King Diamond officially released "Masquerade of Madness" in 2019 after playing it live on tour throughout the year; it's the first single from his anticipated new album The Institute, which our fingers are crossed will drop this year. Diamond talked more about the album on a recent episode of "The Electric Theater With Clown," hosted by Slipknot percussionist M. Shawn "Clown" Crahan, where he also broke more news about the new Mercyful Fate album, which will be their first since 1999.

"I'm writing with Hank [Shermann, guitar] from Mercyful Fate and writing with Andy [LaRocque, guitar] for King Diamond and writing on my own for King Diamond," Diamond says. "For King Diamond, it’s an album that’s gonna be called The Institute, which is part one of two — there’ll be two full albums that will be completing a full story. And as the title [suggests], there’s gonna be some crazy weird stuff."

"And for Mercy, I also have the title, but I’m not giving it out to anybody at the moment," he continues. "We have the front cover for the new Mercy too. It’s very correct, very right for Mercyful Fate. It’s very back to basics."

"For my part, with both Mercy and King albums — even more King Diamond, I would say — all vocals are gonna be lead vocals again, like they were in the old days," Diamond continues. "It didn’t matter if there was a choir singing on the right side or the left side, or whatever, they would still go and pick up parts of the lyrics to progress the story and so on. So it’s gonna be anything goes with the vocals, for sure — back to the old style."

"And for Mercy too, it’s gonna be very old-fashioned — Hank is writing very much like the old days," he continues. "And it’s nice to feel that we can capture that again. So that’s two albums that are being worked on that will be done by the time we can go out and tour again, I’m sure."

Mercyful Fate are currently scheduled to headline Sunday at Pyscho Las Vegas. While some festivals have rescheduled for the fall (which is when Dr. Fauci predicts live events may be able to return) or for 2022, Psycho is still set for August 20-22 at Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino in Las Vegas.

While we wait for word of the new King Diamond and Mercyful Fate albums (and while we wait to be able to see them live), you can shop for King Diamond and Mercyful Fate vinyl in our shop. We have picture discs of Abigail, The Eye, and Fatal Portrait; limited edition 2LP Songs for the Dead Live; and In Concert 1987 – Abigail; as well as Mercyful Fate's Into the Unknown picture disc and Nuns Have No Fun on black vinyl with white marble edge. Take a look below.