MERCYFUL FATE - LIVE FROM THE DEPTH OF HELL 12" Black Vinyl LP Album

- Unleashed Chaos: The Infernal Roar of Mercyful Fate’s Underground Era

MERCYFUL FATE – From the Depths of Hell is an unofficial bootleg capturing the raw, sinister energy of the band’s early live performances. The front cover titles it From The Depths Of Hell, while the record label reads Live From The Depth Of Hell. Featuring King Diamond’s haunting falsetto and blistering guitar work, this release is a sought-after collector’s item despite its unofficial status.

Mercyful Fate: From the Depths of Hell – A Bootleg Testament to Unholy Power
Album Description:

In the shadowy underworld of heavy metal, where clandestine recordings and illicit performances thrive, "Mercyful Fate: From the Depths of Hell" stands as a testament to the band's raw power and enduring appeal. This bootleg album, capturing a live performance from the early 1980s, serves as a portal to a time when Mercyful Fate was still a rising force, their music a potent blend of theatricality and genuine darkness.

While not an official release, "From the Depths of Hell" offers a glimpse into the band's early years, a time when their stage shows were shrouded in an aura of mystique and their music pushed the boundaries of heavy metal. The tracklist, a mix of fan favorites and deep cuts, showcases the band's versatility and their ability to conjure an atmosphere of otherworldly dread.

From the ominous opening notes of "Black Masses" to the final crescendo of "Nuns Have No Fun," Mercyful Fate delivers a relentless assault on the senses. King Diamond's vocals, a chilling blend of operatic range and demonic falsetto, soar above the maelstrom of guitars and drums. Hank Shermann and Michael Denner's intricate fretwork weaves a tapestry of neoclassical shredding and doom-laden riffs, while the rhythm section of Timi Hansen and Kim Ruzz lays down a thunderous foundation.

The recording itself, while rough and unpolished, captures the raw energy and intensity of Mercyful Fate's live performances. The guitars snarl and bite, the drums pound with primal fury, and Diamond's vocals pierce the air like a banshee's wail. It's a sonic document of a band at their most visceral and unhinged.

While the exact origins of this bootleg remain shrouded in mystery, it's clear that it was recorded during a time when Mercyful Fate was still honing their craft, their music a potent blend of heavy metal, hard rock, and progressive influences. The tracklist, a mix of songs from their early demos and their debut album, "Melissa," showcases their evolution as a band and their commitment to pushing the boundaries of the genre.

So, if you're ready to descend into the depths of hell, crank up the volume and let Mercyful Fate be your guide. Just be warned: once you've experienced their unholy power, there's no turning back.

Music Genre:

Heavy Metal 

Record Label & Catalog-nr:

Satan's Nightmare SN1002

Media Format:

12" LP Vinyl Stereo Gramophone Record
Total Album (Cover+Record) weight: 230 gram 

Year & Country:

1984 Made in UK
Personnel/Band Members and Musicians on: MERCYFUL FATE From the Depth of Hell
    Band-members, Musicians and Performers
  • King Diamond - Vocals
  • King Diamond – Vocals, keyboards

    The Danish high-priest of the falsetto, whose corpse-paint probably never quite washes off the collar.

    Before he was an icon, Kim Bendix Petersen was just another kid in Copenhagen lugging gear through the mid-70s gloom with Brainstorm and Black Rose. By the time Mercyful Fate coalesced in ’81, he’d stopped playing the part of a frontman and started inhabiting something far more unsettling. To hear that first EP is to hear a man daring the listener to laugh at his theatrics, only to realize the music is too sharp, too lethal, to be a joke. When the Fate inevitably fractured in '85—as bands built on such rigid alchemy usually do—the King simply took the candles and the bone-cross with him. His solo output didn't just 'feature' horror; it exhaled it, turning 12-inch vinyl into a physical medium for ghost stories. It’s music that smells of old velvet and cheap stage fog, anchored by a voice that shouldn't work but somehow, impossibly, does. You either buy into the ritual or you don’t, but you never forget the first time that scream hits the speakers. King Diamond Wiki

  • Timi "Grabber" Hansen - Bass tim
  • Timi “Grabber” Hansen – Bassist (Mercyful Fate, King Diamond)

    The man didn't just play the bass; he attacked it with a pick-heavy rattle that became the heartbeat of Danish occult metal.

    Timi Hansen earned the name 'Grabber' for a reason. While most metal bassists of the early '80s were content to be felt and not heard, Hansen used his fingers and a relentless pick attack to carve a space for himself between the twin-guitar assault of Shermann and Denner. He was the foundational weight of Mercyful Fate during that lightning-in-a-bottle run from ’81 to ’85, providing a muscular, clattering drive that kept the band’s high-concept theatrics grounded in the gutter. When the King moved on to solo territory, Hansen was the logical choice to anchor the 1985–1987 era, his lines on Abigail pulsing with a sinister, driving urgency that feels like a pursuit. He returned briefly for the '92 reunion—a final, thunderous victory lap—before the rigors of the road took their toll. There’s a specific, trebly grit to his tone that sounds like a Rickenbacker being pushed to its breaking point. It’s a sound that is sorely missed, a reminder that in the right hands, four strings are more than enough to summon a storm.

