I sincerely wish King & Co. would do another live dvd with "Them" and Conspiracy both performed in their entirety because Songs For The Dead was absolutely mindblowing. I had waited patiently almost 3 decades for an official live concert to be released on dvd, and I was not disappointed one bit...and I can be quite a harsh critic regarding live performances. But all of my expectations were exceeded and then some. Great reaction, as always, brother! Stay heavy and long live the King 🤘
WOW! So happy to see this. I just got done hanging out on this channel yesterday where you previously reviewed "Them". You indicated you'd follow up this classic and here it is! Great!
Dear sir, I thoroughly enjoy your reactions to these albums that I have enjoyed since their releases (i am now 48 and grew up listening to these musical stories from their releases, and still listen to them often.). I find your full grasp of the stories and great appreciation of the musicianship of these albums, which I have loved for years, a very enjoyable to experience. It is most gratifying to watch someone experience them and appreciate them for the first time. I thank you. An overlooked album by King Diamond is "the Puppet Master". A tale that takes place in Victorian times (no spoilers). It is both Horror and Tragedy (as most of his story telling is). I believe if you gave it a try you would find the story compelling, as it is another great example of his story telling and it incorporates a female singer playing a role as well. If you ever decide to experience this album, I would, without hesitation, enjoy watching and listening to your insights. Again, thank you, sir.
Back in the day, I was so enthralled by these albums that my already avid interest in sound engineering/mixing/dubbing extended to adding sound effects and other ambiance to some of the songs on King's albums. The early albums, Fatal Portrait thru The Eye (1985-1990) got the most of it, with Conspiracy and The Eye getting the most treatment, with Abigail getting only one dub, which I later removed. Fatal Portrait and Them only got a couple of dubs here and there. I added sounds like thunderclaps/storms, breaking glass, anything that added that extra layer of theatrics. A couple songs from The Spider's Lullabye also got a few enhancements as FP and Them did, but from that point on, my doctoring waned and did not turn up again til the Voodoo album (1998), which featured sounds like female screams, door pounding/knocking, and other little goodies. Some Mercyful Fate songs also got some edits, but those were mostly just musical edits (looping extensions and such, which the KD albums also got), but MF tracks did not get as much SFX as the KD stuff did. If I was still able to upload videos here, I'd do a series called "Albums Like You've Never Heard Them" featuring these little nuances and edits of my little changes, additions, and other dubs.
Thank you so much for doing these videos. I'm a huge King Diamond fan and I have seen him perform live. I'm looking forward to you doing more King Diamond videos. Especially House of God, The Graveyard, Voo Doo, The Puppet Master. And maybe please do a video on The Misfits Famous Monsters album. Thank you again. I really enjoy listening and watching your breakdown of all these songs.
Don’t know if anyone has said it, but you would like “Live at the Fillmore” (aka Songs for the Dead). They play 6 songs, then the entire Abigail album. The stage setup and the theatrics are great, and the mix is phenomenal. I actually prefer it to the original album.
I think you dissected it well..I used to play this music back in the day (guitar)..when it comes to the musicianship this album is a tad better,in my opinion you read the concept correct enough,not quite sure where the critical criticism was founded by the commentor,nice man,enjoy your reviews..
I just wanted to thank you reviews like yours help people discover this kind of music in the us its dying out most people who go to the shows are in there 40s50s 60s kids like other things
I wouldn't put much stock in the critique/review by AllMusic ; most of these professional critics don't know what is good or bad, they just get paid to crap all over everything and nitpick over fabricated flaws when no genuine ones exist. These same "critics" do not understand that criticism can be about good things, too, not just pointing out all the warts. The first KD decade (1985-1995) was the absolutely most flawless era, and everything that followed was still very good, but for me, didn't quite envelop me the same way (could be cos I got older and was less of an impressionable teen so easily amazed by the newness of everything KD/MF, lol).
The review from all music is flawed. The consecutive albums abigail, them, conspiracy and the eye are all classic and excellent. Regarding more recent work, the concept album The Puppet Master can be recommended.
