King Diamond - Victimized

The year is 1985. Popular Danish heavy metal band Mercyful Fate are no more (for a little while, at least). What do two highly talented young Danish musicians, and one highly talented Swedish one, do now? Why, they go on to form King Diamond, of course; the as-I’ve-decided-right-now standard of 1980s heavy metal. And I’m not the only one to think so, either. Bands as far reaching as Megadeth and more recently Ghost have cited them as an influence over the years and with good reason. Because they’re ace, primarily.

But why, Eddie? What makes them the darling stand-out of the hot, heavy metal soup, as it were? Well, for starters, if it were possible for a lead vocalist to shred with just his or her voice, that verb could be most truly attributed to lead singer and band namesake King Diamond, whose at times frankly frightening high screams and incredible range are practically unmatched in both the genre and beyond. Add in the technical prowess of the rest of the band, plus a knack for writing some serious earworms, and it becomes all the clearer why King Diamond have been such a force for so long.

The band have an outrageously large catalogue of amazing metal to choose from – which will be expanding, no doubt, with a new album coming in 2023 – but for the Rock Song of the Week this week we’re heading back in time to the band’s heyday with our pick of Victimized – a proper slice of 80s heavy metal to warm your ears, your cockles and everything in between. Feel free to ignore the recommended dosage on the label of this one and apply liberally to your brain on this Doctor’s orders.