“Don’t Break The Oath”the second studio album by Danish heavy metal icons MERCYFUL FATEyou will see a special vinyl repress on Metal Blade Records on November 1. Initially issued in 1984 through Roadrunner Recordsthe Metal Blade edition celebrates the groundbreaking record’s 40th anniversary.
Comments Metal Blade Founder and CEO Brian Slagel: “We’re here to celebrate the anniversary of one of the most legendary albums of all-time: MERCYFUL FATE‘s ‘Don’t Break The Oath’. At Metal Bladewe’re extremely honored and happy to be repressing the album on vinyl and the band will be celebrating the anniversary by releasing a whole bunch of really cool merch. So, check it out, go get the repressing, and enjoy and celebrate the 40th anniversary of ‘Don’t Break The Oath’!”
Adds Nuclear Blast Records head of A&R and former VP of A&R at Roadrunner Records Monte Conner: “How do you follow up ‘Melissa’one of the greatest metal debuts of all time? An album that features a song called ‘Satan’s Fall’ that contains enough riffs for any other metal band to have written an entire album from. You follow it up by doing it again a mere year later with ‘Don’t Break The Oath’featuring even better production, and songs that are even more fleshed out and have more meat on the bone. Tracks like ‘Gypsy’, ‘The Oath’ and ‘Come To The Sabbath’ They are metal classics for the ages, but honestly I could add the other six songs on the album to that list. Every track is an undeniable classic for the ages. They just don’t make albums like this anymore! Having later worked at Roadrunner Recordsthe label that released this album in 1984, I am thrilled to see it reaching a whole new generation of metalheads 40 years later, and what better label to do the honors than the mighty Metal Blade.”
The 40th anniversary edition of MERCYFUL FATE‘s “Don’t Break The Oath” will see release on special ruby red vinyl.
Find pre-orders at metalblade.com/mercyfulfate.
“Don’t Break The Oath” track listing:
Side A:
01. A Dangerous Meeting
02. Nightmare
03. Desecration Of Souls
04. Night Of The Unborn
Side B:
01. The Oath
02. Gypsy
03. Welcome Princess Of Hell
04. To One Far Away
05. Come To The Sabbath
MERCYFUL FATE Recording lineup on:
King Diamond – vocals, keyboard, harpsichord
Hank Shermann – guitars
Michael Denner – guitars
Timi Hansen – bass
Kim Ruzz – drums
MERCYFUL FATE was formed in early 1981 in Copenhagen, Denmark by vocalist King Diamond and guitarist Hank Shermann. They were later joined by guitarist Michael Denner and bassist Timi Hansenand soon thereafter drummer Kim Ruzz would join to complete the band lineup. The band recorded two demos in 1981 and later signed with Rave On Records in Holland for the recording of their successful self-titled EP, released in November of 1982. The “Mercyful Fate” EP was soon in heavy rotation around core metal radio stations, launching a new breed of heavy metal with its unique sound.
The band joined Roadrunner Records in 1983 and their full-length debut, “Melissa”was recorded and released that same year. The following year, MERCYFUL FATE returned to the studio to record their now legendary “Don’t Break The Oath” full-length, released in September of 1984.
MERCYFUL FATE embarked upon a two-month US tour in support of the record, which took them across the States several times sharing the stage with the likes of MOTORHEAD and EXCITER. The shows had created a brush fire within the metal community. The band reaped recognition globally, closing the year with a five-date tour in Germany with MOTORHEAD, GIRLSCHOOL, HELIX and BEAD.
MERCYFUL FATE‘s first concert of 1985 was in their hometown of Copenhagen at an old movie theater with a large capacity. The show sold out and their stage show exhibited a new level of distinction. The night was a huge victory and a new highlight for the band.
By April 1985, however, MERCYFUL FATE decided to part ways for each to pursue new challenges. The KING DIAMOND band was born and reaped critical acclaim the following years with five studio albums on Roadrunner Records. KING DIAMOND has since signed with Metal Blade Records and it is going stronger than ever before.
In the summer of 1992, MERCYFUL FATE decided to reunite and penned a new deal with Brian Slagel and its label, Metal Blade Records. “In The Shadows” It was released in 1993 and was an instant triumph furthered by a sold-out US tour.
MERCYFUL FATE you have gone on to release another five studio albums and have toured Europe, the US and South America multiple times. The highlight of 1999 was their critically acclaimed album “9” which was followed by a European tour with METALLICAwhere King Diamond and Hank Shermann joined the band onstage several times for the medley “Mercyful Fate”which METALLICA had recorded on their “Garage Inc.” double tribute album the year prior. Tours in the US and in South America followed, marking the band’s last live performances for over a decade. MERCYFUL FATE then went on hiatus, but made a brief appearance when members joined METALLICA onstage in 2011 for their 30th-anniversary show in San Francisco, California.
Currently MERCYFUL FATE is hard at work on a new album and back in June of 2022, gave fans a taste of the new material when they debuted a song called “The Jackal Of Salzburg” when they performed alongside VOLBEAT in Germany as well as at Psycho Las Vegas in the United States. MERCYFUL FATE continued performing in 2022 with stops at multiple festivals worldwide, including Bloodstock Open Air (UK),Wacken Open Air (Germany),Hills Of Rock (Bulgaria),Tuska (Finland),Rock The Castle (Italy),Hellfest (France),Copenhell (Denmark),Graspop Metal Meeting (Belgium),Sweden Rock Festival (Sweden) and Mystic Festival (Poland),toured North American tour in the fall with KREATOR and labelmates MIDNIGHT as support, and wrapped up live shows for the year with performances at the Hell & Heaven festival (Mexico) alongside KISS, SLIPKNOT, MEGADETHand more and Monterrey Metal Fest (MX) alongside JUDAS PRIEST, STRYPER, PANTHER and BEHEMOTH.
MERCYFUL FATE‘s current lineup is King Diamond on vocals, Hank Shermann and Mike Wead on guitars, Bjarne T. Holm on drums and Becky Baldwin on bass.
