long run of horror-concept albums that made King Diamond a cult hero. Best played after dark, with the curtains drawn and, if at all possible, no candles.

Also at Kops: more King Diamond on vinyl · browse Metal

Tracklist

Listen

On Metal Blade (cat# 3984-15675-1), a reissue of the 1986 album.