Mercyful Fate - Don't Break The Oath

Not many things to be told about the first run of Meryful Fate. The Dannish outfit owned it all, great inspiration, all star line up, many fresh ideas and an image that only a few other bands had. It’s not a random fact that in the most magazines, books and internet sites, Mercyful Fate has been mentioned as one of the first black metal bands, not due too their music as for their satanic image and lyrics.
\r\nThe “Don’t Break the Oath” album was the second full length release by the band, right after the “Melissa” opus and personally changed my whole life, this one was the album that introduced me to metal music and made me a fan, since many years ago.
\r\nThe compositions of the album are really beyond any imagination, brought to us by another dimension. There are many tempo changes and outstanding riffs by Denner / Sherman, a guitar duo that for me stands on a little lower step than Tipton/Downing and Murray/Smith. The many variations and riffs along with the tempo changes by the rhythm section Grabber/Ruzz leaves me no choice, but to consider this LP as one of the best progressive metal LP’s of this time.
\r\nAs I previously stated, the band inspired by maiden / priest brought this “cursed” lp to life in 1984. I can imagine the surprise the metalheads of this time experienced, although the fans already had some samples of Μercyful Fate’s music from the EP and “Melissa” releases but in this one Mecyful Fate sounds as solid, inspired and paranoid as never was or will be.
\r\nThe solos of the album by Denner/Shermann sounds as melodic as no other band can, while the ecstatic vocal lines by King Diamond sounds as his best work ever. His paranoid performance along with his lyrics, that talk about Satan, two lovers acting in a graveyard, King’s nightmares and the spirits that run after him, or just king that renounce Jesus Christ and meeting the gypsy woman that really has possessed his soul, is beyond any comparison.
\r\nDuring this monumental lp , I’ve heard some of the best riffs I could ever hear. Riffs on tracks like “Oath”, “Desecration Of Souls”, “Dangerous Meeting”, and “Gypsy” wont be composed again. As well as the awesome instrumental, “To One Far Away” where king uses his faltseto in the best way and produces a great melodic line.
\r\nI couldn’t forget to mention the epic artwork of the album, from the front cover where we see a demon raises from the fire and the great back cove picture of king diamond, in a castle or something.
\r\nI still remember that I tried to play the LP backwards several time, influenced by a Greek cult couple of a journalist and the so called “the man who killed Satan” (a psychic or something) and at last I managed to figure something out. If you play the fade out part of “come to the Sabbath” (Oh My Sweet Satan you are the one) backwards you can hear “Now We Know…Now We Know…”
\r\nGet this LP… 1000% recommended.
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\r\nLampros “Witchfynder”  Tennes
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