#9 Give Me Your Soul…Please (2007)
KING DIAMOND’s most recent album is another record I’ve always been on the fence about. On one hand, King creates an interesting and compelling story-line about a young boy and his sister struggling to get into heaven after they’ve been murdered by their father. In addition, there are some vintage KING DIAMOND moments in both the music arrangements and the good ol’ fashion horror elements.
On the other hand, a lot of the album lacks any punch. This is partially the result of a weak sound mix. However, some of the tracks are intentionally softer – they land closer to a hard rock or proggy sound (see “Is Anybody Here?”, “The Cellar”, or “Moving On” for examples). I’m not saying the band isn’t allowed to change up their sound, but it just doesn’t feel like KING DIAMOND to me. It’s tough to get over that hump and “Give Me Your Soul…Please” will never be one of my favorites because of it.
Highlights: “Neverending Hill”, ”Mirror Mirror”, “The Girl in the Bloody Dress”
#8 Voodoo (1998)
The word “inconsistent” comes to mind with 1998’s Voodoo. This album is arguably the heaviest in the band’s discography and the musicianship is top notch, as always. There is a lot of bite to the sound on Voodoo, both from the band and the mix. Tracks like “Voodoo”, “Sarah’s Night” and “The Exorcist” are among the band’s greatest songs. But many of the other tracks are unmemorable and quickly forgotten.
The album suffers from a lot of predictability, as many song arrangements are eerily similar to past albums. In addition, the story-line, while a fun concept, isn’t something entirely new. The album also marks the first noticeable decline in the use of King’s signature high-octave vocals (something that would become more and more apparent in subsequent albums).
Highlights: “Voodoo”, “Sarah’s Night”, “The Exorcist”
#7 The Spider’s Lullabye (1995)
The band’s sixth album was only the second not to be comprised of a single story from start to finish (their debut album Fatal Portrait was the other). Some critics argue The Spider’s Lullabye is the best KING DIAMOND album to be released after 80s. I don’t totally agree with that statement. There are certainly great tracks and King is firing on all cylinders behind the mic. That said, it is just not the same KING DIAMOND I had come to know and love. No single story, less use of King’s operatic vocals, and an entirely new lineup (minus King and Andy LaRocque).
Don’t get me wrong, there is a lot of high-quality material in this album. Unfortunately, the original album release had terrible sound production – it sounds like it was recorded in a tin can. That was somewhat fixed in the remastered version of the album, but it will never quite stand alongside the other albums on this list.
Highlights: “From the Other Side”, “Moonlight” ,“The Spider’s Lullabye”
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