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Them

King Diamond - Them Audio CD

A fair review of the King Diamond "Them" Audio CD. Please note that the below review is the views of the authors, and authors only. You can get a complete list of all King Diamond reviews here, or go back to the King Diamond tabs.

Band: King Diamond
Title: Them
Rating:

Release Date: 1991-07-01
Media: Audio CD

Tracks: 1: Out from the Asylum 2: Welcome Home 3: Invisible Guests 4: Tea 5: Mother's Getting Weaker 6: Bye, Bye, Missy 7: Broken Spell 8: Accusation Chair 9: Them 10: Twilight Symphony 11: Coming Home 12: Phone Call

Heavy Metal History - The KING-Guitar Hero
This had just been released and the album cover is what enticed me to give it a try. When I bought this album years ago, I had no idea who King Diamond was. I took it home and with the dramatic beginning voice overs and the creepy piano, I actually felt my heart beating fast! The story is fantastic and as far as thematic, story albums, this and Iron Maiden's Seventh Son are two albums that are not to be missed.

King Diamond has a very unique singing voice and it's not for everyone, however, let me say this. If you love heavy metal guitar, give this album a try, his voice grows on you. Andy LaRoque is brilliant and this is some of his finest work. The guitar on these songs is fantastic. This album really is a master piece musically and lyrically. The story is about a young boy King whom lives in a house with his mother, his sister Missy and now his grandmother who has just come back from the hospital. Kings sees his grandmother in a room drinking tea with the "Invisible Guests" who turn out to be "Them". When drinking with his grandmother, ("Tea")he becomes taken by visions and feelings provided by Them and allows his family to be torn apart. His sister is killed("Bye, Bye Missy") and his mother is poisoned ("Mother's Getting Weaker")and it's not until King takes his Grandmother outside the house and away from Them that he regains his senses and realizes what is going on. Then, he takes his grandmothers cane and thrusts it into her neck killing her. He runs away, knowing that if he returns to the house,"They" will have revenge. This story is continued in Conspiracy. This story presented in amazing musical pieces would actually make a great film.

I also agree that I expected the remastered version to sound a lot better than it did, and that aspect was disappointing, but that doesn't take away from the overall pleasure of this CD. If you are a hard rock, heavy metal fan and love great riffs, give this CD a try, don't let King's voice deter you. Not only do you get used to it (because come on, it's unusual you have to get used to it) but you'll learn to enjoy it!!!

Metallica have always been huge fans of KD and Mercyful Fate and it was great to see them include a charicature of King on Metallica's Guitar Hero. I hope a whole new audience is turned on to King and I definately would steer them or YOU towards this album. It's amazing!!.

'THEM' is one of the best metal albums out there!
the story line is just so good and the playing is so tight and well rehearsed. I love this album! it is the best king diamond album by far. this is the man and the album that got me into metal. if your looking for some damn good music,buy this!
. . . . and also,check out king's other albums like,abigail,the graveyard and best of.

A Metal Milestone
I believe this album to be a crucial piece of heavy metal history. Crucial. While I had heard rumblings about King Diamond prior to hearing this, the late-night video of "Welcome Home" was my formal introduction to the King's music back in 1988 on the original Headbanger's Ball, then hosted by Adam Curry. While it's hard to remember finite details of what I was thinking at that moment, I clearly remember thinking that King Diamond stood out amongst that metal had to offer back then. When my brother used his paper route money to buy the cassette of "Them", my friends and I all deemed the album to be a classic on the spot. . . . . 20 years ago.

It's hard to imagine that "Them" came out 20 years ago. When you listen to many of today's new crop of metal bands, none of them push the boundaries like "Them" did when it appeared. Borrowing the concept album idea from predecessors of the rock genre such as Pink Floyd's "The Wall", "Them" is a dark tale of the supernatural, similar to something one might expect from a Dario Argento movie. While the grand details escape me at the moment, the basic outline revolves around the visit of the King's grandmother and the spirits of Amon. In between the songs, there are spoken narrative tracks that serve to piece the creepy story together and pull the concept tighter around the soundtrack. Many have claimed that it would make a superb supernatural horror movie and rumors have surfaced over time of interest in doing just that.

From a musical standpoint, King Diamond's "Them" is a landmark piece of work that helped to define its era and move the entire genre forward, similar to albums such as Iron Maiden's "The Number Of The Beast" or Death's "Symbolic". Elevating itself beyond mere aggression, "Them" takes the best elements of King Diamond's 70's progressive rock influences (displayed more prominently in his earliest band Black Rose) and melds them together with the technical and heavier aspects of power and thrash metal. The musicianship is tight and focused, blending a bevy of inspiration into a sound that is unique and infective.

It seems that for some, it is easy to bash or criticize one's most recognizable work as it is said work that is mos acknowledged. For me, I believe "Them" is King Diamond's most recognized work because if not his absolute best, it ranks right up there amongst them. .

Great Album
If you haven't heard King Diamond's voice before, you you may want to listen to it first as his voice ranges several octaves from very high pitched falsetto to guttural from one bar to the next. King Diamond's second solo album after 'Abigail' brings another great gothic horror concept album with talented musicians. If you don't like falsetto voices then you probably won't like King Diamond. As with his works in Mercyful Fate, King Diamond manages to make his voice bearable with great musical arrangements and well thought out lyrics to make an interesting metal gothic horror operetta. Pete Blakk replaces Micheal Denner on guitar but it doesn't really affect the music at all. There is just a great collaboration with Andy La Rocque as was the case in 'Abigail. ' Equally impressive drum work with with Mickey Dee as well. Another great concept album by the master of gothic metal!.

a true classic
we waited for weeks for the release of this masterpiece, and we were not disappointed. my friends and i were all metal musicians in hollywood in 1988.
it is true (and a bit odd) that either the engineering or production left something to be desired. these are the best songs king ever wrote or performed. the sound quality is kind of tinny.
even so, the intensity of the compostion and performance makes this a milestone recording in king diamond's career.
if you ever see this, king, thanks for the memories!.

You can see a complete list of all King Diamond discography, or go back to the King Diamond tabs. There is also a good guide on how to read guitar tabs here.