Tag: King Diamond
0 KING DIAMOND Announces North American Fall Tour
KING DIAMOND has confirmed what has been rumored for several weeks: a full North American tour this Fall! The long-awaited trek will commence on October 11th in Atlanta and wrap up with the previously announced performance at Fun Fun Fun Fest in Austin. A limited edition KING DIAMOND jacket will be available through the SHOWstubs.com fan club presale, which begins tomorrow, June 24th. Tickets will be on sale online and at box offices nationwide on Friday, June 27th.
KING DIAMOND will be joined on stage by longtime band members Andy LaRocque, Mike Wead, Hal Patino, and Matt Thompson. Additionally, North American fans will bear witness to the band’s full European festival stage show. These will be the most ambitious and largest North American productions of the band’s entire history. A special guest support act for the tour will be announced in the coming weeks.KING DIAMOND North American Tour 2014:
10/11/2014 Center Stage – Atlanta, GA
10/13/2014 The Fillmore – Silver Spring, MD
10/14/2014 Best Buy Theatre – New York, NY
10/16/2014 The Palladium – Worcester, MA
10/17/2014 Olympia – Montreal, QC
10/18/2014 The Sound Academy – Toronto, ON
10/19/2014 Stage AE – Pittsburgh, PA
10/21/2014 The Vic Theatre – Chicago, IL
10/22/2014 The Pageant – St. Louis, MO
10/24/2014 Paramount Theatre – Denver, CO
10/26/2014 The Complex – Salt Lake City, UT
10/28/2014 The Moose Theatre – Seattle, WA
10/30/2014 The Warfield – San Francisco, CA
10/31/2014 The Wiltern – Los Angeles, CA
11/01/2014 House Of Blues – Las Vegas, NV
11/03/2014 Rialto Theatre – Tucson, AZ
11/05/2014 House Of Blues – Houston, TX
11/06/2014 House Of Blues – Dallas, TX
Fun Fun Fun Fest
11/08/2014 Auditorium Shores – Austin, TX
10/11/2014 Center Stage – Atlanta, GA
10/13/2014 The Fillmore – Silver Spring, MD
10/14/2014 Best Buy Theatre – New York, NY
10/16/2014 The Palladium – Worcester, MA
10/17/2014 Olympia – Montreal, QC
10/18/2014 The Sound Academy – Toronto, ON
10/19/2014 Stage AE – Pittsburgh, PA
10/21/2014 The Vic Theatre – Chicago, IL
10/22/2014 The Pageant – St. Louis, MO
10/24/2014 Paramount Theatre – Denver, CO
10/26/2014 The Complex – Salt Lake City, UT
10/28/2014 The Moose Theatre – Seattle, WA
10/30/2014 The Warfield – San Francisco, CA
10/31/2014 The Wiltern – Los Angeles, CA
11/01/2014 House Of Blues – Las Vegas, NV
11/03/2014 Rialto Theatre – Tucson, AZ
11/05/2014 House Of Blues – Houston, TX
11/06/2014 House Of Blues – Dallas, TX
Fun Fun Fun Fest
11/08/2014 Auditorium Shores – Austin, TX
1 VOLBEAT REVEAL OUTLAW GENTLEMEN & SHADY LADIES DETAILS
VOLBEAT REVEAL OUTLAW GENTLEMEN & SHADY LADIES DETAIL
IN FRONT OF APRIL 9TH ALBUM RELEASE
New Album Features King Diamond, Paul Lamb, Sarah Blackwood and New Band Member, Rob Caggiano
Volbeat has recorded an album that seamlessly brings together all of the band’s influences and reshapes them into something gleaming and new. Planned for release on April 9 Worldwide, Outlaw Gentlemen & Shady Ladies is a record that’s rich with stories and characters woven throughout its lyrics. Some are real – like the noble lady outlaw Pearl Hart, who held up a stagecoach to buy medicine for her dying mother, or Lola Montez, the erotic dancer with her infamous ‘Spider Dance,’ or Black Bart, the gentleman highwayman who wrote poems for the people he robbed. Others are entirely fictional. “The Nameless One” is a cautionary tale of dabbling in the dark arts, featuring the mysterious and sinister character of the title. Elsewhere, “Room 24,” featuring King Diamond, was inspired by a terrifying experience in a hotel room somewhere in the heart of America.
Since forming in Copenhagen in 2000, Volbeat has released four studio albums, and two live offerings, that have turned the band into superstars, collecting platinum discs and prestigious awards making them one of the most talked about bands around the world. Distilling the rebel spirits of metal, rockabilly, country & western and rock’n’roll into a gas-guzzling beast of a sound, they’ve drawn huge acclaim from music fans worldwide, and earned them the respect and admiration of such iconic musicians as James Hetfield and Lars Ulrich of Metallica (who invited them on tour in 2009), Lemmy and Danish metal legend King Diamond, Dave Mustaine, Hank III, Jon Schaefer, Social Distortion and Scott Ian. And now Volbeat’s electrifying fifth album, Outlaw Gentlemen & Shady Ladies, is about to secure them a seat at rock’s top table alongside those very same legends. It finds the core trio of Michael Poulsen (vocals/guitar), Anders Kjølholm (bass) and Jon Larsen (drums) joined by former Anthrax/The Damned Things guitarist Rob Caggiano, who produced the album with longtime Volbeat co-producer Jacob Hansen.
