This release includes a bonus DVD featuring an interview with King Diamond. Kim Bendix Petersen, better known as King Diamond, has built an empire out of wailing spirits, singing spiders, and voodoo priestesses. His 11th full-length ghost story, The Puppet Master, centers around an unfortunate man, his girlfriend, and a husband and wife team of puppet masters as they abuse and torture their subjects somewhere in Budapest. Diamond wisely forgoes his usual cheeseball spoken-word intro and simply launches into "Midnight," a melodic dirge that ranks high amongst his huge -- and often inconsistent -- body of work. The brutal "Emerencia" features stellar guitar work from Andy LaRocque -- the thread that binds each and every King Diamond album -- and "The Ritual" aptly deals with the popular heavy metal theme of souls burning in Hell -- lyrical prowess has never been his forte. The remainder of the record is serviceable goth-metal filled with oaths and omens, blood and sacrifice, and one ill-conceived Christmas song. King Diamond has reached a stage in his career where evil has begun to fade into novelty, and The Puppet Master resonates with a dark giddiness that suits a man with face paint and a cape nearing his fifties. However, there's still a sinister aura that surrounds his very name, making it virtually unfathomable to picture him -- and all of his demons -- teeing off with fellow urchin -- and avid golfer -- Alice Cooper on a misty fall morning, heads bowed, asking the dark lord to grant them the power to eagle a par four. Maybe. ~ James Christopher Monger

• Genre: Pop
• Format: Vinyl
• Released: 09/14/18