Welcome to the LOUDEST DOT COM ON THE PLANET!
KNAC.COM News Reviews and More Watch The Latest Videos Buy KNAC T-shirts and More


Mercyful Fate: Out From Under The Blade???

By Tokemaster General, Contributor
Monday, January 21, 2002 @ 2:28 PM


King Diamond Comments That He

- advertisement -
Blabbermouth.net - have reported that Mercyful Fate have parted ways with Metal Blade Records after the label chose not to exercise their contractual option to renew the group's agreement for another album. According to Mercyful Fate/King Diamond manager Ole Bang, who dropped Blabbermouth a line from the MIDEM convention/music trade show in Cannes, France, a new deal is expected to be secured in the coming weeks and the band is likely to begin recording their eighth studio album in late summer for an early 2003 release. The parting comes nearly three years since the release of Mercyful Fate's last studio CD, 1999's 9, and exactly a decade after the group first inked a deal with the company. The band recorded five full-length efforts for Metal Blade during their tenure with the label: In The Shadows (1993), Time (1994), Into The Unknown (1996), Dead Again (1998) and 9.

Mercyful Fate leader King Diamond recently slammed Metal Blade over the record company's apparent inability/refusal to provide the band with adequate support necessary to put the group out on the road in support of their upcoming album Abigail II: The Revenge (due out January 29th). In a soon-to-be-published interview with the German Twilight magazine (which took place over the phone on January 16th), Diamond makes it clear that he is very unhappy with the group's current label situation and he indicates in no uncertain terms that he has every intention of leaving the company as soon as he is contractually permitted to. Here are some excerpts from the aforementioned interview (as transcribed by the magazine's editor, whose first language is German):

“Five months back, we were preparing a tour through the USA…and the first show was planned to be on the 14th of March. And the record label told us they wanted us to do at least two US tours and then do one European tour. And we said 'fine', and they wanted us to record a live album and two of the shows for a DVD. Superb, you know? It was great, all of it you know. And then, [the plan] for that was that we wanted to bring the Abigail story live, on the road. The whole story, we planned to play everything off the first album except one song, take “Possession” out, but [play] all of the other songs. Then we would have a small intermission set of three songs [from the] other albums and we would have four different intermission sets that we can switch between. And if you would get into the second half of the story, which is the new album, just take maybe two songs out of it and play all of the rest in the right order. That would be so unique to play almost two complete albums, you know?! Transcended as one story, and we [would] have great effects, which we have already planned out how to do, [which required] money [to make it happen], you know? And the four intermission sets of three songs were planned, because it was supposed to be a triple live album [that we were going to record]—two discs with the Abigail story and in one case of these four-intermission sets with 12 songs for all the other albums.”

“And then suddenly two days before Christmas, the label came and said, 'We can't [give you] the tour support. And we were like, 'What?? You must be kidding! You were talking all this shit and it changes now all of a sudden? (imitates Metal Blade guy) 'Yeah, you know...there have been these ...financial problems, it's tough times you know'. And they said that they had to cut back on a lot of things! And one of the things they had to cut back on was tour support for all of their bands. And then I, of course, turned around and said 'Hey, I am not just one of your sixty bands!' There are five bands that give Metal Blade a good profit and those are Six Feet Under, Cannibal Corpse, GWAR, Mercyful Fate and King Diamond. And they had to prioritize these bands, in my opinion, more than other bands they have just signed. Now you sign a new band and you take a chance and hope that one day you'll be one of the bands and they give you a lot of money. And of course you have to do those things. And the situation here is like some of those bands gotta stop going on tour so that we can go on tour, or let them wait some months, you know? Or you should stop signing new bands for a while. And use that money on that stuff, something like that is what you should do. Or wait [before sending someone] into the studio. And what they said is that they can't change anything, and this is what they HAVE to do, and this and that, and 'We'll give you one third of what you normally get,' and we don't get a lot normally, but of what we get we need EVERY PENNY! And they know it! And it's the same thing now we can't tour you know...”

