Links added by Charlie

The following CD reissues are packaged in mini-LP replica sleeves:

Fatal Portait
Apr 24, 2020
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0851M9H87/?tag=imwan-20

Abigail
Apr 24, 2020
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0851LZKCF/?tag=imwan-20

Them
May 01, 2020
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0857BKRMB/?tag=imwan-20

Conspiracy
May 01, 2020
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0857B6RCH/?tag=imwan-20

In Concert 1987: Abigail
May 15, 2020
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B085XF3LZY/?tag=imwan-20

The Eye
May 15, 2020
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B085XF2NTC/?tag=imwan-20

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Invisible Pedestrian's original post

Fatal Portrait CD and LP versions:⁠

- hardcover digisleeve "mini-LP" CD⁠
- opaque tangerine vinyl (US exclusive - limited to 700 copies)⁠
- orange w/ red spots vinyl (US exclusive - limited to 300 copies)⁠
- 180g black vinyl (EU exclusive)⁠
- melon orange marbled vinyl (EU exclusive - limited to 1000 copies)⁠
- golden yellow marbled vinyl (EU exclusive - limited to 500 copies)⁠
- clear blue / red marbled vinyl (EU exclusive - limited to 300 copies)⁠
- red / white marbled vinyl (EMP exclusive - limited to 200 copies)⁠
- dark violet marbled vinyl (EU exclusive - limited to 200 copies)⁠
- flame splatter vinyl (EU webshop exclusive - limited to 200 copies)⁠
- orange / black melt w/ red splatter vinyl (EU webshop exclusive - limited to 100 copies)⁠
⁠
Fatal Portrait track-listing (CD and LP)⁠

1. The Candle⁠
2. The Jonah⁠
3. The Portrait⁠
4. Dressed in White⁠
5. Charon⁠
6. Lurking in the Dark⁠
7. Halloween⁠
8. Voices from the Past⁠
9. Haunted

Abigail CD and LP versions:⁠
- hardcover digisleeve "mini-LP" CD⁠
- cobalt vinyl (US exclusive - limited to 700 copies)⁠
- clear w/ blue splatter vinyl (US exclusive - limited to 300 copies)⁠
- 180g black vinyl (EU exclusive)⁠
- midnight blue / white vinyl (EU exclusive - limited to 1000 copies)⁠
- khaki brown vinyl (EU exclusive - limited to 500 copies)⁠
- opaque light blue marbled vinyl (EU exclusive - limited to 300 copies)⁠
- sulfur yellow marbled vinyl (EMP exclusive - limited to 200 copies)⁠
- moss green marbled vinyl (EU exclusive - limited to 200 copies)⁠
- clear blue w/ green and orange splatter vinyl (EU webshop exclusive - limited to 200 copies)⁠
- olive / blue melt vinyl (EU webshop exclusive - limited to 100 copies)⁠

Abigail track-listing (CD and LP)⁠


1. Funeral⁠
2. Arrival⁠
3. A Mansion in Darkness⁠
4. The Family Ghost⁠
5. The 7th Day of July 1777⁠
6. Omens⁠
7. The Possession⁠
8. Abigail⁠
9. Black Horsemen

From the Metal Blade website:

King Diamond adds, “These are not remasters. These are the albums as they were originally done in the old days from the original production masters. They retain all the original dynamics that were captured at the time. It’s very exciting to present these to fans as they were originally released.”

Hmmm, is this the start of labels now telling us that all the "new and improved remasters" they have been trying to sell us for the last 20 years are actually shit and they actually had them right the first time?

I also have it under good authority that golden yellow marbled vinyl is the warmest sounding of all vinyl, and am extremely disappointed that Abigail is only available in sulfur yellow marbled vinyl.

You have to feel sorry for King Diamond completists, looking at the size of that list.

The range of limited colours makes it seems like these won't be general releases, so I'll move the thread to Collector's Corner for now. We'll move it back to Vaults when/if these appear on Amazon.

They have now added Them, Conspiracy, The Eye and In Concert 1987 to the list and those are due in May.

