On June 22nd concert at the Graspop Metal Meeting in Dessel, Belgium, King Diamond performed the new song "Masquerade Of Madness". It was only the second time the song has been performed live. Check out the fan-filmed video below.

In an interview with Greece’s Rock Overdose back in January, King Diamond guitarist Andy LaRocque talked about the whereabouts of a new album.

LaRocque said, “I’m actually composing songs for the next King Diamond album. That, I think, would be interesting for the fans to know, and I know that King is on the same line. He’s got some ideas in his head so I’m sure he’s gonna start recording some ideas very soon even though he has a lot of ideas already when it comes to lyrics, the story and all that… Actually, this morning, before talking to you, I sat down and did some stuff, one of my contributions for the album. Except for that, I’ve got a lot of clients in the studio from all over the world. Just a few days ago.”

About being ready for release for 2019, LaRocque revealed, “Well, this year, 2019. I really hope so! I think… I’m not gonna say anything because you don’t know what’s happening. But, right now, we’re working on writing songs and, as soon as that’s finished, we’re gonna start recording some of the songs. We’ll see, but we’re definitely working on it. It’s about time! It’s been 11 years since we released the last album and it’s definitely about time we released something new. The material so far is a little bit back to what people expect from us. I’m not gonna say it’s gonna be, like, a new Abigail album with that sound, but the style is classical King Diamond. I can say that much.”

On January 25th, King Diamond released a new DVD/Blu-ray, Songs For The Dead Live, via Metal Blade Records.

There is only one King Diamond, and for more than thirty years the great Dane has been dropping classic albums and putting on shows fans remember for the rest of their lives. Perhaps the only downside to having such a formidable catalogue is that there are just too many great songs to fit into a single set. However, you would be hard-pressed to find a fan who wouldn't want to hear 1987's seminal Abigail in its entirety, and Songs For The Dead Live captures this, twice, and in very different locales.

Boasting eighteen songs per set, each of the two shows - Belgium's Graspop Metal Meeting in June 2016 and Philadelphia's Fillmore in November 2015 - feature a brace of classic King Diamond and Mercyful Fate tracks including "Welcome Home," "Halloween," and "Eye Of The Witch" before launching into Abigail. The performances of the all-star lineup of musicians, comprising of guitarists Andy LaRocque and Mike Wead, bassist Pontus Egberg and drummer Matt Thompson, are absolutely ferocious, hammering home every single moment.

Captured on film by director Denise Korycki for Wild Wind Studios, she worked closely with King on every aspect of filming, and throughout the viewer finds themselves front and center as the shows unfold. This includes some inventive camera placement, such as riding in on the back of the wheelchair as it is wheeled out to "Out From The Asylum" at the start of the show, or looking up from the coffin at the commencement of Abigail opener "Funeral", which adds an extra dimension to proceedings. Naturally, the theatricality that has become synonymous with King Diamond is there in full force, making for an even more immersive experience. The gothic stage set and the participation of actors playing out certain scenes tying into the songs definitely increases the drama and the sense of complete disconnect from the trappings of reality, ensuring that the shows remain riveting from start to finish.

While the setlists are virtually identical, the drastic difference in the two venues make for distinctly different atmospheres. The sweeping, epic scale of Graspop and the virtual sea of baying metalheads makes for a particularly thrilling spectacle, King holding them all in the palm of his hand. The Fillmore show is immediately more intimate, and rather than a mixed bag of metal lovers drunk on a weekend of the heavy stuff, the audience is comprised entirely of the King Diamond devout, screaming back every word, their love for their hero bleeding from every frame. Songs For The Dead Live gives those who missed out on seeing these shows in the flesh a chance to vividly experience them, offering so much deeper an experience than your run of the mill live DVD.

Graspop Metal Meeting tracklisting:

"Out From The Asylum"
"Welcome Home"
"Sleepless Nights"
"Halloween"
"Eye Of The Witch"
"Melissa"
"Come To The Sabbath"
"Them"
"Funeral"
"Arrival"
"A Mansion In Darkness"
"The Family Ghost"
"The 7th Day Of July 1777"
"Omens"
"The Possession"
"Abigail"
"Black Horsemen"
"Insanity"

"Arrival" (Live At Graspop):

"Welcome Home" (Live At Graspop):

"Come To The Sabbath" (Live At Graspop):

The Fillmore tracklisting:

"Out From The Asylum"
"Welcome Home"
"Sleepless Nights"
"Eye Of The Witch"
"Halloween"
"Melissa"
"Come To The Sabbath"
"Them"
"Funeral"
"Arrival"
"A Mansion In Darkness"
"The Family Ghost"
"The 7th Day Of July 1777"
"Omens"
"The Possession"
"Abigail"
"Black Horsemen"
"Insanity"

"A Mansion In Darkness" (Live At The Fillmore) video:

"Sleepless Nights" (Live At The Fillmore) video: