Mercyful Fate — Bloodstock Open Air, 2022

Full concert live footage of Mercyful Fate at the Bloodstock Open Air festival on 13 August 2022 at Catton Park, Walton-on-Trent, England. Fronted by singer King Diamond, the pioneering Danish heavy metal band undertook its major comeback tour in 2022, its first extensive run since the late 1990s and following the passing of longtime bassist Timi Hansen. This capture features King Diamond delivering his trademark falsetto vocals in full corpse paint, backed by guitarists Hank Shermann and Mike Wead, bassist Joey Vera and drummer Bjarne T. Holm. The set draws heavily on the band’s foundational albums Melissa (1983) and Don’t Break the Oath (1984), with occult metal classics such as The Oath, Curse of the Pharaohs, Come to the Sabbath and the encore Satan’s Fall. Filmed outdoors before the crowd at Britain’s largest independent metal festival, this live full set showcases Mercyful Fate’s theatrical and satanic universe, built on twin-guitar riffing, dark atmospheres and extreme vocals. It stands as a valuable document for fans of traditional heavy metal and the 1980s underground scene, and a testament to the band’s enduring live power.