King Diamond

Biography

King Diamond is a Danish American heavy metal band formed in 1985 by Danish singer King Diamond, after the first breakup of Mercyful Fate. Instantly recognizable through his voice, able to shift from a menacing low register to a piercing falsetto, and through his corpse painted face, the artist developed a theatrical metal built on conceptual albums of gothic horror. Fatal Portrait (1986) launched the formula, while Abigail (1987), the haunted tale of a house and its ghosts, stands as a masterpiece of the genre. Blending classic riffs, macabre storytelling and careful staging, King Diamond built a unique and influential world. He remains a cult figure of heavy metal and a master of the horror concept album.