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1990. In October, the fifth studio album by the diamond king is released. For those unfamiliar, King Diamond's works are authentic metal-horror masterpieces. His vocal style is very distinctive, either you love it or you hate it. His piercing tones perfectly adapt and fit into Mr. LaRoque's guitar style, often lending his voice to the characters of his stories inspired by literature from centuries ago (ghosts, spirits, witches, old castles, and abandoned manors).
1990 is a turning point in King Diamond's career in many respects. Musically, the king, assisted by the ever-present Andy LaRoque, slightly changes direction. No more complicated plots and sudden tempo changes. It's not a drastic change of course, but rather evident, especially for fans. Moreover, it's the first album where the legendary Mikkey Dee does not appear on drums, a great drummer who left the group for economic reasons, joining Lemmy's court in Motorhead. Snowy Shaw will replace him, although the drums on this album are actually sampled. This is certainly the only flaw in an otherwise practically perfect album.
The concept narrates the events surrounding a mysterious eye-shaped amulet belonging to a certain Jeanne Dibasson, who, accused of witchcraft, is tried, tortured, abused, and eventually burned at the stake. During her agony, "the eye" flies away from the witch's neck, continuing to exert its malevolent power in other places and situations throughout the centuries. A peculiar aspect of the concept is the use of real historical figures, creating a story that weaves between reality and fiction in just the right measure.
This is an album where the musical component takes a slight backseat to the vocals. There are excellent riffs and solos, but as I mentioned, there are no long and complex instrumental passages. Every song is a little gem, like the superb "The Trial (Chambre Ardente)", the unsettling "Two Little Girls" (chilling...), the beautiful "Behind This Walls", the instrumental and atmospheric "Insanity", the sinister "The Meetings", and the concluding "The Curse". No drop in tension, no gaps, no filler. In hindsight, the use of the drum machine can be somewhat forgiven. Of course, there isn't that pleasant sense of dynamism and sturdiness that Mikkey Dee could provide, so in general, there is a slight feeling of coldness. Additionally, in some passages, it sounds decidedly fake (the initial drum roll of "Into The Convent"). But all in all, the substance doesn't change, and that's fine...
The album was received somewhat coldly compared to its predecessors, due to a general decline in interest towards traditional heavy metal with the wave of grunge, and also due to the lack of a support tour for which Roadrunner showed little interest. King Diamond would reunite with Mercyful Fate, only to return a few years later and continue his career with its ups and downs.
The curse of "The Eye", it will take you back in time…Tracklist Lyrics and Videos
02 The Trial (Chambre Ardente) (05:13)
La reymie:
"jeanne dibasson, you stand accused before the burning court
For practising witchcraft. do you confess? we have ways
To make you talk. how do you plead? "
Jeanne:
"i never did any harm to anyone. I don't believe this."
La reymie:
"lead the witch to the dungeon for the test...
Bring out the glowing pins. do it now!"
This is rotten to the core
Jeanne is naked on the floor
In the dungeon they want more
La reymie:
"oh jeanne, you feel so good"
La reymie is touching her body
Wringled fingers all over her
La reymie:
"so this is how you make with the devil
We're gonna get you, witchy woman
We will never believe in you
So you better repent your sins now"
Sticking needles into her skin yeah
In the dungeon blood is everywhere
Glowing needles, needles and pins yeah
She's getting weaker, no more pain to feel
La reymie:
"we will never believe in you
So you better repent your sins now"
"we are the servants of god, we believe in the devil
And we've found his mark on you, confess witch"
"thou shalt not suffer a witch to live
Who soever lieth with a beast shall surely be put the death"
Jeanne:
"never did I lie with any beast of thine
Dogs, or cats or goats, now leave my soul alone"
La reymie:
"he that sacrificeth unto any God save the lord only
He shall be utterly destroyed"
Jeanne:
"now I hear, deceiving, lying tongues
Never have I done no harm to anyone"
But they did not turn her loose
Horns and tails and cloven hoof
Can you tell me where's the proof
05 Into the Convent (04:47)
Madeleine is running away from herself
Afraid of shame, she's crying out for help
To be clean again
Guitar solo ANDY
No one cared and no one ever will
Her feelings were not shared, she wants to break the spell
and she's going
Into the convent, a smile on her face
Into the darkness to hide all her sins
Wondering what could go wrong in this place
Father David: "Welcome Sister, I'm Your chaplain
Down on Your knees and pray if You please
in This convent I'm Your master
Kiss My cross now dearest Sister
In the Name of ... "
Guitar solo ANDY
Madeleine is running away from herself
As father David said: "At comminion You must be undressed"
Why did she go
Into the convent, a smile on her face
Into the darkness to hide all her sins
Wondering what could go wrong in this place
Guitar solo ANDY
Father David: "Come along Sister Madeleine
Unfold Your wildest dreams, it's time to join and sing
Let the feast begin"
That night she awoke to find "The Eye"
On the stone cold floor Why, She never ever would knoe why
But she put it on
Guitar solo PETE
Next day father David passed away
At communion time
Why, he never ever would know why
But he looked at "The Eye"
The eye of the necklace is laking it's toll
Inside the convent a soul will rejoice
10 1642 Imprisonment (03:31)
Sacrifice, holy rites, secrecy and alter wine
Black candies burning low
To the meetings again they go
Picard can't wait to take away another soul
Oh it's a shame, Picard was so insane
In the year of 1642, it came to an end
In 1642, imprisonment
Sacrifice, holy rites, secrecy and alter wine
Black death come this way, Father Picard will soon be going
He's ill, so sick, now his meetings are forever over
Oh it's a shame, they went along with his game
In the year of 1642, it came to an end
In 1642, imprisonment
Guitar solo ANDY
Sacrifice, holy rites, secrecy and alter wine
The nuns can't take her blame
One after one they suffer a breakdown
Confession, confession, they confess to diabolic possession
Oh it's shame, even Madeleine has gone insane
In the year of 1642, Madeline was leaving hell in 1642, she
found freedom in her prison cell
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