Thanks for being one of the only ones to play these albums as intended in full. Don't worry about that bad review because real fans understand it takes time to grow on you. "The Eye" is a great underrated album. Better musicianship and better story in my opinion. I'd love to see a review but I know it gets burdensome sometimes.
The best KD album when you listened to Abigail and Them so much---- if that makes sense . I think the album cover throws it off. should have put more in to it
I definitely think Them is a better album than Conspiracy, and it was arguably a mistake in judgement to attempt to continue the story line simply because Them is such a masterpiece it was always going to be nearly impossible to equal it. However, Conspiracy is a really good album on its own. And the story line was acceptable to me considering the fantastical nature of King's lyrics and imagination on the Them album. To me, and to most people, Them is King's masterpiece. It was his most popular album for a reason in my view. Interesting note Soul Train Bro, King has admitted in the years that passed that the next couple of albums following Conspiracy were limited creatively because it was so difficult to find a replacement for Mikkey Dee on drums. They finally did with Matt Thompson many years later, but I give King credit for admitting in interviews that I read that Dee's drumming was integral to the sound, creative ability, and style of these records. And an interesting note to everyone, King's next album following Conspiracy titled The Eye in 1990 used a drum machine. Although Snow Shaw is credited as the drummer on The Eye, it's absolutely a drum machine. Don't ask me how I know, but I do. Let's just say I met certain people in the music business while living in So Cal for over 15 years and leave it at that. Actually any trained ear will pick up on the drum machine on The Eye record. Other rock bands have used them at times and hid it as well. Ram It Down by Judas Priest.... KK Downing has all but admitted the whole record is a drum machine and not Dave Holland. Anyway enough of that. Conspiracy is good, it's just not Them.
Abigail is now a graphic novel. I’m waiting for mine in mail . Back ordered
Should be cool
Ahhh yes. The majesty that is King Diamond!
I sincerely wish King & Co. would do another live dvd with "Them" and Conspiracy both performed in their entirety because Songs For The Dead was absolutely mindblowing. I had waited patiently almost 3 decades for an official live concert to be released on dvd, and I was not disappointed one bit...and I can be quite a harsh critic regarding live performances. But all of my expectations were exceeded and then some. Great reaction, as always, brother! Stay heavy and long live the King 🤘
WOW! So happy to see this. I just got done hanging out on this channel yesterday where you previously reviewed "Them". You indicated you'd follow up this classic and here it is! Great!
He still can sing like this and he is in his 60s
Yep, he still sounds amazing - can't wait for his next album, it's been too long - Masquerade of Madness was a fine tease.
@@Grandmastergav86 the King is no joke. There are onlt a hanful of people that can still sing at his age
Dear sir, I thoroughly enjoy your reactions to these albums that I have enjoyed since their releases (i am now 48 and grew up listening to these musical stories from their releases, and still listen to them often.). I find your full grasp of the stories and great appreciation of the musicianship of these albums, which I have loved for years, a very enjoyable to experience. It is most gratifying to watch someone experience them and appreciate them for the first time. I thank you. An overlooked album by King Diamond is "the Puppet Master". A tale that takes place in Victorian times (no spoilers). It is both Horror and Tragedy (as most of his story telling is). I believe if you gave it a try you would find the story compelling, as it is another great example of his story telling and it incorporates a female singer playing a role as well. If you ever decide to experience this album, I would, without hesitation, enjoy watching and listening to your insights. Again, thank you, sir.
Back in the day, I was so enthralled by these albums that my already avid interest in sound engineering/mixing/dubbing extended to adding sound effects and other ambiance to some of the songs on King's albums. The early albums, Fatal Portrait thru The Eye (1985-1990) got the most of it, with Conspiracy and The Eye getting the most treatment, with Abigail getting only one dub, which I later removed. Fatal Portrait and Them only got a couple of dubs here and there. I added sounds like thunderclaps/storms, breaking glass, anything that added that extra layer of theatrics.
A couple songs from The Spider's Lullabye also got a few enhancements as FP and Them did, but from that point on, my doctoring waned and did not turn up again til the Voodoo album (1998), which featured sounds like female screams, door pounding/knocking, and other little goodies.
Some Mercyful Fate songs also got some edits, but those were mostly just musical edits (looping extensions and such, which the KD albums also got), but MF tracks did not get as much SFX as the KD stuff did.