“So this is where we stand with the situation right now. Normally I know exactly what's going on for the full year [ahead] but now... We were supposed to, like, tour the USA, and then in the summer time mix the live album, tour Europe from September and go back into USA again from the first of December for a little Christmas tour at the same time as the live album would be released, you know?! So it makes no sense. They [don't understand] that [with a] live album you don't get the same profit as [you do] from a normal King Diamond album because [live albums] are cheaper to record. This one might be a little more expensive than a normal [live] album since it's a triple live album, but it is cheaper to record [than a studio one], and it makes no sense! And then I have to look at it [this] way: 'What do they want us to do now? What is it the label is asking us to do?' They say, 'Can't you put your career on the shelf for a while? Maybe a year? Do it until we have money to [give you] tour support.' [And I'm like] 'What?? Are you fucking kidding?? How [can] I trust that you [will] suddenly get better and get money... And I can't wait for eight months to a year just sitting there looking at the sun, are you fucking crazy?' So I said, 'That is not an option! You'll have to check [everything at your end] and fix this up [somehow]! If you can't do it, [then] you [are forcing] me to look at what I'm gonna do [next]. Well, the next thing, according to my contract, is that I can do another Mercyful Fate album. Because that is long overdue, and we've given the label notice now, they have another week left to tell us if they [will pick up] the next Mercyful Fate option. But they know very well that [if] they don't have the money to send us on a tour [then] they don't have the money to [let us] record a Mercyful Fate album. And then they'll have to set us free. And then we could go to a good label and get the support we would normally get. And that same scenario will happen on the first of May when they are [having to decided as whether or not they want to pick up] the next King Diamond option. We'll have the same problem, and they won't have the money for that, they don't have the money right now for this year! They will lose both Mercyful Fate and King Diamond unless they change their minds now. It's not that we are trying to pressure them, it is that they are forcing us to do this. So I could be in the situation that when I'm done with doing all of the interviews [to promote the release of Abigail II] in two weeks or so, that I'll be full-blast writing again for the next Mercyful Fate album. If we don't get [the tour support for King Diamond] then I'll continue writing while the lawyers are looking for a new deal [for Mercyful Fate]. And maybe we'll have enough songs for a King Diamond and Mercyful Fate album by the time we find out if they can let King Diamond go. And hopefully by that time Mercyful Fate will have a deal so we can do that you know. I mean, we are not at a point where we [can] say, 'Oh, it's about to end'—not at ALL! The last Mercyful Fate [album] was 9 and it [was] one of the best we've done with Mercyful Fate. And with King Diamond, Abigail II is so much stronger, in our minds we feel that it's the strongest we've done, you know?! So it's like, 'Don't fucking come here and try stopping our career with that kind of sh.t! Either you find a way to arrange your priorities so we can do what we can normally do or if you can't do that, then obviously you are a company that is not very good anymore! For us anyway! You are hindering our career! We need to get away from you and if you are forcing us to do this! We WILL do it.' So that is a very strange situation right now. We are not knowing what the hell is going on [touring-wise] because they suddenly came up with that out of the blue and changed their minds [about giving us tour support]...”


Back to Top

 

 

