Name: Masquerade of Madness
Brand: King Diamond

Bonus disc

Bonus disc: No

Catalogue number

160831

Colour

Black

Colour details

Discogs ID

Format multiplier

Download code

Download code: No

Rough Trade Exclusive

Rough Trade Exclusive: No

Extended format

Extended format: No

Format detail

Format Music GB

Limited edition

Release date

2024-02-23

Signed copies

Signed copies: No

Supplier GB

The Orchard

Tax rate GB

Standard:20

UPC / Barcode

039841608311

Total Cap

Black 12"

Artist

King Diamond

Genre GB

Metal

Label GB

Metal Blade Records

King Diamond is a heavy metal vocalist from Denmark, born on June 14, 1956. He gained fame as the lead singer of Mercyful Fate and later formed his own band. Known for his falsetto vocals and theatrical stage presence, King Diamond often adorns himself with ever-changing face paint featuring inverted crosses. In his lyrics, he explores occult themes and Gothic horror stories involving haunted houses, ghosts, and possession.

In the 1980s, King Diamond faced criticism from religious and parental groups due to his image and affiliation with Anton LaVey's Church of Satan. However, he has since stated that he follows no religion at all. Currently residing in Dallas, Texas, USA, King Diamond is married to Hungarian-born vocalist Livia Zita who also performs with his band and serves as his business partner.

Despite facing health issues in the late 2000s which required back surgery in 2007 and a triple-bypass in 2010, King Diamond continues to captivate audiences with his unique style. His music has influenced numerous artists within the heavy metal genre such as *Mercyful Fate*, *Halford*, *Anvil*, *Metal Church*, *Sanctuary*, *Overkill*, *Venom*, *Running Wild* and many more.

King Diamond/Masquerade of Madness was originally released as a digital single on November 8th, 2019. On February 23rd, 2024 Masquerade of Madness will be available for the first time on vinyl! The 3-track LP features Masquerade of Madness, Welcome Home (Live at Graspop) and Arrival (Live at Graspop) all available for the first time on vinyl. The 12’ LP will feature a collectable paper mask. “Masquerade of Madness was released digitally in 2019 before our North American tour. During rehearsals, we took one full day to film Masquerade of Madness with David Brodsky and Allison Woest. We spent all day and all night recording while performing the song with our full tour stage show choreography. After the tour, covid happened. “The video was all but forgotten as the world came to a standstill – we never saw a single frame from all the footage. Years later, as things began to pick up and writing began for both new Mercyful Fate and King Diamond records, we wondered, what happened to that video from four years ago? So we decided to check in with David Brodsky and a couple of weeks later, we had the first cut of the video. “I was speechless! I had nothing to criticize and after just a few notes from Andy LaRocque, the video for Masquerade of Madness was finished! There’s so much mood and black and white is used in a perfect way with Jodi’s performances. The visuals fit the music flawlessly and this is now among my favorite King Diamond videos along with Sleepless Nights and Welcome Home – and not to forget of course, our double live DVD. “This new video and the release of Masquerade of Madness on 12” vinyl is our Halloween gift to the fans. We hope you enjoy this as much as we do! Happy Halloween, it’s not just a dream!”

Masquerade of Madness

Music GB

Discover Masquerade of Madness by King Diamond. This 3-track vinyl LP includes the exclusive tracks Welcome Home and Arrival, along with a collectable paper mask. Released on February 23rd, 2024.