“It’s a new vibe for Volbeat,” says Volbeat main man Michael Poulsen. “You’ve got everything – the rockabilly stuff, the melodies, the ultra-heavy stuff, the Western motifs and the big rock songs. It’s everything that Volbeat are all about, but taken even further.” The album title is a phrase that evokes another time, an era when elegant lawbreakers were the rock stars of the day. It tips its fedora to everything from the bad men (and women) of the old west to the old school metal bands who influenced the young Michael Poulsen to form his first band, Dominus, back in the early 90s.
As with so many classic albums, the seeds of Outlaw Gentlemen & Shady Ladies were sown on the road in Europe and the US. That’s where Poulsen began playing around with ideas and riffs, recording them on his mobile phone and directly to an amp. “Melody, lyrics, everything – it’s just working non-stop in my head,” he shares. When the band eventually returned to Denmark, it was time to go to work. The band leader recalls, “We came back from the U.S. after touring a lot over there, and isolated ourselves in our own homes for six months to finish off the album. That peace was something I needed. Even though it’s very inspiring to write on the road, it’s more comfortable to write at home.”
It was there that the album truly began to take shape. Poulsen would close the curtains, turn off the light and draw inspiration from the old Western movies he’d watched as a child with his father. Watching the old spaghetti westerns he’s watched with his father provided a catalyst for inspiration. He offers, “Sometimes it’s just about the right feeling – the scenery, the lines, the dusty look. I have my own soundtrack when I see those kind of pictures.”
You can hear the influence of the Old West right from the start in “Let’s Shake Some Dust,” an evocative intro track that features harmonica from acclaimed blues harp player Paul Lamb. You can hear it again in the rampaging “Black Bart,” which Poulsen describes as “our country-Motörhead song,” and in the banjos that pepper the chorus of the hard-as-steel “Doc Holliday,” a tribute to the legendary lawman and associate of the Wyatt Earp gang. But Outlaw Gentlemen & Shady Ladies is no country & western record. If it was a car, it would be a 1973 Stutz Blackhawk with monster truck wheels – vintage and modern, stylish and muscular.
You can hear echoes of classic 50s rock’n’roll in the soaring “Pearl Hart,” and the live classic-in-waiting “Lola Montez.” The band’s metal roots come to the fore via the heavy riffage of “Dead But Rising” and “The Nameless One,” while the ghostly “The Lonesome Rider” – which finds Michael duetting with Sarah Blackwood of Canadian band Walk Off The Earth like a modern day Johnny Cash and June Carter Cash – beats with a rockabilly heart. Elsewhere, they bring some greased-back energy to “My Body,” a cover of the hit song by US pop-punk outfit Young The Giant, while the brooding album closer “Our Loved Ones” is the nearest thing they’ve ever written to a ballad. Poulsen offers, “When I was growing up, my dad and mother played a lot of old records – Elvis, Fats Domino, Jerry Lee Lewis and Chuck Berry. I love that stuff – it’s a drug somehow. My own record collection growing up was metal. But I listen to a lot of different styles of music. If something moves you, I don’t care what it is.”
The track “Room 24” features a massive coup for Volbeat with the guest appearance from King Diamond, the legendary front man of Danish metal pioneers Mercyful Fate, and one of Poulsen’s musical idols. He reveals, “I’m a huge fan of Mercyful Fate and King Diamond. Having King on the record is a huge privilege. Normally, it’s not something he does. He wrote his own lines, and it is half my lyrics and half his. It’s a weird, scary story, and he’s the perfect person for it.” Additional guests include Anders Pedersen on slide guitar, Rod Sinclair on banjo and Jakob Øelund on double bass.
The album itself was recorded in the legendary PUK Studios, in Randers, Denmark. With Jacob Hansen and Rob Caggiano sharing production duties, which brought a new dynamic to proceedings. Poulsen reflects, “I love Jacob Hansen’s work. He’s part of Volbeat, and we worked together on all the albums so far. I started flirting with the idea of bringing Rob in as a producer too because he produced Anthrax and The Damned Things, and I like the sound of what he did there. I thought, ‘That could be a really cool combination,’ as both are quality guys with really high standards.”
In closing, Poulsen sums it up in sharing, “I chose this way of living because I love playing music and I love touring. We wanted to write, we wanted to be inspired by our idols, we just wanted to rock out. That, for me, is what music is all about.” Volbeat returns to the road launching a North American tour on March 6 in Dallas, TX. All dates can be found on www.volbeat.dk.
0 KING DIAMOND Signs Worldwide Deal with Metal Blade Records!
Metal Blade Records is pleased to announce that Grammy Award nominated KING DIAMOND has signed a new 3 album worldwide record deal with the label.