 Recent News
Official, Special, Limited Edition, KNAC Heritage Item On Sale Now!
BREAKING: SKID ROW, ERIK GRONWALL Amicably Part Ways
YES Unveil Talk 30th Anniversary Deluxe Box Set Edition
SAUL Release "More Of The Same" With New Video
RON KEEL BAND Drops New Single, "Hard On The Outside (Heart On The Inside)"
TROLLFEST Release 20 Years In The Wrong Lane Compilation Album
THE BLACK MOODS Share New Single, Video For "Heaven"
DAUGHTRY Shares New Single "Pieces"
WEEDEATER Announce Spring US Tour
WAGE WAR Unleash "Magnetic" Video
PUSCIFER, A PERFECT CIRCLE, PRIMUS Announce The Sessanta E.P.P.P.
KUARANTINE, Featuring CHRIS JERICHO, Drop New KISS Cover Of "Good Girl Gone Bad"
BILLY MORRISON, STEVE STEVENS, OZZY OSBOURNE Join Forces For New Track, "Crack Cocaine"
VISIONS OF ATLANTIS Ready New Album, Pirates II - Armada
HIGH ON FIRE Announces U.S. Headlining Tour Dates
SIX BY SIX (Featuring IAN CREICHTON, NIGEL GLOCKLER & ROBERT BERRY) Launch New Video For "Obiliex"
Bay Area Legends FORBIDDEN Announce First Annual OmegAfest
THE MELVINS Stream New Track "Allergic To Food"
HATEBREED Announce 30th Anniversary North American Headline Tour
SONIC UNIVERSE, Featuring COREY GLOVER (LIVING COLOUR) + MIKE ORLANDO (ADRENALINE MOB), Release Video For "Higher"
UNLEASH THE ARCHERS Drop "Ghosts In The Mist" Performance Video
KANSAS Extends Their 50th Anniversary Tour By Adding Third Leg
MOB RULES Release Cover Of IRON MAIDEN's "Run To The Hills"
A DAY TO REMEMBER Announce Summer 2024 'The Least Anticipated Album Tour'
MY DYING BRIDE Share "The 2nd of Three Bells" Video
PENTAGRAM Announces Three U.S. Performances
ABORTED Unleash "Condemned To Rot (feat. Francesco Paoli)" Video
THE DEAD DAISIES Announce U.S. Dates, New Drummer
SCOTT STAPP Drops Duet Video With DOROTHY For "If These Walls Could Talk"
NEW HORIZON Unveils New Album Conquerors
LIVING DEAD GIRL Share New Single "Ugly"
DRAGONFORCE Unleash New Video "Burning Heart"
NORTHLANE Announce Summer 2024 North American Headline Tour
JOE SATRIANI, STEVE VAI To Release New Music Together For The First Time
MANIC EDEN Self-Titled Album Set For Re-Release, Available On Vinyl For First Time
COMBUSTION 96 Premieres "On the Line" Video
SEBASTIAN BACH Reveals New Album Child Within The Man
MESSER Drops New Video For "Throw it Away"
DARKTHRONE Ready New Album It Beckons Us All
VENDED Reveal New Single/Video, "The Far Side"
SIX FEET UNDER Return With New Album Killing For Revenge
SLASH Announces S.E.R P.E.N.T. Festival-Solidarity, Engagement, Restore, Peace, Equality N' Tolerance
THE TREATMENT Unveil New Album Wake Up The Neighbourhood
LEE AARON Reveals First Video From Covers Album For "Tattoo"
EVILDEAD Ready New Album Toxic Grace
MARKO HIETALA, TARJA TURUNEN Join For Duet Single, Video "Left On Mars"
CRYSTAL VIPER Return With New Album The Silver Key
BLUE OYSTER CULT Share New Video For "Don't Come Running To Me"
DARKEST HOUR Unveil 'Perpetual | Terminale' Beer Collaboration With DC Brau
Stadium Rockers KISSIN' DYNAMITE Are Back With A Bang With New Album
VESPERIAN SORROW Share New Song, "They Beheld The Chainbreaker's Crowning Defiance"
Guitar Virtuoso MARTY FRIEDMAN Announces New Album Drama
VEXED Releases Official Video For "It's Not The End"
Rock Supergroup BLACK COUNTRY COMMUNION Reveal New Album V
SOIL Announce European Festival, Headline Tour
French Metal Pioneers NIGHTMARE Return With New Album, Encrypted
BARONESS To Take 'Sweet Oblivion Tour' To Europe
SLASH Set For Sixth Solo Album, A Blues-Infused Orgy Of The Damned
TYR Gets "Hammered" In New Music Video, Single
PAIN Reveal New Album I Am
KURT DEIMER Unveils New Video For "Dance"
MOB RULES Set To Release Compilation Album, Celebration Day - 30 Years Of Mob Rules
ROCK THE LOCKS Music Festival Announces 2024 Band Lineup
FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH Announce Summer Headlining U.S. Tour
STORMBORN Unleashes New Video For "Serpentine"
THE WARNING Ready New Album Keep Me Fed
CKY Announce Spring 2024 Headline Tour
SETYOURSAILS Shares New Video For "Lately"
FLESHGOD APOCALYPSE Returns With New Single "Pendulum"
KICKIN VALENTINA Launch New Single For "Ride Or Die"
INTERVALS Set For New Album Memory Palace
THE NATIVE HOWL Release New Single, Video For "Mercy" Featuring LZZY HALE
SEVEN SPIRES Return With New Album, A Fortress Called Home
PRONG Honor RUSH With Cover Of "Working Man"
LIKE MOTHS TO FLAMES Return With New Studio Album The Cycles Of Trying To Cope
ALPHA WOLF Share New Video For "Whenever You're Ready"
JINJER Announces First Official Live DVD/Blu-Ray, Live In Los Angeles
KK'S PRIEST Unleash "Keeper Of The Graves" Video
CROWNSHIFT Drop New Video For "A World Beyond Reach"
