Several demos and live shows survive from 1981, including their infamous first concert "Sabbath of all witches" held in early/mid 1981.
In early 1982, the band contributed to the Ebony Records sampler Metallic Storm. Later on in the year, Mercyful Fate recorded its first official release, Mercyful Fate, on vinyl for the Dutch label Rave On. The release included heavy and evil material that would later inspire the black metal genre (although Venom and Bathory are as equally considered as the forefathers of black metal).
Following the EP, the band released Melissa in 1983 and Don't Break the Oath in 1984, which are now considered by many to be classics in both the power metal and black metal genres. Following the tour (which saw them play in the United States for the first time) in support of Don't Break the Oath, Diamond split ways with Mercyful Fate in April 1985 as a result of frustration over creative differences with Hank Shermann. With him, Diamond brought band mates Hansen and Denner to found a new band under his own name. Diamond's new venture continued the tradition of Mercyful Fate, but with a more progressive, conceptual twist to it. In response, Hank Shermann formed the band Fate, which pursued a more AOR direction.
Reunion
In July 1992, the band reformed and signed a contract with Brian Slagel's Metal Blade Records. All the original members without Kim Ruzz (replaced by Morten Nielsen) reformed and released In the Shadows in 1993. The album featured a re-recording of "Return of the Vampire", with Metallica drummer and Mercyful Fate enthusiast Lars Ulrich playing on the track. In the years since, the band has released four other albums, with the last being 9. Similar to the band's first run, members have left and been replaced; Michael Denner left and was replaced by Mike Wead, Drummer Nielsen was later replaced by Snowy Shaw who was then replaced by Bjarne Holm, Bassist Timi Hansen left quickly and was replaced by Sharlee D'Angelo. Following the release of 9 (1999), King Diamond put Mercyful Fate on hold and continued his solo career. Shermann, Denner, Holm and (King Diamond Bass player) Hal Patino formed Force of Evil, which incorporates many of the themes of the original Mercyful Fate.
In a March, 2008 interview, King Diamond stated that Mercyful Fate is currently "hibernating", but had never split up. Though he does not know when the band will become active again, he said "It's definitely not finished, at least in my book.". With the Re-union in 1993, the same lineup returned for the album and European tour, with the exception of Drummer Kim Ruzz, who was replaced by Snowy Shaw. Bassist Timi Hansen also left after the European leg of the tour, and was replaced by Sharlee D'Angelo.
The Lineup remained the same for "Time" and "Into the Unknown". Snowy Shaw was then replaced by Bjarne Holm on drums.
Unfortunatley, Michael Denner had also parted ways with the band at this point, to stay with his wife and family. His replacement was Mike Wead, who recorded with the band for "Dead Again" As well as "9" and has proven to be a sufficient replacement for Michael Denner.
Melissa
"Melissa" is the name of a skull King Diamond used to carry on stage, and also a fictional deceased witch that appears in three songs. Before the recordings of the album Melissa, King Diamond had acquired a human skeleton that he named "Melissa". He used the femur bones to make his trademark microphone handle. The skull was apparently stolen during a show in the Netherlands.
The skull was inspiration behind the album Melissa, and the title track of the album is very different from the rest of the album, as it is much slower than the other songs (which are speedier and more aggressive). The lyrics tell of a male protagonist (usually identified as King Diamond himself by fans) who lost the love of his life, who was a witch who was burnt at the stake by a Catholic priest. The story builds itself up around the emotions of the protagonist, who first feels sadness and uncertainty, hope for her to still be alive, and then rage over his loss. He swears revenge on the priest who burnt her, proclaiming that he must die in the name of hell. The song ends with a whisper that hints Melissa's spirit is still with the protagonist.
The second song Melissa appears on is on the album Don't Break the Oath in the song "Come to the Sabbath", once again at the climax of the album. The lyrics tell about a Satanic coven holding a sabbath, in which the protagonist emerges to perform a ritual to "put an evil curse on the priest who took the life of Melissa". Though she is not the focus of the lyrics this time, because of her mention the song is known as a "Melissa song". Additionally, one of the main characters on the King Diamond's album Them was named "Missy", which is a common diminutive of Melissa.
The final song Melissa appears in is on Mercyful Fate's reunion album In the Shadows on the song "Is That You, Melissa?". The lyrics tell of the protagonist once again in sorrow about the loss of his love. He begins to hear her voice and goes to the coven to have them perform a ritual to speak with her ghost. The coven objects, saying that it is against the rules. The protagonist is visited by Melissa's spirit who shares a kiss with the protagonist. The subject of the song is argued by some; one side says the lyrics are not a continuation of the Melissa story but a tribute by the band to their past, while the other side sees it as the end of the Melissa story. It is widely accepted that she is the girl on the album cover of "In the Shadows" facing the old oak tree. After In the Shadows, Melissa has not been mentioned any more in both lyrics and artwork.
On August 1, 2019, it was announced that Mercyful Fate would be performing an unspecified number of concerts throughout Europe in the summer of 2020. The band's line-up consists of King Diamond on vocals, Hank Shermann on guitar, Bjarne T. Holm on drums, Mike Wead on guitar and Joey Vera on bass, the latter of whom was filling in for Timi Hansen, who was battling cancer; Vera then became their full-time bass player after Hansen died on November 4, 2019, shortly after his 61st birthday. Aside from previously released material, the band was also going to perform new songs over the course of the summer.