Are you getting any of these, Pete? If so, would you let us know how they sound? If not, disregard.

Yes, I am.

I’m quite happy with the gold CD remasters from 1997 or whenever that was.

But, this idea of going back to the way the vinyl and cassettes sounded has some appeal.

I like the packaging idea too.

I have barely ordered any music in months, but I’d like to get the CDs (no vinyl).

I’ll definitely keep you posted.

How much are they listing for?

Despite my super-negative comments earlier, the remasters for Abigail and Them were both "slightly better than OK." They both are just a tad loud, but nowhere near the grating, brick-walled garbage we mainly get these days. I can't speak for Fatal Portrait as I never heard that remaster.

That said, the original mastering for Abigail and Them were superbly done and IMO, prime examples of just how good the CD format can sound when mastered right. There is a very slight flaw with the original Abigail CD that most people don't even notice, but I'd still highly recommend it over the remaster. If they actually do use the original CD masters and don't go start tweeking them and screwing it up, yeah I'd definitely recommend a repurchase if all you have are the remasters. Extremely crank-able.

They're all showing on MetalBlade to be $11.99 which is a damn good price. At that price, I'm tempted even without a review by you. I may spring for a couple to see how they sound. If good, then I'd get the rest.

The first ones posted are "expected to ship on or around April 17, 2020" and the newest ones posted by you are "expected to ship on or around May 8, 2020"

It looks like these are all up on Amazon.

Yes, they are.... and the prices are the same as MB's.

I found all the CDs that are on Amazon now. In the opening post I've added links to all the CD versions (since Invisible Pedestrian couldn't be bothered).

These are coming out in successive weeks, so I'll be changing the date in the title of this thread over the next month.

Couldn’t be bothered?

Really?

Well, I sprung for Fatal Portait just to see how the sound is. It's pretty good so far. It's not loud by any means. I probably had to turn it up one notch above what discs usually are mastered at these days. The packaging is as described, an album look-a-like.

Pete, did you get any yet? This makes me want to get the rest including the MF upcoming releases.

No, I've been saving up what little I have to get them all and now with the Mercyful Fate albums coming (including the ultra-rare debut EP) I'm going to dole out for those too.

I was never thrilled with the previous MF remasters.

How would you compare the new Fatal Portrait to the Gold remaster from the late 90s?

I never had that remaster. The only version I had was the original CD release. I don't know where it is either. I may have sold it off years ago. There's no telling why on that either.

I think I'll just get all of these for shits and giggles.

I hope they get to MF's In The Shadows. That's one of my fave albums. I still have the original release and saw them on that tour in Dallas.

I think they are only doing the Roadrunner albums because the Metal Blade albums have never been remastered anyway.

All the MF 90s albums are killer and Time is my fave.

Jamming to Abigail as I type. These sure sound good so far. One thing that takes getting used to is the lower volume of the mastering. Usually, I have my stereo volume set at 10 for the average disc, but these I have to go up to 17.

The anti-loudness folks will like these.

Seriously, the mastering is crystal clear. Makes me wonder what the MF discs will sound like.

Pete, did you ever get the later remasters done by Andy? If so, how did they sound?

I did and I felt he did a nice job, because I’ve always had problems with how the drums are recorded on KD albums.

He made them better, especially The Graveyard.

As for his remastering of all the tracks on Dreams Of Horror, I recommend that as the best-sounding KD comp, despite a few glaring absences.

I’ve got to get these new reissues.

What’s the packaging like?

The actual cover is pretty stout. It's not flimsy by any means. The disc looks like an old 33.

The lyrics and other stuff that used to be on an album sleeve is now a folded poster. At first, I was bothered by that. But then it hit me.... an inner sleeve would be so hard to read.

The disc themselves fit into the main sleeve, so that can be an issue for some.

That’s the CD, not the vinyl?

Looks great.

How many of these do you have so far?

Yep, that's the CD.





Fatal Portrait, Abigail, Them, and Conspiracy. The rest are waiting for release. I ordered all three of the MF, too.