THE GEMS Share New Video For "Queens"
DARK TRANQUILLITY Unveil New Album Endtime Signals
THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER Return To Europe For First Time Since 2019
DANKO JONES Shares Previously Unreleased Electric Sounds Bonus Track, "Waiting For You" Titled "Waiting For You"
BLIND CHANNEL Drop New Album Exit Emotions
BARONESS, RED FANG Unite For First-Ever Joint U.S. Tour Dates
ANGELS OF BABYLON Release 3rd Album Aquarius
ECLIPSE Unleashes New Video For "Apocalypse Blues"
BLACKTOP MOJO Return New Single "As The Light Fades"
AXEL RUDI PELL Unveils New Album Risen Symbol
I PREVAIL, HALESTORM Join For 2024 Summer Co-Headline Tour
BURNING WITCHES Honor OZZY Osbourne With Video For Cover Of "Shot In The Dark"
RAGE Share New Single "Cold Desire"
RHAPSODY OF FIRE Ready New Album Challenge The Wind
MILWAUKEE METAL FEST 2024 Adds DORO, ROSS THE BOSS And ATHEIST To Lineup
ATTILA Unleash New Single For "Timebomb"
CAPULET FEST Reveal Intital Bands For 2024 Edition
JUDAS PRIEST Set For Global Album Listening Parties For Invincible Shield
ARCHSPIRE Announce 2024 North American 'The Everything's F#*!@D Tour'
LORDS OF SALEM Release New Single "Eternal Love"
SEBASTIAN BACH Announces 2024 "What Do I Got To Lose Tour"
WHOM GODS DESTROY Launch New Single, Video For "Crawl"
2024 ROCK FOR RONNIE Benefit Concert Announced
SOIL Announce 2024 UK Headline Tour
ACCEPT Share New Album Title Track Video For "Humanoid"
DEF LEPPARD Celebrates 40th Anniversary Of Pyromania With Deluxe Expanded Edition
ABBATH Announces First North American Tour In Five Years
WHITECROSS Return With New Album Fear No Evil
SLAUGHTER TO PREVAIL Unleash Brutal New Video For "Conflict"
AS I LAY DYING Announce U.S. Summer 2024 Tour
FROM ASHES TO NEW Announce U.S. Headline "The Blackout Tour Pt. 2"
DEATH DEALER UNION Drops "Beyond Heaven" Video
ULI JON ROTH Returns To North America This Spring For Tour
HELL'S HEROES FESTIVAL Announces Daily Schedules, Set Times For 2024
P.O.D. Announce 2024 Headline "I Got That" Tour
APOCALYPTICA Announce New METALLICA Tribute Album, Apocalyptica Plays Metallica Vol. 2
THE ARSON CHOIR Drop "Ravenous" New Video
FREEDOM CALL Unveil New Album Silver Romance
NONPOINT Announces 'The Million Watts Tour 2024'
DIRTY HONEY Releases New Video For "Coming Home (Ballad Of The Shire)"
IMMINENCE Reveal New Album The Black
AFTERSHOCK Festival Reveals 2024 Band Lineups
AMARANTHE Release New Album Title Track Video For "The Catalyst"
KILLINGTON PIT Share JUDAS PRIEST Cover Video For "Riding On The Wind"
AUGUST BURNS RED Announce 2024 'Spring Fling' Tour
Former NIGHTWISH Vocalist ANETTE OLZON Announces Third Solo Album Rapture
JUDAS PRIEST Stream New Track "The Serpent And The King"
PRAYING MANTIS Return With New Album Defiance
DEICIDE Announced As A Headliner For Decibel Magazine Metal & Beer Fest
SHIPROCKED Sets Dates For 2025 Cruise
EXHUMED Guitarist MATT HARVEY Releases New Solo EP Toward The Cold Light
ACE FREHLEY Drops New Video For "Cherry Medicine"
VANDEN PLAS Unveil New Album Details For The Empyrean Equation Of The Long Lost Things
GATECREEPER Launch Video For "Caught In The Treads"
HIGH ON FIRE Ready New Album Cometh The Storm
ROTTING CHRIST Release "Like Father, Like Son" Video
IAN HUNTER Returns With Defiance Part 2: Fiction Album
VENREZ Drop New Video For "Sip The Cup"
TESLA Set To Release Real To Reel Vol I Album As Double LP For Record Store Day
BOUNDARIES Announce U.S. Headline Tour Dates
Symphonic Metal Diva LEAH Releases New Album The Glory And The Fallen
SAUL Announce Spring 2024 Headline Tour Dates
THE ELECTRIC HIGHWAY FESTIVAL Announces 2024 Lineup
APOGEAN Launches Music Video For "Bluelight Sonata"
MAD WITH POWER VII Festival Reveals Final 2024 Band Lineup
1349 Announce North American Tour
BLOODBOUND Announce Anniversary Live Album, Blu-Ray, The Tales of Nosferatu - Two Decades of Blood (2004 - 2024)
ABORTED Unleash "Dreadbringer (Feat. Ben Duerr)" Visualizer Video
Guitarist STEVE CONTE (NEW YORK DOLLS, MICHAEL MONROE) Readies New Album The Concrete Jangle
SUICIDAL ANGELS Stream New Single "Virtues Of Destruction"
PIG DESTROYER Announce April East Coast Headline Run
BLAZE BAYLEY Releases "Mind Reader" Video
SUPAFLY, Featuring RAY WEST Of SPREAD EAGLE, Announce Record Release Party
CLASSLESS ACT Release "Toxic" BRITNEY SPEARS Cover Video
KAMELOT Continues The 'Awaken The World Tour' 2024 In Europe This October
DRAGONFORCE Share TAYLOR SWIFT Cover Video Of "Wildest Dreams"
LOUDER THAN LIFE Festival Celebrates 10 Years With The Return Of SLAYER!



HOME | MAGAZINE | VIDS | STORE | HELP/POLICIES

©2024 KNAC.COM. All Rights Reserved.    Link to us    Advertise with us    Privacy policy
 Latest News