King Diamond guitarist Andy LaRocque, in an appearance on the Heels And Quads YouTube channel, spoke about the progress the band has made on The Institute, which would be the first LP in nearly sixteen years from King Diamond. King, of course, has stayed busy throughout the years, especially lately with Mercyful Fate, who premiered their first new music since 1999 back in June, and announced a major North American tour beginning this fall. Still, King said in an interview with Creem last month that his new album will preceed any new Mercyful Fate record.
"[King] is focused on Mercyful Fate right now, but we've been talking a little bit about [the King Diamond album]," said La Rocque. "I sent him a bunch of songs in January that we started working on, arrangement-wise, in the springtime. But then Mercyful Fate came in between. So as soon as they're done with [the Mercyful Fate tour] in the fall, we're gonna pick that up again and continue. So we have a bunch of songs. And then also King will write a few songs too, of course. So there will be plenty of songs to put on the album, that's for sure. So, yeah, we're definitely working on it."
You can watch the complete interview with La Rocque below.
At the Bloodstock Open Air festival this year, King told Oran O'Beirne from Bloodstock TV that "[King Diamond] have a very special thing for [The Institute]. It's gonna be a two-album story. The release will be next year. And touring in the summer is the plan… but we are building something that you will never have seen on a stage before—not that way. And with the light guy, he's never done it that way either. … It's very different, very sick. You will not have seen musicians standing on stage in that type of light. It's gonna be very dark. [The musicians] have to learn to play in dark areas. It's crazy. I know that our light guy, he can't wait for us to do it. I showed him some pictures that have the kind of feelings I want, the kind of backdrops I want, stuff like that. … This is gonna blow people's minds when they see it, I am a hundred percent sure."
In a previous interview with Creem, King revealed he and Metal Blade Records CEO Brian Slagel planned to release a new King Diamond album prior to the new Mercyful Fate album. He also added that "Masquerade Of Madness"—the stand-alone single he released in 2019—probably won't even be on the album and that "it'll be all new songs."
"We're working on it. Brian Slagel at Metal Blade said he wants the King Diamond album to be released first. We're not going to change [the schedule] just because everything has been postponed, and [instead] it's Mercy playing live. Andy sent me eight songs of his for the King Diamond album, but that's maybe enough for his share for two albums…. I don't even think "Masquerade of Madness" will be on the album. It'll be all new songs."
Meanwhile, Mercyful Fate will begin their fall tour in King's adopted home of Dallas, and will stretch coast-to-coast over 14 dates. They will be joined by Kreator and Midnight, and you can find those dates below.
10/25 Dallas, TX – The Factory
10/27 Phoenix, AZ – Arizona Financial Theatre
10/29 Inglewood, CA – Youtube Theater
10/30 Wheatland, CA – Hard Rock Live Sacramento
11/1 Denver, CO – Fillmore Auditorium
11/3 Gary, IN – Hard Rock Casino Northern Indiana
11/4 Cincinnati, OH – The Andrew J. Brady Music Center
11/5 Detroit, MI – Masonic
11/8 Silver Spring, MD – The Fillmore Silver Spring
11/10 Brooklyn, NY – Kings Theater
11/11 Laval, QC – Place Bell
11/13 Boston, MA – MGM Music Hall At Fenway
11/14 Philadelphia, PA – The Fillmore Philadelphia
11/16 Atlanta, GA – Tabernacle
