Late era King Diamond

[ElectricWiz]

On a whim I picked up The Puppet Master by King Diamond recently. Actually, I'm fairly pleasantly surprised. Sure, the story is kind of thin, and hardly "scary" for this day and age, but then again....I really dig the album - and in its way, the story does work. I've more or less ignored King Diamond since "Them," having been a Mercyful Fate addict (and then Abigail and Them) back in the day.

Long story short, enlighten me. What are some of King's more acceptable later records? I do know full well the quality dropped off, hence my choice to kind of stay away - I still consider the A Corpse Without Soul up through Them to be some of the best metal albums of all time....

 

[MetalAges]

I really liked Conspiracy and The Eye (must haves in my book!), and if you dig Puppet Master I think you will also enjoy Abigail II. After those, I would grab Spider's Lullabye, House of God, VooDoo and the Graveyard (in that order).

As for me, THEM is one of my all time fav albums followed closely by Abigail. King says the album he's working on now "as long as I don't screw the vocals up" - will be his best album ever. BOLD WORDS!

 

[Narcosynthesys68]

The Puppet Master is killer stuff! I never too much cared for all the falsetto stuff that he has done but with the Puppet Master, he really keeps it in line! The songs are just ace and it really flows from start to finish, as a great metal disc should!

 

[SoundMaster]

Puppet Master is EASILY his best work since the immortal "The Eye", which I consider as good as any of his classic 80s records.

Anyway, the EYE is mandatory, as is it's predecessor, "Conspiracy".

Most of King's 90s output isn't as strong, however. Each record contains some AWESOME tunes, but he's more or less repeated himself now for a decade (although, again, Puppet Master is total throwback to the quality his best 80s).

As for 90s MFate, the "In the Shadows" record is a modern classic, IMO. The great Sherman riffs are there, the awesome dueling Denner/Sherman solos, etc. The only thing it lacks is the erie 'darkness' of the original Fate material.

Classic 90s Fate songs to sample on ITunes (if they're available):
Nightmare Be Thy Name
Into the Unknown
Crossroads
House On the Hill
Sold My Soul
My Demon
15 men

 

[Trans-Siberian Outcast]

I loved Puppet Master! Great album. I went on a King Diamond kick this summer, adding PM, Voodoo, and Abigail II to my collection, as well as some of the old classics. You know, I'll agree the quality of the music dropped off some in the 90s, but it's still King. It's all still really good music, if a little rehashed in spots.

I'll agree with those sentiments that Puppetmaster is the best he's done since The Eye. Them is still my personal favorite. He'll have a hard time topping that album for me.

 

[Platinum Maze]

Yeah dude, Conspiracy is a must!!

Beginning with The Eye, I never really got into anything as much as the first four. But, there are some awesome songs scattered throughout. "Spirits" from Abigail II is a big time favorite of mine. Abigail II, Voodoo, House of God, and Spider's Lullabye are all pretty strong albums...as is The Eye.

 

[EVERLOSTINDEADETERNITY]

Voodoo , not having this later day KD album is sacriligeous. Im being ahypocrite as I use to have it and it was stolen and I havent been able to find another copy. DAMN IT, I loved this album .

 

[ElectricWiz]

Thanks all for suggestions. The truth is, I'd heard snippets here and there of these albums, but - I don't know - just wandered away from King at some point. Really, I put the early stuff in so much, and in fact still do. I'll definately take all your suggestions to heart though, as Puppet Master is more awesome everytime I listen. And it is spooky somehow. It's one of his stranger soundscapes, so long as putting music to the story goes. It's such a weird and somewhat creepy record. Very cool.

 

[Wheezer]

The Puppet Master is killer stuff! I never too much cared for all the falsetto stuff that he has done but with the Puppet Master, he really keeps it in line! The songs are just ace and it really flows from start to finish, as a great metal disc should!

That's exactly it for me. I always liked the music but the vox got in the way of me listening to his stuff.

 

[sumairetsu]

For later day King and Mercyful Fate, I'd have to go with Puppet Master, Voodoo and 9.

 

[Iced Ray]

I like all of KD's albums (even The Graveyard is not bad).

The Puppet Master was awesome.

 

[#1_Droogie]

I really liked The Puppet Master, the opening riff to Magic is one hell of a riff!

I'm also really anticipating the new one, it should be good.

 

[wdiv]

King says the album he's working on now "as long as I don't screw the vocals up" - will be his best album ever. BOLD WORDS!

Yeah, but every artist says their current work is going to be their best ever.

 

[Fangface]

I loved Puppet Master! Great album. I went on a King Diamond kick this summer, adding PM, Voodoo, and Abigail II to my collection, as well as some of the old classics. You know, I'll agree the quality of the music dropped off some in the 90s, but it's still King. It's all still really good music, if a little rehashed in spots.

Yes it is! King has yet to release a bad record.

My ranking for late era King Diamond :
1/ The Puppet Master
2/ Voodoo (you should probably get this one first Wiz )
3/ House of God
4/ The Spider's Lullabye
5/ Abigail II
6/ The Graveyard

As for the RoadRunner days... they're all classics to me :
1/ Abigail
2/ Conspiracy
3/ Them (yeah I like Conspiracy even more )
4/ Fatal Portait
5/ The Eye (good songs, weak production...)

 

[Platinum Maze]

My ranking for late era King Diamond :
1/ The Puppet Master
2/ Voodoo (you should probably get this one first Wiz )
3/ House of God
4/ The Spider's Lullabye
5/ Abigail II
6/ The Graveyard

^^
Mine is a little different.

1/Voodoo
2/Spider's Lullabye
3/Abigail II (for "Spirits" alone)
4/Puppet Master
5/House of God (I've barely listened to this)
6/The Graveyard

As for the RoadRunner days... they're all classics to me :
1/ Abigail
2/ Conspiracy
3/ Them (yeah I like Conspiracy even more )
4/ Fatal Portait
5/ The Eye (good songs, weak production...)

^^^ This is my exact ranking as well.

 

[SickBoy]

Yeah, but every artist says their current work is going to be their best ever.

And every new statement like that only gets lamer and lamer...
Geez, make something new up, instead of repeating the same sentence over and over again...
Suppose an interview like this:
- "The new album's gonna be..."
- "...The best ever, right? Oh come on, you can do better than that lousy phrase!"

 

[Dän]

I've found it very hard to get into much of Kings post-Conspiracy works. I guess because the pre-reunion Fate was so damn good, and Early KD being almost as great everything else, imo, pales in comparison. Bit I think all of KD albums have a charm to them, all have fantastic tracks on them. The puppet Master and The Eye are the two most solid albums Imo.

 

[MetalAges]

Yeah, but every artist says their current work is going to be their best ever.

True - but I have never recalled the KING saying it - and for him to rank it with the earlier albums....very ballsy. We shall see.