Camden’s Roundhouse is one of the most iconic London venues, with history that can frame any concert differently by just being in that space. Yet, as you walk in for King Diamond’s headline show, you enter a different dimension – one draped in fog, crucifixes, mental wards of a hospital and a show that is promised to deliver a masterclass in horror opera led by one of metal’s most unholy showmen: the mighty King Diamond.
First offering of the night is Unto Others, straight off their mini UK headline tour, taking the stage to a surprisingly packed early crowd. Bathed in minimal cold light and channelling goth rock to speed metal early in the evening. Their sound was a unique blend of Danzig-meets-Iron Maiden, with more attitude and a hint of gloom. They were a great prelude to set the tone for the night, even if their set was short – it still felt like Bauhaus gone NWOBHM and got the crowd quite excited for what was to come.
Second up were Paradise Lost, gothic legends that bring a trademark energy of melancholic chords mixed with heavy riffs. The band seemed very excited to take the stage and open for King Diamond, whilst their setlist was a feast for new and old listeners. Starting off with ‘Enchantment’, the haunting melodies turned the venue into a gloom altar. As the crowd thickened, the set hit its peak at ‘Faith Divides Us – Death Unites Us’ which was met with a lot of singalongs. The performance went on hard when ‘Ghosts’ came on, whilst the band ended with the doom-metal anthem ‘Just Say Words’. The crowd was visibly very enthusiastic, and the band thanked their audience for the support just before they went off the stage.
And then it was time for the King to take his throne. For those who don’t know, King Diamond is not just a performer – he is a trend setter. His music, not only as his solo act but also through Merciful Fate – and his operatic vocals have defined the genre for multiple generations. He is incredibly unique in what he does, and he brings his performances to a whole other level. As the house lights fell, King Diamond walked on stage to perform the intro of ‘Funeral, standing on top of a podium with the words ‘ABIGAIL’ and teasing and stabbing a doll. Like a spectral lullaby, he casually let the set to ‘Arrival’ and ‘A Mansion in Darkness’, as the lights showed the stage that looked like a hospital and the rest of the band descended from the stairs. Blending the gothic mansion façade with a mental ward, and holding a microphone fashioned from crossed human bones, the crown lost it when the first high notes echoed in the round venue.
As the set continued, Kind Diamond was joined on stage by demonic nurses, the adult version of Abigail, haunted and scared girls, witches, and of course props such as flickering lamps, his ‘Doctor’ mask and a lot of fog. It was like watching a horror film evolve right in front of your eyes, all with terror theatrics and metal riffs. It was only fair to say that the crowd erupted when ‘Halloween’ and ‘Voodoo’ came on, and the show continued with acting, theatre and metal mania filling the space. In between songs, King Diamond did not lose any chance to speak to his audience. He admitted to ‘missing a chorus’ and ‘well, that’s how you know I sing live’, introduced his favourite person who he met at the gig, Uriah Heep’s guitarist, praised the skills of his own band – who were phenomenal musicians and showmen – and spoke to his crowd without breaking the spell of the performance. It was like seeing the human side of Freddy Krueger speak to his viewers, whilst his talking voice is equal to a horror film narration. His vocals though are still on another level.
The set continued on with ‘Masquerade of Madness’, ‘Eye of the Witch’ and finally ‘Abigail’, the most iconic metal anthem of its kind. It was clear by the end of the gig that King Diamond not only knows how to blur the line between metal and music theatre, but also use falsettos and demonic calling to sound pristine and terrifying at the same time. As characters entered and exited the stage through the performance – from possessed children to phantom brides, as the full-on horror lighting framed the thunderous sound and Andy LaRocque’s menacing guitar solos, there was definitely not a dull moment. He gave the show’s concept 110%, re-enacting his most listened to songs with theatrical glee. And the crowd cheered so loudly at the end, you could feel the enthusiasm.
King Diamond’s gigs are less a concert and more a heavy metal theatre. If I had to give it a rating, I would definitely put five flaming pentagrams out of five.
GALLERY: King Diamond at The Roundhouse in London, England (July 1, 2025)