If I was still able to upload videos here, I'd do a series called "Albums Like You've Never Heard Them" featuring these little nuances and edits of my little changes, additions, and other dubs.
Thank you so much for doing these videos. I'm a huge King Diamond fan and I have seen him perform live. I'm looking forward to you doing more King Diamond videos. Especially House of God, The Graveyard, Voo Doo, The Puppet Master. And maybe please do a video on The Misfits Famous Monsters album. Thank you again. I really enjoy listening and watching your breakdown of all these songs.
Don’t know if anyone has said it, but you would like “Live at the Fillmore” (aka Songs for the Dead). They play 6 songs, then the entire Abigail album. The stage setup and the theatrics are great, and the mix is phenomenal. I actually prefer it to the original album.
I think you dissected it well..I used to play this music back in the day (guitar)..when it comes to the musicianship this album is a tad better,in my opinion you read the concept correct enough,not quite sure where the critical criticism was founded by the commentor,nice man,enjoy your reviews..
The Wedding Dream!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I just wanted to thank you reviews like yours help people discover this kind of music in the us its dying out most people who go to the shows are in there 40s50s 60s kids like other things
I wouldn't put much stock in the critique/review by AllMusic ; most of these professional critics don't know what is good or bad, they just get paid to crap all over everything and nitpick over fabricated flaws when no genuine ones exist. These same "critics" do not understand that criticism can be about good things, too, not just pointing out all the warts.
The first KD decade (1985-1995) was the absolutely most flawless era, and everything that followed was still very good, but for me, didn't quite envelop me the same way (could be cos I got older and was less of an impressionable teen so easily amazed by the newness of everything KD/MF, lol).
The review from all music is flawed. The consecutive albums abigail, them, conspiracy and the eye are all classic and excellent. Regarding more recent work, the concept album The Puppet Master can be recommended.
Amon is the house, and also the teapot :)
Still love this !🤘
Thanks for being one of the only ones to play these albums as intended in full. Don't worry about that bad review because real fans understand it takes time to grow on you. "The Eye" is a great underrated album. Better musicianship and better story in my opinion. I'd love to see a review but I know it gets burdensome sometimes.
I never imagined dr.dre reacting to King diamond
The best KD album when you listened to Abigail and Them so much---- if that makes sense . I think the album cover throws it off. should have put more in to it
The cover may not be very creative, but it certainly shows King's moods of frustration and anger throughout the album.
Strange comment but king must have a great dentist
I definitely think Them is a better album than Conspiracy, and it was arguably a mistake in judgement to attempt to continue the story line simply because Them is such a masterpiece it was always going to be nearly impossible to equal it. However, Conspiracy is a really good album on its own. And the story line was acceptable to me considering the fantastical nature of King's lyrics and imagination on the Them album. To me, and to most people, Them is King's masterpiece. It was his most popular album for a reason in my view.
Interesting note Soul Train Bro, King has admitted in the years that passed that the next couple of albums following Conspiracy were limited creatively because it was so difficult to find a replacement for Mikkey Dee on drums. They finally did with Matt Thompson many years later, but I give King credit for admitting in interviews that I read that Dee's drumming was integral to the sound, creative ability, and style of these records. And an interesting note to everyone, King's next album following Conspiracy titled The Eye in 1990 used a drum machine. Although Snow Shaw is credited as the drummer on The Eye, it's absolutely a drum machine. Don't ask me how I know, but I do. Let's just say I met certain people in the music business while living in So Cal for over 15 years and leave it at that. Actually any trained ear will pick up on the drum machine on The Eye record. Other rock bands have used them at times and hid it as well. Ram It Down by Judas Priest.... KK Downing has all but admitted the whole record is a drum machine and not Dave Holland. Anyway enough of that. Conspiracy is good, it's just not Them.
To each their own. But for me, conspiracy is the better album of the two, in my opinion.
I think John Luke Hebert was amazing drummer, especially on Voodoo. I wish they had kept him.
conspiracy is there musically but the story personally is beyond weak. i enjoy both and i just view conspiracy as its own thing not with them.