Metal Blade Records, known for bringing classic metal albums back to life, have re-issued special vinyl editions of four Mercyful Fate 1990s full-lengths. In the Shadows, Time, Into the Unknown, and 9 are now available in new colors, with US and EU variants. Find out more below.
US orders here.
EU orders here.
In honor of these unholy releases, heavy metal icons Mercyful Fate created new merch designs available at the following locations:
Europe https://eustore.mercyfulfatecoven.com/
US https://store.mercyfulfatecoven.com/
Release details:
In The Shadows
(Original Release Date: 06/22/1993)
Format Details
US: Single LP + insert
EU: Single LP + poster
US Vinyl Variants:
Blue Smoke
Fog
EU Vinyl Variant:
Teal Green Marbled
Time
(Original Release Date: 10/25/1994)
Format Details
US: Single LP + insert
EU: Single LP + poster
US Vinyl Variants:
Bone
Transparent Black and White marbled
EU Vinyl Variant:
Beige/Brown Marbled
Into the Unknown
(Original Release Date: 08/20/1996)
Format Details
US: Single LP + insert
EU: Single LP + poster
*Mastered for vinyl by Patrick W. Engel
US VInyl Variants:
Grey/Black Marbled
Fog Marbled
EU Vinyl Variant:
Iced Tea Marbled
9
(Original Release Date: June 15th, 1999)
Format Details
US: Single LP + insert
EU: Single LP + poster
*Mastered for vinyl by Patrick W. Engel
US Vinyl Variants:
Red Smoke
Tigers Eye
EU Vinyl Variant:
Yellow Ochre with Blue Swirls
About the band:
Mercyful Fate is hard at work on a new album and back in June of 2022, gave fans a taste of the new material when they debuted a song called “The Jackal Of Salzburg” in Germany as well as at Psycho Las Vegas. The band‘s current lineup is King Diamond on vocals, Hank Shermann and Mike Wead on guitars, Bjarne T. Holm on drums and Joey Vera on bass.
Mercyful Fate was formed in early 1981 in Copenhagen, Denmark by vocalist King Diamond and guitarist Hank Shermann. They were later joined by guitarist Michael Denner and bassist Timi Hansen, and soon thereafter drummer Kim Ruzz would join to complete the band lineup. The band recorded two demos in 1981 and later signed with Rave On Records in Holland for the recording of their successful self-titled EP, released in November of 1982. The Mercyful Fate EP was soon in heavy rotation around core metal radio stations, launching a new breed of heavy metal with their unique sound.
The band joined Roadrunner Records in 1983 and their debut full-length, Melissa, was recorded and released that same year. The following year, Mercyful Fate returned to the studio to record their now legendary Don‘t Break The Oath full-length, released in September of 1984.
Mercyful Fate embarked upon a two month US tour in support of the record, which took them across the States several times sharing the stage with the likes of Motörhead and Exciter. The shows had created a brush fire within the metal community. The band reaped recognition globally, closing the year with a five-date tour in Germany with Motörhead, Girlschool, Helix, and Talon.
By April of 1985 however, Mercyful Fate decided to part ways for each to pursue new challenges. The King Diamond band was born and reaped critical acclaim the following years with five studio albums on Roadrunner Records. King Diamond has since signed with Metal Blade Records and is going stronger than ever before.
In the Summer of 1992, Mercyful Fate decided to reunite and penned a new deal with Brian Slagel and his label, Metal Blade Records. In The Shadows was released in 1993 and was an instant triumph furthered by a sold out US tour.
Mercyful Fate has gone on to release another five studio albums and have toured Europe, the US, and South America multiple times. The highlight of 1999 was their critically acclaimed album 9 which was followed by a European tour with Metallica, where King Diamond and Hank Shermann joined the band onstage several times for the medley “Mercyful Fate” which Metallica had recorded on their Garage Inc. double tribute album the year prior. Tours in the US and in South America followed, marking the band‘s last live performances for over a decade. Mercyful Fate then went on hiatus, but made a brief appearance when members joined Metallica onstage in 2011 for their 30th anniversary show in San Francisco, California.
Follow Mercyful Fate:
https://www.facebook.com/mercyfulfateofficial
https://www.instagram.com/mercyfulfatecoven/
https://twitter.com/MercyfulFate_HQ
https://www.youtube.com/c/MercyfulFateOfficial