The Eye [Picture Disc]

King Diamond: King Diamond (vocals, keyboards); Pete Blakk, Andy Larocque (guitar); Hal Patino (bass); Snowy Shaw (drums).
Additional personnel: Roberto Falcao (keyboards).
Producers: Roberto Falcao, King Diamond, Andy La Rocque.
Reissue producer: Jeff Daniel.
Engineers: Roberto Falcao, Flemming Hansson, Bill Stein.
Recorded at Sound Track Studios, Copenhagen, Denmark between June and Agust 1990. Includes liner notes by Don Kaye.
Digitally remastered by Chris Gehringer (The Hit Factory, New York, New York).
A disciple of Judas Priest's Rob Halford but definitely his own man, King Diamond favored goth metal that could be quite imaginative. Although blistering at times, the Scandinavian headbanger wasn't one to shy away from melody -- something he definitely uses to his advantage on this riveting CD. A goth metal treasure focusing on witchcraft and the occult, The Eye wasn't nearly as successful as it deserved to be. Definitely heavier than pop-metal but certainly more melodic than thrash bands like Vio-Lence and Dark Angel, The Eye fell through the cracks. Nonetheless, it is highly recommended for headbangers who enjoy such fantasy metal as Judas Priest, Grim Reaper, and Iron Maiden. ~ Alex Henderson