In a May 2020 interview with Heavy magazine, Shermann said that he had "written six or seven songs" for the band's new album. On June 2, 2022, Mercyful Fate performed their first live show since 1999 in Hanover as part of a European tour, where they debuted a brand new song titled "The Jackal of Salzburg"
IN 2022, Becky Baldwin, a British musician who has previously played with Fury, Triaxisand Control The Storm. filled in for regular bassist Joey Vera, who had scheduling conflicts with his longtime band Armored Saint.
A Corpse Without Soul
Mercyful Fate Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I'm a corpse without soul
Satan, he's taken, he's taken
He's taken his toll
And he took it out on me
I, I'm trapped, I'm trapped
I'm trapped in his spell
I'm going to Hell, inside his spell
I was walking down among the graves
I heard a cry, my shadow is gone
Emptiness in my body, I felt so alone
Small black wings on my naked back
Now guess what I saw on one of the stones
I saw my soul, in a magical haze
It was all dressed up as a corpse in a wedding dress
Small black wings on my naked back
Now hear my prayer, beggin' for mercy
I'm living to die
Satan has taken his toll.
The song "A Corpse Without Soul" by Mercyful Fate starts with the singer stating that he is a corpse without a soul. He is completely under Satan's control, as Satan has taken his toll on him. The singer is trapped in Satan's spell, and feels like he is going to hell. He walks among the graves and hears his own cry, feeling empty and alone. He suddenly notices small black wings on his naked back, which leads him to see his own soul on one of the stones. It is dressed up in a wedding dress and seems to be under a magical spell. The singer prays for mercy, knowing that he is living only to die.
The singer in this song seems to have lost his soul and is under Satan's spell. The lyrics describe his journey into darkness and how he feels like there is no escape. The references to small black wings and a magical haze give the impression that he is subject to supernatural forces. The line "I'm living to die" highlights the despair and hopelessness that the singer feels.
Line by Line Meaning
Listen, I'm a corpse, I'm a corpse
I am dead and lifeless, stripped of my soul and vitality.
I'm a corpse without soul
I am a lifeless body, without spirit, essence or purpose.
Satan, he's taken, he's taken
The devil has claimed me as his own.
He's taken his toll
He has exacted his price from me.
And he took it out on me
He inflicted his wrath and punishment upon me.
I, I'm trapped, I'm trapped
I am imprisoned, ensnared and powerless.
I'm trapped in his spell
I am under his control and influence, unable to resist.
Tonight, I'm going, I'm going
My fate is sealed, my time has come.
I'm going to Hell, inside his spell
I am being escorted to eternal damnation, still in his grip and under his curse.
I was walking down among the graves
I was wandering in a cemetery, in a place of death and despair.
I heard a cry, my shadow is gone
I heard a lament, my presence casting no reflection, symbolizing my emptiness and loss.
Emptiness in my body, I felt so alone
My physical form is hollow and empty, and I am consumed by loneliness and despair.
Small black wings on my naked back
I am marked by the devil, bearing the sign of his corruption and damnation.
Now guess what I saw on one of the stones
And then, to my surprise, I noticed an extraordinary sight on one of the gravestones.
I saw my soul, in a magical haze
I saw my disembodied soul, enveloped in an otherworldly aura or trance.
It was all dressed up as a corpse in a wedding dress
My soul was appareled in the guise of a dead bride, a symbol of my eternal union with death and my inescapable fate.
Small black wings on my naked back
Again, I was reminded of my iniquity and enslavement to Satanic power.
Now hear my prayer, beggin' for mercy
Now I cry out for divine intervention, a plea for mercy and salvation.
I'm living to die
My life has become a mere prelude to my death and my subsequent descent into hell.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: HANK SHERMANN, KIM BENDIX PETERSEN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@MrGugwe
Listen, I'm a corpse, I'm a corpse
I'm a corpse without soul
Satan, he's taken, he's taken
He's taken his toll
And he took it out on me
I, I'm trapped, I'm trapped
I'm trapped in his spell
Tonight, I'm going, I'm going
I'm going to Hell, inside his spell
I was walking down among the graves
I heard a cry, my shadow is gone
Emptiness in my body, I felt so alone
Small black wings on my naked back
Now guess what I saw on one of the stones
I saw my soul, in a magical haze
It was all dressed up as a corpse in a wedding dress
Small black wings on my naked back
Now hear my prayer, beggin' for mercy
I'm living to die
Satan has taken his toll
@danielfarje8857
It is sad to know that Timi passed away. He was a wonderful bass player.
@jamestorres9464
Got that right
@blackcurtainshoen5524
That's right
One of the best in metal music history
R.I.P. Timi..
@errolwaguespack3447
this is a band entirely made up of incredible musicians.
@Sacriphyx
It seriously doesn't get any better than Mercyful Fate.
@eyellgeteven9928
There's definitely something very special about that band. Don't get me wrong, I love King's solo stuff, but there's something unique and just special about MF. Incredible band!
@diegoq8417
@Eyellgeteven True.
@scottlowe2902
Ahead of there time aswell
@stevelorentzen1450
You are 100% Correct!!, best Metal Band ever put together, Musically Genius!
@acdcking1234
One of my favorite bands I love to sing metal king diamond is one of my favorite singers