King Diamond

For those who are not familiar with King’s not so traditional philosophies, he is a firm believer in the individual, a belief system not unlike that of controversial Anton Levay. And like Levay, King is a man of conviction, "I stand behind everything I do. I raise questions about what I think is important. Right and wrong is so individual." Airing out ones ideas within the context of heavy metal could put a bit of a fright into mainstream America. So what of the zealots and the folks that fear him? King simply puts it, "I respect people’s different views. No one can please everyone on Earth." As a major influence on the musical careers of Metallica, Megadeth, Slayer, and ultimately being the core influence on the entire black metal genre, King Diamond draws on his grim outlook of the classic horror tale and brings that to be a part of his music, using the haunting and powerful sound of his top notch band and his signature vocal style to enhance the stories he tells.