King Diamond guitarist Andy La Rocque recently discussed the status of the band’s highly anticipated new album. He addressed delays in the project during an interview with Rock Daydream Nation.
La Rocque explained the current situation regarding the album’s progress and his contributions to the project.
“That’s a question [that should be put] to [King Diamond’s namesake frontman] King [Diamond]. As you probably heard, we’ve been working on that for ages,” La Rocque said.
The guitarist detailed his preparation work for the album, which began in 2022.
“But my part of it is that back in 2022, I had a bunch of songs, pre-production with the right recording guitars, some keyboards from [early King Diamond collaborator] Roberto Falcao, actually. I asked him to do a few things on my songs. So I had, like, eight songs that I sent off to all the members in the band — pretty much ready to start recording, with vocals and the real proper drums and bass from Pontus [Egberg, King Diamond bassist] and stuff, even though I played some bass on it, and [I used a] drum machine [for the demos] and all that stuff, just like a guideline,” he continued.
La Rocque revealed that only a portion of his prepared material will be used on the upcoming release.
“And we talked about it, and King wanted to use, like, three of those songs. And so I guess now he’s finishing up his part of it, which is gonna be, like, five or six songs on the album. So that’s what we’re waiting for,” he explained.
The album is part of King Diamond’s forthcoming horror trilogy. The first installment is titled ‘Saint Lucifer’s Hospital 1920.’
Specific details about the upcoming album remain limited. However, the project represents another chapter in King Diamond’s storied career in heavy metal. The band has built a reputation for theatrical horror-themed concept albums that combine intricate storytelling with powerful musical arrangements.
King Diamond, the Danish heavy metal icon, has been a prominent figure in the metal scene since the early 1980s. The band’s approach to concept albums has consistently featured elaborate narratives that often span multiple releases. This creates immersive experiences for listeners who follow the interconnected stories.
The collaboration between La Rocque and longtime contributor Roberto Falcao highlights the band’s commitment to maintaining their signature sound. It also shows their dedication to incorporating fresh elements. Falcao’s keyboard contributions have been an integral part of King Diamond’s atmospheric compositions throughout their career.
The current album development process demonstrates the meticulous approach King Diamond takes to their releases. La Rocque prepared eight songs and the frontman selected specific tracks while developing additional material. The band appears to be crafting a carefully curated collection that will serve as the foundation for their ambitious trilogy concept.
The extended timeline for the album’s completion reflects the band’s dedication to delivering a polished final product that meets their artistic standards. This continues even as fans eagerly await new material from the horror metal legends.
