Upcoming MERCYFUL FATE, KING DIAMOND DVDs Detailed

Danish singer King Diamond (MERCYFUL FATE, KING DIAMOND) has issued the following update:

"As you all know, 80% of the original MERCYFUL FATE lineup (vocalist King Diamond, guitarist Hank Shermann, guitarist Michael Denner and bassist Timi Hansen) re-recorded with present MF drummer Bjarne T. Holm two ultimate MERCY classics for the upcoming Metallica: Guitar Hero game.

"For those who aren't into gaming, it's interesting to know that those two songs ('Evil' and 'Curse Of The Pharaohs') will be released on iTunes round mid-April. Also interesting to know that Andy La Rocque [KING DIAMOND] mastered these two tracks for a possible EP-picture, released by Metal Blade and Massacre.

"At this moment we are working on both MERCYFUL FATE and KING DIAMOND DVDs. Both releases will contain two DVDs and it will be worth the wait as it has some very exclusive content which surely no one outside the band has ever seen.

"We have been working on the following concerts. Please note content of the DVDs might change. Concerts mentioned here might after all not appear on the DVD.

"MERCYFUL FATE DVD:

* Copenhagen 1982 with Benny Petersen
* Amsterdam Paradiso 1984
* Copenhagen 1984
* Reunion MF 1993
* Roskilde Festival 1994
* Copenhagen 1995

"KING DIAMOND DVD:

* Washington 1986
* 1987 supporting MOTÖRHEAD
* Show footage 1989 USA + backstage footage
* Full 1990 concert Spain Euro Conspiracy tour
* Behind the scenes 1990 Conspiracy
* Copenhagen concert in the park 1990 with 5 cameras

"Also remastered KING DIAMOND CDs are in the works. Those albums have, next to the new masters, also one or two bonus video tracks. The bonus tracks shouldn't be the reason to buy the albums. The sound is so much better than it ever was. That should be reason to buy it. I know I would buy them.

"Remastered CDs released with video bonus footage (might be one or two songs)

* The Spider's Lullabye
* The Graveyard
* House Of God
* Voodoo

"This coming autumn might be the time to start writing new songs for KING DIAMOND, and who knows if our involvement in Guitar Hero will raise our value to the record labels enough for a new MERCYFUL FATE record."

King Diamond appears as a playable character in the "Guitar Hero: Metallica" game.

Fans, stagehands and groupies alike will have the opportunity to shred and drum with or wail as the digital King Diamond during performances of "Evil". The song, which originally was recorded in 1983 and is one of the MERCYFUL FATE songs that comprise METALLICA's "Mercyful Fate" medley, was re-recorded by four of the five original band members for Guitar Hero: Metallica. The recording session was overseen by guitarist Hank Shermann in the band's native Denmark; after which King Diamond laid down his vocals in Dallas, Texas, and mixed the song with J.T. Longoria.

MERCYFUL FATE will be remembered for its unquestionable mark on the history of metal with its innovative sound, complex arrangements, memorable melody, and its influence on bands that later took the genre to new heights.

In 1998, METALLICA paid tribute to MERCYFUL FATE by recording a medley of classic MERCYFUL FATE songs on the album "Garage Inc." Entitled "Mercyful Fate", the medley included parts from "Satan's Fall", "Curse of the Pharaohs", "A Corpse Without Soul", "Into the Coven" and "Evil".

Lars Ulrich of METALLICA (a fellow Dane) played drums on a new version of MERCYFUL FATE's "Return of the Vampire" on the "In the Shadows" album, which came out in 1993.

A soundboard-quality audio/video version of METALLICA's MERCYFUL FATE medley performance with King Diamond at the one-day Ozzfest on August 9, 2008 at Pizza Hut Park in Frisco, Texas can be found below.