King Diamond guitarist Andy La Rocque recently provided an encouraging update on the band’s upcoming horror trilogy album, “Saint Lucifer’s Hospital 1920.” He discussed the project’s current status and potential 2026 release timeline in an interview with Pod Scum podcast.
La Rocque addressed whether the highly anticipated album will still meet its planned 2026 release date. He shared details about the songwriting and recording process.
“I really hope so. That’s our goal. We have most of the songs. I sent [King Diamond, King Diamond’s namesake frontman], I think, eight songs, like, four years ago, and we decided to use three of those. And we actually played one live from those songs,” La Rocque said.
The guitarist explained the current workflow and what remains to be completed for the album.
“And as soon as he’s done with this stuff — he’s gotta write five songs, I believe, and he’s got a lot of the stuff already written down, with the lyrics and everything. As soon as that’s recorded and arranged from his side, we can put the right guitars on, the right drums, bass and everything,” he continued.
La Rocque expressed optimism about the timeline for completing the recording process.
“So I really hope it won’t take very long before we can continue working on that. And if that’s the case, we can start recording soon, and during the summer, [and] then we have a chance for it to be released at the very end of the year,” he concluded.
The update comes as fans have been eagerly awaiting new material from the legendary Danish heavy metal band. This project represents a significant milestone in their discography.
Blabbermouth reported that “Saint Lucifer’s Hospital 1920” marks the first installment of a planned horror trilogy from King Diamond. The ambitious project showcases the band’s continued commitment to their signature theatrical and horror-themed storytelling approach that has defined their career for decades.
The album underwent a significant transformation during its development process. Blabbermouth noted that the project was originally titled “The Institute” but was renamed to “Saint Lucifer’s Hospital 1920” following the start of the band’s U.S. tour. This indicates the evolving creative vision behind the work.
Despite the progress made on the album, Metal Injection highlighted that La Rocque has been cautious about committing to a specific timeline for the release. This measured approach suggests that while the band remains optimistic about a 2026 release, they are prioritizing the quality and completion of the work over meeting strict deadlines.
The potential late 2026 release would mark a significant return for King Diamond, as fans continue to anticipate what promises to be another chapter in the band’s storied legacy of horror-themed metal albums. The trilogy format indicates that this release could be the beginning of an extended creative period for the influential metal act.
