Mercyful Fate are back – first live show confirmed for the band in 2027

In 2027, Danish heavy metal icons Mercyful Fate will make a comeback to the stage, as per theprp. The group led by King Diamond just revealed that they will be performing live for the first time since April 2024. That performance will be held at the yearly “Leyendas del Rock Festival,” which is scheduled for August 11–14 in Villena, Spain, next year.

The Danish heavy metal group Mercyful Fate, based in Copenhagen, was founded in 1981 by guitarist Hank Shermann and singer King Diamond. Mercyful Fate, along with Venom and Bathory, was a member of the first wave of black metal in the early to mid-1980s. They were influenced by progressive rock and hard rock, and their lyrics dealt with LaVeyan Satanism (sometimes with ironic or satirical usage of Christian themes) and the occult. The band is also credited for helping to shape the Norwegian black metal scene and the then-emerging genres of death metal and thrash metal.

Mercyful Fate has put out four compilation albums, two EPs, and seven studio albums since its founding in 1981. They issued their self-titled EP in 1982 with King Diamond (vocals), Hank Shermann (lead and rhythm guitars), Michael Denner (lead and rhythm guitars), Timi Hansen (bass), and Kim Ruzz (drums) following a number of lineup changes and self-made demos. The group recorded its first two studio albums, “Melissa” (1983) and “Don’t Break the Oath” (1984), with this lineup. Mercyful Fate‘s satanic imagery caused controversy, and one of their songs, “Into the Coven” (by “Melissa”), eventually became well-known for being included in the PMRC’s “Filthy Fifteen” list of offensive songs.

Four of Mercyful Fate‘s five members got back together in 1992 and recorded the album “In the Shadows”, which was released the following year after the band broke up in 1985 due to musical disagreements. The band recorded four additional studio albums and had multiple lineup changes during the 1990s. After taking a break in 1999, Mercyful Fate occasionally got back together throughout the 2000s. The announcement of Mercyful Fate‘s permanent reunion was made on August 1, 2019, along with plans to tour and release a new album—their first since “9” in 1999.