King Diamond needs no introduction among metal fans.
Since his first releases with Mercyful Fate in the
early 80s King has thrilled and frightened legions
of fans. His horror operas filled with demons, spirits,
and lunatics are some of the most original and eerie
metal available. “Give Me Your Soul… Please”
is the latest in a career-spanning run of incredible
albums.
Like most KD albums, “Give Me Your Soul…
Please” is a concept album filled with terrifying
images. “The Dead” opens the album and
sets the scene—two children have died. One is
sent to heaven, the other condenmed to hell. The heaven-bound
little girl sets out to find a soul to take her brother’s
place in hell. What follows is a creepy tale that
King Diamond himself refers to as “a horror
murder mystery story mixed with reality from beginning
to end”.
I have heard mixed reviews from long time King Diamond
fans concerning this album. King was long known as
the ruling monarch of death metal. Albums like “Abigail”
and my personal favorite “Voodoo” set
the standard for today’s extreme metal. “Give
Me Your Soul… Please” has been referred
to as “proto-power-metal”. Much like Diamond’s
previous release “The Puppet Master” it
relies on classic metal sounds and power metal riffing,
rather than the brutal assault of previous albums.
While I loved the terrifying force of heavier KD albums
like “Them” I find this offering to be
equally enjoyable.
Musically, King Diamond and company pull from a broad
palette of influences. “The Girl In the Bloody
Dress” and “Is Anybody Here?” hearken
back to the late 60s and early 70s. Moments in these
songs are reminiscent of bands like Uriah Heep, who
were among the first to bear the heavy metal moniker.
King Diamond takes these sounds and wraps them tight
in his own web of intrigue, creativity and aggression.
“Pictures In Red” opens with a creepy
guitar riff and whispered vocal that reminds me of
Alice Cooper’s “I Love the Dead”.
This quiet moment leads directly into the menacing
“Give Me Your Soul” a disturbing metal
masterpiece.
So how does “Give Me Your Soul… Please”
stack up against King Diamond’s previous releases?
Very, very well. The guitar team of Andy LaRocque
and Mike Wead once again wrap us in a cocoon of dizzying
guitar work. King’s vocal chops swing from growls
to his trademark falsetto with ease. As a long time
fan, I find “Give Me Your Soul… Please”
to be a satisfying listen. King Diamond has made his
best album since “Voodoo” and by far his
most fascinating and disturbing storyline to date.
I dare you to listen to this one in the dark.
Key tracks: “Give Me Your Soul”, “The
Girl In the Bloody Dress”
Reviewed by Jim McDonald |
