Mercyful Fate

Mercyful Fate
Company type	Group or band
Industry	Music
Founded	1981
Headquarters	Copenhagen, Denmark
Products	Heavy metal music, studio albums, EPs, compilation albums

Mercyful Fate is a heavy metal group originating from Copenhagen, Denmark, established in 1981 by vocalist King Diamond and guitarist Hank Shermann. Drawing inspiration from progressive rock and hard rock, their lyrics often explore themes related to LaVeyan Satanism, frequently incorporating ironic or sardonic Christian imagery. Mercyful Fate emerged as a key player in the initial wave of black metal during the early to mid-1980s, alongside bands such as Venom and Bathory. Their influence extended broadly, shaping nascent heavy metal subgenres including thrash metal, death metal, and the Norwegian black metal movement.

Since their inception in 1981, Mercyful Fate has produced seven studio albums, two extended play records, and four compilation albums. After initial demos and some personnel shifts, the 1982 self-titled EP featured King Diamond on vocals, Hank Shermann handling lead and rhythm guitars, Michael Denner also on rhythm and lead guitars, bassist Timi Hansen, and drummer Kim Ruzz. This lineup was responsible for the band’s first two studio releases: Melissa in 1983 and Don't Break the Oath in 1984. While these albums received critical praise across Europe’s heavy metal community, their satanic imagery generated controversy; notably, "Into the Coven" from Melissa was singled out by the PMRC on its "Filthy Fifteen" list of songs deemed objectionable.

The band split up in 1985 due to creative disagreements but reunited in 1992 with four original members to record In the Shadows, released in 1993. Throughout the 1990s, Mercyful Fate issued four additional studio albums amid various lineup changes before entering a hiatus in 1999. They occasionally reassembled during the 2000s and confirmed a more permanent reunion in August 2019, announcing plans for touring and a new studio album—their first since 9 released in 1999.

Origins and early output (1981–1985)

Mercyful Fate was established in Copenhagen during spring 1981 following the breakup of Brats, a band that included future members King Diamond along with guitarists Hank Shermann and Michael Denner. When Brats’ label CBS rejected their heavier material in favor of a more commercially accessible English sound, Diamond and Shermann departed to create Mercyful Fate. During this period, bassist Ole Beich—who would later join L.A. Guns and Guns N' Roses—briefly played with them. After several lineup adjustments and demo recordings, Mercyful Fate released their eponymous EP in 1982 featuring King Diamond (vocals), Hank Shermann (guitars), bassist Timi Hansen, drummer Kim Ruzz, and guitarist Michael Denner.

In July 1983, the band recorded their debut full-length Melissa at Easy Sound Recording studios in Copenhagen with producer Henrik Lund. The album was issued on October 30 via Roadrunner Records. Melissa is regarded as a groundbreaking release that helped shape an extreme metal sound influencing thrash, death, and black metal styles. The album introduced the figure Melissa—a witch condemned to death by burning at the stake—who appears repeatedly throughout Mercyful Fate’s discography. The track "Into the Coven" attracted attention when it was included by the Parents Music Resource Center among its "Filthy Fifteen" due to occult content. King Diamond explained that his engagement with LaVeyan Satanism was philosophical rather than devotional.

Following a rigorous touring schedule across Denmark, Mercyful Fate recorded their sophomore album Don't Break the Oath in May 1984; it was released on September 7. The supporting tour featured two months performing across the United States as well as festival appearances in Germany. Despite cultivating an international cult fanbase, Mercyful Fate disbanded in April 1985 amid musical disagreements—guitarist Hank Shermann preferred pursuing a more commercial sound while King Diamond resisted this direction—leading to his exit and the group’s dissolution.

Period following the breakup (1985–1992)

After Mercyful Fate disbanded, King Diamond, Michael Denner, and Timi Hansen established the band named after King Diamond himself. Denner and Hansen stayed until the release of 1987's Abigail, after which they departed and were succeeded by Mike Moon and Hal Patino. Throughout Mercyful Fate's inactive phase, King Diamond continued producing albums. Later, Denner opened a record store in Copenhagen and teamed up with former bandmate Hank Shermann—who had left Mercyful Fate to create the hard rock group Fate, releasing two albums in 1985 and 1986—to form Lavina (which was later renamed Zoser Mez).

During Mercyful Fate’s hiatus, Roadrunner Records issued three compilations: The Beginning (1987), which included early EP tracks and rare recordings; Return of the Vampire (1992), another collection of uncommon studio material; and A Dangerous Meeting (1992), a greatest hits compilation under King Diamond’s name featuring songs from both Mercyful Fate and King Diamond.

Reformation period (1992–1999)

In 1992, King Diamond, Hank Shermann, Michael Denner, and Timi Hansen reunited to bring Mercyful Fate back together, with Morten Nielsen stepping in as drummer replacing Kim Ruzz. Their third studio album, In the Shadows, was released on June 22, 1993 via Metal Blade Records, featuring Metallica’s drummer Lars Ulrich on the track "Return of the Vampire." For the subsequent tour, Nielsen was replaced by King Diamond’s drummer Snowy Shaw, while bassist Hansen was succeeded by Sharlee D'Angelo due to Hansen’s unwillingness to tour. On June 27, 1994, they released the EP The Bell Witch, which combined live performances with studio tracks from In the Shadows.