  • Kim Ruzz - Drums
  • Kim Ruzz – Drummer (Mercyful Fate)

    The engine room of the occult; a drummer who brought a Neil Peart-inspired precision to the damp basement of the early Danish metal scene.

    If Shermann and Denner were the architects of Mercyful Fate, Kim Thyge Jensen—rechristened Ruzz—was the one making sure the whole structure didn't collapse under its own weight. He was never a typical 'metal' drummer; he played with a loose, syncopated swing that felt more like a haunted jazz session than a military march. During that lightning run from 1981 to 1985, his work on the Melissa and Don’t Break the Oath sessions provided a frantic, busy counterpoint to the King's vocals. I’ve always found it fascinating that after helping define an entire subgenre, he simply walked away to become a postman—a quiet, analog life that makes his eventual 2017 stage cameo feel less like a 'reunion' and more like a ghost returning to the scene of the crime. His brief 2012 stint with Metalruzz was a reminder that the hands still remember the patterns, even if the industry had long since moved on. He remains the definitive pulse of the band's golden era, a man who understood that sometimes the most terrifying thing a drummer can do is play around the beat rather than right on top of it.

  • Michael Denner - Guitar
  • Michael Denner – Guitarist (Mercyful Fate, King Diamond)

    The master of the eerie harmony; the man who proved that heavy metal solos could be as graceful as they are grim.

    Michael Denner is the reason those early Mercyful Fate records didn’t just sound heavy—they sounded *expensive.* Emerging from the same snot-nosed Brats era as his partner-in-crime Hank Shermann, Denner brought a 70s-inflected soul to the band's occult attack. While others were chasing speed, Denner was chasing the kind of vibrato that lingers in the air like incense. His tenure from '81 to '85 didn't just 'feature' guitar work; it established a twin-guitar language that redefined the genre. When the Fate first fractured, he jumped straight into the fire with King Diamond, providing the neoclassical elegance that makes Abigail (1987) feel like a Victorian ghost story rather than a standard metal record. He’s floated in and out of the fold since—rejoining for the mid-90s resurrection and occasional guest appearances—but his thumbprint is permanent. To hear a Denner solo is to hear a player who values the space between the notes as much as the notes themselves. It’s a sophisticated, slightly melancholic touch that reminds you he grew up listening to the greats before the world turned into a distortion pedal.

  • Hank Sharmann - Guitar
  • René Krolmark – Guitarist, Songwriter

    Better known as Hank Shermann, he’s the man who traded the snotty rebellion of punk for a Flying V and a book of occult riffs.

    Before he was an architect of the black metal aesthetic, René Krolmark was stalking Copenhagen stages with Brats, operating under the delightfully puerile alias 'Hank de Wank.' It’s a bit of 1977 grit that he never quite scrubbed off, even as his playing evolved from three-chord thrashing into the sophisticated, neoclassical menace that defined Mercyful Fate. When he co-founded the Fate in '81, he brought a sense of 'swing' to heavy metal that most of his contemporaries lacked; his riffs didn't just chug, they danced. The mid-80s fracture saw him pivoting toward the melodic, stadium-leaning crunch of Fate (1985)—a move that baffled the purists but showcased a songwriter who refused to be buried in a tomb of his own making. Whether he was navigating the short-lived Lavina or the esoteric weight of Zoser Mez, Krolmark’s signature remained the same: a tone that feels like cold chrome and a vibrato that sounds distinctly, stubbornly Danish. He remains a study in contradictions—a punk heart wrapped in a virtuoso’s technical skin, still swinging that V like it’s the only thing keeping the lights on.

Complete Track-listing of the album "MERCYFUL FATE From the Depth of Hell"

The detailed tracklist of this record "MERCYFUL FATE From the Depth of Hell" is:

    Track-listing Side One:
  1. Intro
  2. Black Masses
  3. Curse Of The Pharaohs
  4. Evil
  5. Into The Coven
  6. Gypsy
  7. Reyarp Sdrol
  8. Corps Without Soul
    Track-listing Side Two:
  1. The Oath
  2. Doomed By The Living Dead
  3. At The Sound Of The Demon Bell
  4. Satan's Fall
  5. Satan's Solo
  6. Nuns Have No Fun
Front Cover Photo Of MERCYFUL FATE - Live From The Depth Of Hell 12" Vinyl LP Album

The front cover of MERCYFUL FATE – From the Depths of Hell is a striking and eerie design that embodies the band’s sinister aesthetic. Dominated by a macabre, black-and-white image of a skull-like face with wide, haunting eyes, the artwork exudes an unsettling presence. A spider crawls on the forehead, adding a chilling detail. The entire cover is splattered with dripping red blood, intensifying the horror-like visual impact. The album title, From the Depths of Hell, is positioned at the top in a classic, almost archaic font, partially obscured by the blood splatters. Below the central image, the band’s name appears in an ornate, gothic-style blackletter typeface, reinforcing the dark, occult themes synonymous with Mercyful Fate. The overall presentation is raw, menacing, and perfectly suited for an underground bootleg capturing the band’s early ferocity.

