Best Mercyful Fate recording?

So... what's your favorite Mercyful Fate album? Honestly, this is almost impossible for me, but I guess I like the original EP the best. Early MF is the perfect synthesis between Maiden and Priest as far as I'm concerned, and I just dig the rawer vibe on the EP. In terms of pure, traditional heavy metal, Nuns Have No Fun is pretty much the pinnacle.

Picked Melissa, but could have easily picked Don't Break The Oath - both are AWESOME albums and part of the soundtrack of my high school years!

I went with Melissa. I bought that album as in impulse purchase because of the cover, a wise decision in hindsight.

I went with 'Melissa' an album that still sounds good.

DON'T BREAK THE OATH! Nothin sez "metal" like a big ole flamin' Satan on your album cover.

Tho truthfully, anything with the MF name on it was golden up to and including INTO THE UNKNOWN.

I went with Don't Break The Oath - Pure brilliance!

Wow, really tough for me since I like everything except Dead Again. To me that album was a huge flop. They broke up the duo of Denner and Sherman and lost the magic they had together. Don't get me wrong, Mike Wead is a great guitar player and he has done some great things with King Diamond but he just didn't fit well with Mercyful Fate.

I picked In The Shadows. This is probably one of the best come back albums by any band. Its almost like they never broke up. I believe this was my first Mercyful Fate album. I bought it as soon as it came out. I loved the song Egypt. I remember Headbangers Ball would play it every once in a while.

If I didn't pick In The Shadows, it would have been Into The Unknown. Once again another great album and I really liked the production.

Went with Melissa

Don't Break The Oath!!

I might be in the minority here, but I've never been a big fan of the reunion discs. Everything they did during their original tenure is of course impeccable. The first riff on The Oath might be the best riff ever conceived... but then again, the same could be said for A Corpse Without a Soul... and Evil... and Doomed By the Living Dead... and... and...

Phoenix Reign Drummer wrote:

They broke up the duo of Denner and Sherman and lost the magic they had together. Don't get me wrong, Mike Wead is a great guitar player and he has done some great things with King Diamond but he just didn't fit well with Mercyful Fate.

Word up homey.

Without the Shermann/Denner guitar team, MF might as well have been King Diamond's solo band...

Only the original line up is truly MF imo. Sherman, Denner, Ruzz, Hansen and The King.

Dave the Boss wrote:

Only the original line up is truly MF imo. Sherman, Denner, Ruzz, Hansen and The King.

True, but what are bands to do when a few original members don't have interest in it anymore and want to move onto something else? Are those bands just suppose to quit? Sherman, Denner, and King are Mercyful Fate. Hansen was a great bass player but he seemed like he was kind of all over the place being in the band being out of the band etc. Then Kim Ruzz was an ok drummer, but nothing blew me away with his playing he wasn't an original member either. I think Snowy Shaw is one of the better ones but Bjorn is equally as good.

Melissa and Don't Break The Oath are my favorites, went with the latter as my choice...

Phoenix Reign Drummer wrote:

Dave the Boss wrote:

Only the original line up is truly MF imo. Sherman, Denner, Ruzz, Hansen and The King.

True, but what are bands to do when a few original members don't have interest in it anymore and want to move onto something else? Are those bands just suppose to quit? Sherman, Denner, and King are Mercyful Fate. Hansen was a great bass player but he seemed like he was kind of all over the place being in the band being out of the band etc. Then Kim Ruzz was an ok drummer, but nothing blew me away with his playing he wasn't an original member either. I think Snowy Shaw is one of the better ones but Bjorn is equally as good.

Nah, I just think that was the best line up for MF. I applaud them for going on, but I'd rather put on Melissa, Nuns Have No Fun or Don't Break the Oath than the newer stuff. Still, if it makes 'em happy to do MF with new musicians, go for it.

Don't Break The Oath wins!!! This is THE ultimate black metal abum! Evil as can be... Mercyful Fate's finest moment!

But sadly just like King Diamond I saw them several times... King rocks on records but blows live.

Don't Break the Oath

Doomdance wrote:

Don't Break The Oath wins!!! This is THE ultimate black metal abum! Evil as can be... Mercyful Fate's finest moment!

But sadly just like King Diamond I saw them several times... King rocks on records but blows live.

Wow... I didn't see you say this earlier, but really? You think he sucks live? Of course he can't hit some of those notes all the time because theres just so much over dubbing in the studio albums but I think he does a great job.

I love old poles that remain open after all of these years. It's always going to come down to those first 3, but I will go with "Don't Break the Oath" to break the tie for now.

I missed this poll back then so I'll cast my vote now. For me, the choice is simple..Don't Break The Oath.

After “ Don’t Break The Oath “ - Hank Shermann wanted to change the style of music.
King said no way and quit the band.
Sherman was also wearing pink sweat pants on stage.
Began playing funk guitar solos - further alienating the fans.
Shermann was hanging out at discos with friends who liked that music too.

King and Shermann then both asked Denner, via phone calls to join their band.
Denner said it was a tough choice because he was close friends with both of them.

So Shermann wanted to keep the name Mercyful Fate - and sound like Europe / Bon Jovi
He wanted to cash in too with what was going on at the time.
King said no way ! So Shermann called his new band FATE.
This is what they sounded like after landing a record deal.