“This is gonna be awesome! Another perfect piece of the puzzle. We have the full backup of Metal Blade, and there’s an understanding between us that goes much, much deeper than before. Our new business setup will noticeably benefit the fans in so many ways. You must have already noticed some of all the cool new stuff that is happening. Now we can’t wait to get out there and start touring again!”
Stay Heavy,
King Diamond
KING DIAMOND is quite possibly the most recognizable and prolific personality ever in heavy metal. Revered by icons as big as Metallica and Pantera to inspiring new upstarts like Goatwhore; KING DIAMOND, the man and the band, have left an indelible mark on the history, and now again, the future of heavy metal.
In August of 2008, KING DIAMOND joined Metallica on stage at Ozzfest in Dallas to perform the Mercyful Fate medley made famous from the Garage, Inc. album. Additionally, KING DIAMOND was featured alongside Motorhead’s Lemmy Kilmister as a playable character in Guitar Hero: Metallica in 2009.
By 2012, KING DIAMOND was prepared to return to the stage for a select number of shows. The band’s triumphant return to the stage were the highlights of both the Hellfest and Sweden Rock festivals in France and Sweden. Fans at these festivals were treated to the largest and most involved stage production in the band’s storied history. Horror concepts from multiple albums were used in the décor; fans can rest-assured that this show will only get larger and more impressive at future performances.
KING DIAMOND’s 30+ year musical career is one of the most storied in history of heavy metal, but the tale is not yet over. The most recent release, 2007’s Grammy nominated album Give Me Your Soul…Please, stands as one of the most critically-acclaimed albums in an already iconic discography. Future albums will feature entirely new horror stories, concepts, haunting orchestrations, and the band’s signature brand of heavy metal from the mind of KING DIAMOND and the talented group of musicians in tow: Andy La Rocque, Mike Wead, Hal Patino, and Matt Thompson. Many more albums, tours, and ventures lay ahead.
For news, updates, and all things KING DIAMOND, go to: www.kingdiamondcoven.com
Official KING DIAMOND links:
http://www.kingdiamondcoven.com | http://www.emp.de/kingdiamond
http://twitter.com/realkingdiamond | http://www.youtube.com/realkingdiamond
http://www.facebook.com/kingdiamondofficial
http://www.facebook.com/kingdiamondmercyfulfateofficial
0 Heavy Metal Frontman King Diamond to Join the Digital Cast of Guitar Hero Metallica
Having united forces with rock ‘n’ roll legends Metallica for encore performances and recordings throughout the years, GRAMMY(R) Award-nominated heavy metal vocalist and Mercyful Fate frontman King Diamond will take to the cyber-stage with Metallica this spring in Activision Publishing Inc.’s Guitar Hero(R) Metallica(R).
Fans, stagehands and groupies alike will have the opportunity to shred and drum with or wail as the digital King Diamond during performances of “Evil.” The song, which originally was recorded in 1983 and is one of the Mercyful Fate songs that comprise Metallica’s “Mercyful Fate” medley, was re-recorded by four of the five original band members for Guitar Hero Metallica. The recording session was overseen by guitarist Hank Shermann in the band’s native Denmark; after which King Diamond laid down his vocals in Dallas, Texas, and mixed the song with J.T. Longoria.
“It’s been absolutely amazing to be a part of this Guitar Hero experience. It was quite a trip to re-record the song ‘Evil’ almost 25 years after the original recording took place. The end result with four out of the five original musicians turned out so much better than I would ever have hoped for,” said King Diamond. “Seeing my animated character take form was totally eerie in a very good way. It’s so strange to see yourself animated in such perfect detail – cross bone microphone, Eye necklace and all. This game looks and sounds METAL all the way. HORNS UP!!!”
“Ride the Lightning” with musical icons Metallica and 21 other rockin’ acts in an all new Guitar Hero(R) experience – Guitar Hero Metallica. Enter the world of Lars Ulrich, James Hetfield, Kirk Hammett and Robert Trujillo and experience the intensity and skill of one of the greatest bands of all time. Shred on the guitar controller, rip on the drum kit controller and wail on the mic to a set list featuring over 45 explosive hits from Metallica’s illustrious career and a wide variety of other legendary artists personally selected by the band, such as Alice In Chains, Bob Seger, Foo Fighters, Lynyrd Skynyrd and Queen. Fans will be able to rock as Metallica while performing in venues reminiscent of the band’s epic album covers, themes from their music and real world locales.
Guitar Hero Metallica is being developed by Neversoft Entertainment for the Xbox 360(R) video game and entertainment system from Microsoft and the PLAYSTATION(R)3 computer entertainment system. The Wii(TM) home video game system from Nintendo and the PlayStation(R)2 computer entertainment system versions are being developed by Budcat. The game is rated “T” for Teen by the ESRB. For more information about Guitar Hero Metallica, please visit guitarhero.com.
1 New Video – King Diamond – Give Me Your Soul
Are you ready for a new King Diamond Tune? Check out the new video, for the song Give Me Your Soul. This is on the new King Diamond album, Give Me Your Soul…Please that was released in June 2007.
Hard Rock Hideout 