Mercyful Fate – Time (2016 180g Black Vinyl Reissue) Review | Heavy Metal Classic Reborn
⛤ Heavy Metal / Traditional Metal |
31.00 €
(Mint)
⛤ Pulse Rating: 9.5 / 10
🛒
Check this item in stock
📧 Order Now
When Mercyful Fate released "Time" in 1994, it marked a strange turning point for the band. They weren't trying to recreate the chaos of "Melissa" or the considerable ritualistic energy of "Don't Break The Oath". Instead, "Time" sounded like a band who had lived a lot more life — darker life — and were channeling that into something moodier, slower-burning, and more storytelling-driven.
Hearing the 2016 180g black vinyl reissue now, that shift feels even clearer. The record breathes differently from their early material, and the heaviness digs in from a colder angle.
The album doesn't go for shock value or relentless speed. Instead, it leans into atmosphere and unsettling imagery, almost like old supernatural tales written in metal form. Lyrically, the themes move beyond early Mercyful Fate's Satanic fire and towards something broader and creepier — nightmares, doomed faith, haunted visions, paranoia, hallucinations, and that constant feeling that something is lurking just out of sight. You hear it in songs like "Nightmare Be Thy Name," "Witches' Dance," and "My Demon." The darkness here isn't loud — it's eerie, creeping, and strangely mature. One of the biggest examples of this shift is "The Mad Arab," which goes headfirst into Lovecraft's world. It tells the story of Abdul Alhazred, the mythical author of the Necronomicon.
Musically and lyrically, it feels like sandstorms, insanity, and ancient curses. Instead of the occult imagery of the early albums, you get a kind of mystical dread — the kind that comes from old books and forgotten rituals rather than open rituals and devil worship. This direction pops up all across "Time", giving the album a unified gloom.
Musically, "Time" sits right in the middle of Mercyful Fate's evolution.
Compared to "Melissa" and "Don't Break The Oath", it's less frantic and more controlled. The riffs are still sharp, but they're arranged in a more thoughtful, almost theatrical way. King Diamond's vocals are still wild, but they're used more like narration instead of constant acrobatics. When you move forward and compare it to "In the Shadows" (1993), "Time" feels darker, slower, and more atmospheric. And when you compare it to "Into The Unknown" (1996), you realize "Time" is the transitional link — still classic heavy metal, but with a growing interest in mood and storytelling over aggression.
Side A sets this tone right away.
"Nightmare Be Thy Name" has that classic Mercyful Fate swing, blending melody and riffs that stick instantly.
"Angel of Light" and "Witches' Dance" are riff-driven but still packed with melody, and they show the band tightening their songwriting.
"The Mad Arab" slows everything down into a smoky, mystical haze.
The title track "Time" finishes the side with a more emotional, reflective mood — something the band rarely showed so openly in the '80s.
Side B continues the storytelling vibe.
"The Preacher" hits like a twisted sermon, while "Lady in Black" and "Mirror" lean into catchy, almost hard-rock-style hooks without losing the darkness.
"The Afterlife" brings back the mystery and spiritual dread, and "Castillo Del Mortes" closes the record with a long, moody march through ghostly corridors, like the metal equivalent of an old gothic film.
One of the album's biggest strengths is the band's tightness. Shermann and Denner's guitars weave harmonies that feel totally unmistakable — dark, melodic, and immediately recognizable as Mercyful Fate. The rhythm section (Sharlee D'Angelo on bass and Snowy Shaw on drums) gives the album a heavy, grounded backbone, especially in mid-paced sections. And King Diamond? He's completely in control: high screams, eerie whispers, clean vocal storytelling, all used with purpose and restraint.
When "Time" dropped in 1994, the reception was mixed but interesting. Many longtime fans were expecting something closer to the early '80s records — faster, more openly evil, more chaotic. What they got instead was a colder, more mature album with slower tempos and more atmosphere. Some critics praised the storytelling and the cleaner production. Others didn't know what to make of the shift and felt the record lacked the immediate punch of the classics. Over the years, though, "Time" has become one of those albums people return to with fresh ears and suddenly "get." It's aged surprisingly well, and many fans now consider it one of the band's most underrated albums.
The 2016 Metal Blade 180g vinyl reissue gives the record the weight it deserves. The guitars sound thicker, the bass hits harder, and the drums feel more present. It keeps the original '94 character intact but adds a little muscle to the low end. The packaging — heavy sleeve, lyric sheet, poster — completes the feel of a proper reissue. It's a great way to experience the album, especially if you've only heard the CD.
"Time" might not be the first album fans recommend when introducing someone to Mercyful Fate, but it's one of the most atmospheric, consistent, and replayable records they ever made. For fans who love heavy metal that leans into mystery, mood, melody, and strange stories whispered from dark corners, "Time" is absolutely worth owning — and the 2016 reissue is one of the best versions available.
Tracklist:
A01. Nightmare Be Thy Name - 3:28
A02. Angel Of Light - 3:37
A03. Witches' Dance - 4:47
A04. The Mad Arab - 4:42
A05. My Demon - 4:42
A06. Time - 4:22
B07. The Preacher - 3:29
B08. Lady In Black - 3:49
B09. Mirror - 3:19
B10. The Afterlife - 4:32
B11. Castillo Del Mortes - 6:13
Credits:
King Diamond – Vocals
Hank Shermann – Guitars
Michael Denner – Guitars
Sharlee D’Angelo – Bass
Snowy Shaw – Drums
Produced by King Diamond & Hank Shermann
Mastering by Eddy Schreyer
Pre-mastering by Frank Salazar
Engineering (assistant) by Kevin Wade
Producer (assistant), Mixing bby Hank Shermann, King Diamond, Tim Kimsey
Recorded and mixed at the Dallas Sound Lab during May – August 1994.
Mastered at Future Disc, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA.
The cover skull is said to be the famous "Melissa Skull". The lower jaw was stolen in Amsterdam.
"The Mad Arab" is about Abdul Alhazred, a character created by HP Lovecraft.
Metal Blade Records * Official Site * Bandcamp
💀 Label: Metal Blade Records (Reissue)
Comments
Post a Comment