Metal, Hardcore, Indie, Rock
On November 28, Lex Legion, a new band that includes four-fifths of King Diamond’s iconic late ’80s lineup, will perform at Filmstudion in Gothenburg, Sweden, for the first time, as per Blabbermouth. The official music video for Lex Legion’s second single, “Gipsy Tears,” was released earlier this month. Lex Legion, which includes vocalist Nils K. Rue (Pagan’s Mind), Andy La Rocque (guitar), Mikkey Dee (drums), Pete Blakk (guitar), and Hal Patino (bass), combines decades of experience from Motörhead, Scorpions, and, of course, King Diamond.
June 2026 will see the release of Lex Legion’s self-titled debut through MNRK Music Group, which sounds new and immediate while purposefully paying homage to the band’s origins. The album, which is based on simple arrangements, powerful melodies, and virtuoso performances, shows the band’s dedication to creating music on their own terms. The first single, “Sleep Eternally,” which will be released on March 31, sets the tone right away. “Gypsy Tears,” the follow-up, keeps the momentum going with a combination of drive and mood. With a sound influenced by the classics but refined by decades of experience, Lex Legion seeks to bridge a gap in contemporary metal and demonstrate that their much anticipated entrance has been worthwhile.
There’s elements of everything on the album. The right tempo and the right kind of vocals, both starting out like a fist in your face!” Rue’s soaring pipes and ominous harmonies are framed by Dee’s unmistakable powerhouse drumming, a clutch of imaginative leads from both guitarists, and shifts of pace and tempo that will satiate King Diamond fans. Second track and follow-up single “Gypsy Tears” seals the deal; eerie and rapturous, otherworldly and propulsive, evocative and a straight-up headbanger which leaves the listener in no doubt as the thunderous treasures within.
This is totally unique. No one is writing this kind of music and there’s a big hole for us to fill. The album is a journey and every song is like the beat of a movie. I want listeners to travel back. The song style is different (to King Diamond) but still from the same era. The riffs are different and the arrangements are a little less progressive and a little more straightforward. – Andy La Roque
Lex Legion is totally written the way we thought in the ’80s. We wrote what we wanted, and if you liked it, that was a great bonus. If you didn’t like it, that was fine with us, too! Enjoy it or fuck off! – Mikkey Dee
