King Diamond has been working on his first new album since Give Me Your Soul… Please in 2007, which I think just about everyone has been very excited for. Now in shocking, but incredibly welcome news, the king is also giving the world some Mercyful Fate reunion shows during the summer of 2020 in Europe.
According to King Diamond, Mercyful Fate will reunite for "an unspecified number of concerts throughout Europe during the summer of 2020, including COPENHELL" The band will only play material from the 1982 Mercyful Fate EP, the Melissa and Don't Break The Oath albums, and "some brand new songs written specifically in that very same style." These new songs will be Mercyful Fate's first new material since their 1999 album 9.
Mercyful Fate 2020 will be the band's 9 lineup of Diamond, guitarists Hank Shermann and Mike Wead, drummer Bjarne T Holm, as well as Fates Warning bassist Joey Vera in place of Timi Hansen.
NEVER BREAK THE OATH
MERCYFUL FATE will be playing an unspecified number of concerts throughout Europe during the summer of 2020, including COPENHELL.
It will be the “9” lineup, featuring:
Hank Shermann – Guitar
King Diamond – Vocals
Bjarne T Holm – Drums
Mike Wead – Guitar
with Joey Vera on the bass while Timi Hansen is away.
We asked Joey Vera (Armored Saint, Fates Warning) to fill in because he has a very unique style and sound playing with his fingers, much like that of Timi Hansen. This is very important, since the set list will only consist of songs from the very first “mini LP”, the “Melissa” album, and the “Don’t Break The Oath” album, plus some brand new songs written specifically in that very same style.
This will very much be Mercyful Fate as we were in the very beginning, except for a brand new major stage production.
See you at the Ruined Bridge.
Stay Heavy…