Photo Of The Back Cover MERCYFUL FATE - Live From The Depth Of Hell 12" Vinyl LP Album
Photo of album back cover MERCYFUL FATE - Live From The Depth Of Hell 12" Vinyl LP Album

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Close up of record's label MERCYFUL FATE - Live From The Depth Of Hell 12" Vinyl LP Album Side One:
Close up of record's label MERCYFUL FATE - Live From The Depth Of Hell 12" Vinyl LP Album 
 Side One

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The MERCYFUL FATE Vinyl Discography and Album Cover Gallery

MERCYFUL FATE - The Beginning
Thumbnail of MERCYFUL FATE - Beginning with King Diamond 12" Vinyl LP Album front cover

RoadrunneR RR 9603   , 1987 , Holland / The Netherlands

The definitive collector's addition to the Mercyful Fate Catalogue featuring the band's official pre-Melissa recordings - The legendary Rave-On sessions (Fully re-mastered) The BBC "Friday Rock Show"

The Beginning 12" Vinyl LP
MERCYFUL FATE - Don't Break The Oath
Thumbnail of MERCYFUL FATE - Don't Break The Oath 12" Vinyl LP Record album front cover

 RoadrunneR RR 9835 , 1984 , Made in Holland ( The Netherlands)

"Don’t Break the Oath" isn’t just an album—it’s a blood pact sealed in fire. Mercyful Fate, led by the inhuman wail of King Diamond, pushed heavy metal into the abyss with this 1984 masterpiece. Riffs slash like ritual daggers, drums pound like a death march, and every lyric drips with infernal menace. This is where the genre’s shadows deepened, where metal stopped playing dress-up and embraced true darkness.

Don't Break The Oath 12" Vinyl LP
MERCYFUL FATE - Live From The Depth Of Hell
Thumbnail of  MERCYFUL FATE - Live From The Depth Of Hell 12" Vinyl LP Album front cover

Satan's Nightmare SN1002 , 1984 , UK ( United Kingdom )

This album "MERCYFUL FATE From the Depth of Hell" is an unofficial (bootleg record) album of this band of Mercyfull Fate. Title on the front cover and record's label are slightly different.

Live From The Depth Of Hell 12" Vinyl LP
MERCYFUL FATE - Live From The Depth Of Hell Red Vinyl
Thumbnail of MERCYFUL FATE - From The Depths Of Hell Red Vinyl 12" LP Album front cover

Satan's Nightmare SN 1002 , 2013

This album is an unofficial (bootleg) album of this band Mercyfull Fate. Limited to 500 copies reissue on red vinyl. Classic and ultra hard to find semi official Mercyful Fate fan club recordings.

Live From The Depth Of Hell Red Vinyl 12" Vinyl LP
MERCYFUL FATE - Melissa (International Releases)
Thumbnail of MERCYFUL FATE - Melissa Bernett France 1983 12" LP ALBUM VINYL  album front cover

Bernett Records SB 18011 , 1984 , France

Melissa isn’t just a debut—it’s a declaration of war. Mercyful Fate, led by King Diamond’s banshee wail, tore open the gates of hell with this 1983 masterpiece. Henrik Lund’s production gave the record a raw, sinister edge, while Hank Shermann and Michael Denner’s twin guitars carved out the blueprint for black metal. Dark, theatrical, and utterly relentless, Melissa is where metal learned to stare into the abyss.

- Melissa French Release Melissa Canadian Release Melissa Netherlands Release
MERCYFUL FATE - Return Of The Vampire Compilation
Thumbnail of MERCYFUL FATE - Return Of The Vampire Compilation 12" LP Vinyl Album front cover

RoadrunneR RR 9184 , 1992 , Holland ( The Netherlands )

"Return of the Vampire" is the compilation album of rare demo tracks by Mercyful Fate recorded before their first, official release in 1982. It is also released in 1992 by Roadrunner Records RR 9184.

Return Of The Vampire Compilation 12" Vinyl LP
Rave-On Hits Hard Mercyful
Thumbnail of VARIOUS ARTISTS - Rave-On Hits Hard Mercyful Fate 12" LP Vinyl Record album front cover

Rave-On Records RLP-011 , 1985 , Netherlands

This album "VA Rave-On Hits Hard" includes tracks by the bands: Mercyful Fate , Astaroth, H-Bomb, Crossfire, Evil, H-Bomb, Gilgamasj, Sortilege. It was produced by Stefan Rooyackers, Jac Hustinx.

Rave-On Hits Hard Mercyful Fate 12" Vinyl LP