MERCYFUL FATE

Biography
Mercyful Fate is an influential Danish heavy metal band often cited among the influences in the black metal, thrash metal, power metal, and progressive metal genres

he band was founded in Copenhagen, Denmark in 1980 from the remaining members of Hank Shermann's band Brats and King Diamond's band Black Rose. In early 1981, they helped Michael Denner with demos for his band Danger Zone. Soon, Shermann, Denner, Diamond, and Denner's bass player Timi Grabber realized their potential as a unit and started performing as Mercyful Fate. The band experienced the usual member changes for a new band, as Denner left (and later returned). In addition, the drummer position was a revolving door, but Kim Ruzz finally established himself as the drummer.

In early 1982, the band contributed to the Ebony Records sampler Metallic Storm. Later on in the year, Mercyful Fate recorded its first material, Mercyful Fate, on vinyl for the Dutch label Rave On. The release included heavy and evil material that would later inspire the black metal genre (although Venom and Bathory are as equally considered as the forefathers of black metal).

Following the EP, the band released Melissa in 1983 and Don't Break the Oath in 1984, which are now considered by many to be classics in both the power metal and black metal genres. Following the tour (which saw them play in the United States for the first time) in support of Don't Break the Oath, Diamond split ways with Mercyful Fate in April 1985 as a result of frustration over creative differences with Hank Shermann. With him, Diamond brought band mates Hansen and Denner to found a new band under his own name. Diamond's new venture continued the tradition of Mercyful Fate, but with a more progressive, conceptual twist to it. In response, Hank Shermann formed the band Fate, which pursued a more AOR direction.

Members
Current members
* King Diamond (Kim Bendix Petersen) - vocals, keyboard
* Mike Wead (Mikael Wikström) - guitar
* Hank Shermann (Rene Krolmark) - guitar, bass guitar
* Bjarne T. Holm (Bob Lance) - drums
* Sharlee D'Angelo (Charles Peter Andreason) - bass guitar

Session members
* Lars Ulrich - drums

Discography
* 1982: Mercyful Fate
* 1983: Melissa
* 1984: Don't Break the Oath
* 1993: In the Shadows
* 1994: The Bell Witch
* 1994: Time
* 1996: Into the Unknown
* 1998: Dead Again
* 1999: 9