King Diamond
"Abigail II: The Revenge"
(Metal Blade Records) 

Even though I've interviewed King Diamond twice and I'm a huge fan of his music, I have to admit, I became hooked a little late in life. I'm not sure how I came into the know, but, I remember I got a copy of "Them," which happens to be my favorite release, for my birthday. I played that tape to death and, luckily, I still have it...haven't picked it up on disc yet. Anyway, I was hooked on this tape and I was a casual fan at the time. When I began my writing career, a few of his releases were sent my way for review and I became more an more interested in his past material...just to have it, to hear what I was missing. I picked up a copy of the original "Abigail" after seeing the video for "The Family Ghost." While I did enjoy this album...you have to admit, it's a goddamn classic...I never really paid attention to the story line. Now that "Abigail II: The Revenge" has been released, I've been saying to myself, "See, you should have paid attention." Well, I won't go into the story here because, to be quite honest, I'm finally getting familiar with the first one. But, as I sit here listening to the new one, I can make a few comments. First of all, this is everything you've come to expect from a King Diamond release. Classic horror metal and the perfect companion to the original release, of course. As most of you know, Kind Diamond has been around for ages and the one thing that really stands out on this release is his vocal performance, which is very strong. I've also seen some of his past releases being picked apart for not being up to par when it comes to the music. Personally, I don't think this guy ever made a bad album in his life and, second, I'd like to see someone pick this release apart. They'd have to be retarded to complain about this one. Excellent production...and, I don't care what anyone says, the music really shines on this one. Bottom line...if you're a fan, you're not gonna be disappointed with this release. Pick it up, crank it up and stay heavy! All hail the King once again because, when it comes to making music, he never fails us! http://www.metalblade.com

More from the Online Metal Journal