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Rating: One year after their previous album "Melissa," Mercyful Fate returns with this new concentrated dose of malevolence titled "Don't Break the Oath." From the cover alone (one of the best in my opinion), you can deduce what we're dealing with here.
The blend is always between black and power, the falsetto remains predominant, but musically something has changed: a bit of expressiveness has been sacrificed in favor of power and speed.
It kicks off immediately with "A Dangerous Meeting" and its anthology-worthy main riff. It serves as an introduction song because the vocals (as always) and guitars take the lead, leaving the rhythm section to accompany. It's a different story for "Nightmare," six minutes of constant rhythm changes with King exploring all the tones of his voice (from falsetto to an ogre's grin). The third and fourth songs ("Desecration of Souls" and "Night of the Unborn") only reinforce what's been said. This leads us to the first of the album's two masterpieces: "The Oath." After a two-minute intro with distorted bass, organ, and death knells, the actual song begins. The guitars repeatedly bring back the main riff during the remaining five minutes with the help of bass and drums. The lyrics are nothing more than a long oath made by King to Satan. Truly chilling. The next song is "Gypsy," the shortest on the album but with a truly compelling guitar loop and a King who plays with his voice. At the end of the album, we find "Welcome Princess of Hell," a song that needs no introduction and has one of the best solos on the album, the instrumental interlude "To One Far Away," under two minutes, and, closing, the beautiful "Come to the Sabbath," the album's second masterpiece. It features at the beginning some heavy riffs alternating with acoustic arpeggios, which will become a celebrated ploy in all black groups inspired by MF. The continuation of the track is very fast, and about halfway, everything stops for about ten seconds to make way for a Gregorian chant before starting again.
Following a disagreement between King Diamond and Hank Shermann over the type of music to propose in other albums, the group split. King Diamond would continue his solo career and, after 10 years, would also reform MF, but the levels reached with this album would never be achieved again.
Tracklist Lyrics and Videos
01 A Dangerous Meeting (05:11)
Tonight the Circle is meeting again
Who will be the First to fall in Trance
In here nobody is sensing the Rain
Tonight a Spirit will glance
So as they're approaching Ghostly Hour
Seven People here are joining Hands
They think they know the Spirit to appear
Contact, the Table starts to dance
Time is standing still
It's a dangerous Meeting
They're gonna get themselves killed
Tonight the Circle is broken Forever
Seven People dead within a Trance
In here nobody is sensing the Rain
Tonight seven Souls are reaching Hell
Time was standing still
The Meeting is over
Their Journey is on
Oh, they should have known
Not to play with the Powers of Hell
Some People have lost their Way
Some People have lost their Mind
02 Nightmare (06:21)
Am I awake or is this just a Dream?
I had a Nightmare, some Sort of Vision
I was stuck in an empty Room
When the black Book appeared
The Lights were dim, but the Face in the
Book was in Daylight
Eyes of Fire staring at me
It's the Eyes of a Woman
And I see, On her Spirit
Steppin' out of the Book
Solo: M.D.
I hear her callin' for her Coven to come
There's a Light in the Doorway
Entering Shadows whose Number is 13
They do the Sign of the Devil's Seed
I'm in the Middle of a magic Ring
Somebody tell me, what's goin' on
"Only we know the Secret of the Curse
that you bear"
Listen, they sing, the Coven sings
Night after Night I hear them sing
No, they're still here, I can hear them
again
Night after Night I have this Dream
"You're only living on borrowed Time from
your Fate"
Solo: H.S.
(Music: Hank Shermann;
Lyrics: King Diamond)
05 The Oath (07:32)
By the Symbol of the Creator, I swear
henceforth to be
A faithful Servant of his most puissant
Arch-Angel
The Prince Lucifer
Whom the Creator designated as His
Regent
And Lord of this World, Amen.
I deny Jesus Christ, the Deceiver
And I abjure the Christian Faith
Holding in contempt all of it's Works
Solo: M.D. Solo: H.S.
As a Being now possessed of a human Body
In this World I swear to give my full
Allegiance
To it's lawful Master, to worship Him
Our Lord Satan, and no other
In the name of Satan, the ruler of Earth
Open wide the Gates of Hell and come forth
from the Abyss
By these Names: Satan, Leviathan, Belial,
Lucifer
I will kiss the Goat
Solo: H.S. Solo: M.D.
I swear to give my mind, my Body and
Soul unreservedly
To the Furtherance of our Lord Satan's
Designs
Do What Thou Wilt, Shall Be The Whole Of
The Law
As it was in the Beginning, is now, and
ever shall be
World without End, Amen.
Solo: H.S. - M.D.
(Music: King Diamond; Lyrics: King Diamond)
06 Gypsy (03:10)
This magic Winter Night I see a Light
Again I hear that Tune, some Sort of Croon
Oh No No No, Oh My Brain
I see them Gypsy Waggons left in the
Snow
Oh I must see that Lady, I have to know
Gypsy Woman let me inside
Solo: M.D.
They say you know the Secret, Secret of
Time
So gaze into your Crystal and tell me All
you see
Gypsy Woman let me know
"Oh my Son you were never Gone
You are the Devil's Child, and so am I"
Solo: M.D. Solo: H.S.
Gypsy now I know you're not my Mother
You are a Part of my Soul, it's clear for All
to see
Oh No No No, I Am You
Gypsy You're Inside of Me
(Music: King Diamond/Michael Denner;
Lyrics: King Diamond)
09 Come to the Sabbath (05:18)
Come come to the Sabbath, down by the
ruined Bridge
Witches and Demons are coming
Just follow the magic Call
Come come to the Sabbath, down by the
ruined Bridge
Later on the Master will join us
Called from the Heart of Hell
At first we light up a Fire, and then we hail
our Lord
Two Candles, a black and a white, are placed
upon the Altar
North, South, East and West, and so we
clean the Air
High Priestess invoking the Devil, infernal
Names are spoken
Come to the Sabbath...Sabbath
...Sabbath...Sabbath
Come to the Sabbath
The Ceremony's proceeding, it's Time to
grant your Wishes
An Evil Curse on the Priest who took the Life
of Melissa
Now we must close up the Ritual, read the
Enochian Key
And so it will be done, Amen... now come
Come to the Sabbath...Sabbath
...Sabbath...Sabbath
Come to the Sabbath...now here we come
Solo: H.S.
If you say Heaven, I say a Castle of Lies
You say forgive him, I say Revenge
My sweet Satan, You are The One
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