On October 25, 1994, Mercyful Fate unveiled their fourth album Time, recorded at Dallas Sound Lab. Following its release, Snowy Shaw was replaced by Bjarne T. Holm for the Time Tour; Holm had initially declined to join the band in 1981 because of other obligations. The band recorded their fifth album Into the Unknown between January and February 1996, releasing it on August 20. Afterward, guitarist Michael Denner left and was replaced by Mike Wead. In October 1997, recording commenced for their sixth album Dead Again at Nomad Recording Studio in Carrollton, Texas; it was released on June 9, 1998. Work on their seventh studio album 9 began in February 1999 and it came out on June 15.

Break and occasional reunions (1999–2018)

Following the tour supporting 9, Mercyful Fate went on hiatus. King Diamond focused on his solo career, joined by guitarist Mike Wead during the European leg of the House of God tour. Meanwhile, Hank Shermann and Bjarne T. Holm formed Force of Evil alongside Michael Denner, while Sharlee D'Angelo became a member of Arch Enemy. In 2008, King Diamond described Mercyful Fate as "hibernating" but emphasized that they were not finished.

That same year, Metallica’s drummer Lars Ulrich invited Mercyful Fate to take part in Activision's Guitar Hero: Metallica. Since original master recordings could not be found, members King Diamond, Shermann, Denner, Timi Hansen, and Holm reunited to re-record "Evil" and "Curse of the Pharaohs." Additionally, King Diamond appeared as a playable character in the game.

On December 7, 2011, King Diamond, Shermann, Denner, and Hansen performed together onstage at Metallica's 30th Anniversary concert in San Francisco to play Metallica's "Mercyful Fate" medley from Garage Inc..

On January 28, 2017, all original members except King Diamond reunited to accept the Pioneer Prize at Denmark’s Steppeulven awards held at Bremen Teater in Copenhagen. This event marked drummer Kim Ruzz’s first performance with the band since their split in 1985.

Full-time reunion (2019–present)

On August 1, 2019, Mercyful Fate revealed plans for a series of European shows scheduled for summer 2020. The announced lineup featured King Diamond on vocals, Hank Shermann and Mike Wead handling guitars, Bjarne T. Holm on drums, and Joey Vera on bass, who was stepping in for Timi Hansen amid his battle with cancer. Following Hansen’s passing on November 4, 2019, Vera officially became the permanent bassist. The band intended to showcase both their classic repertoire and newly composed material during the upcoming tour.

In May 2020, Shermann disclosed that he had composed six or seven tracks intended for a forthcoming album. On June 2, 2022, Mercyful Fate played their first live concert since 1999 in Hanover, where they premiered a new song titled "The Jackal of Salzburg."

On January 16, 2024, the group announced the departure of bassist Joey Vera. Shortly thereafter, Becky Baldwin was appointed as the new bassist; she had previously substituted during the 2022 tour. Baldwin mentioned that a new Mercyful Fate album is unlikely before 2025 due to King Diamond’s concentration on his solo band’s upcoming thirteenth studio release, Saint Lucifer's Hospital 1920 (initially titled The Institute).

Style and legacy

Mercyful Fate emerged as part of the initial wave of black metal, alongside contemporaries such as Venom, Bathory, and Hellhammer. These pioneers laid the foundation for what would become the black metal genre. Unlike many of their peers from this era, Mercyful Fate incorporated elements drawn from progressive rock, epic 1970s hard rock, and traditional heavy metal into their sound. Their lyrics frequently addressed themes of Satanism and the occult, with King Diamond among the earliest black metal artists to adopt the now-iconic corpse paint. Although Mercyful Fate was instrumental in shaping black metal's origins, their musical style exerted somewhat less influence compared to other bands within the movement. Additionally, they played a significant role in influencing the nascent death metal scene, impacting bands such as Death, Morbid Angel, Obituary, and Cannibal Corpse.

The band also left a notable mark on the thrash metal landscape of the 1980s, inspiring three members of thrash’s "Big Four" – Metallica, Megadeth, and Slayer – along with groups like Testament, Exodus, and Kreator. Slayer’s guitarist Kerry King has cited Mercyful Fate as an influence on their album Hell Awaits. Metallica recorded a medley of Mercyful Fate compositions for their 1998 covers album Garage Inc. and have performed these pieces live alongside members of Mercyful Fate. Lars Ulrich from Metallica acknowledged that Mercyful Fate had a profound impact on their sound, describing their recordings as some of the finest heavy rock ever produced. Gary Holt of Exodus and Slayer similarly credits early Mercyful Fate demos as a major inspiration for his musical development.

Band members

Current line-up

King Diamond – lead vocals, keyboards (1981–1985, 1992–1999, 2008, 2011, 2019–present)
Hank Shermann – guitars (1981–1985, 1992–1999, 2008, 2011, 2019–present)
Bjarne T. Holm – drums (1994–1999, 2008, 2019–present)
Mike Wead – guitars (1996–1999, 2019–present)
Becky Baldwin – bass (2024–present; touring in 2022)

Former members

Timi Hansen – bass (1981–1985, 1992–1993, 2008, 2011, 2019; deceased 2019)
Carsten Van Der Volsing – guitars (1981)
Ole Beich – bass (1981; deceased 1991)
Ole Frausing – drums (1981)
Jan Lindblad – drums (1981)
Nick Smith – drums (1981)
Kim Ruzz – drums (1981–1985)
Benny Petersen – guitars (1981–1982)
Michael Denner – guitars (1982–1985, 1992–1996, 2008, 2011)
Sharlee D'Angelo – bass (1993–1999)
Morten Nielsen – drums (1992–1993)
Snowy Shaw – drums (1993–1994)
Joey Vera – bass (2019–2024)

Albums

Melissa (1983)
Don't Break the Oath (1984)
In the Shadows (1993)
Time (1994)
Into the Unknown (1996)
Dead Again (1998)
9 (1999)

Additional links