Metal Blade Records - 1999
8/10
Not even a full year after the disjointed and uninspiring Dead Again hit the scene, Mercyful Fate would drop their final record of the decade, century, and as of now, ever. With a change in the logo's look and an album art that seems to hearken back to the hellish flames that we got from the '80s, perhaps this is a sign that a shift of style is in order. 9 seems to be one that gets talked about less than any other, so I was rather eager to revisit this. It would be incorrect to say that it's anything that makes any real formula shifts, but I can promise this much; there is more of a purpose than what we got on even the previous two albums.
Like the sleeve hints at, we get a little bit of a return to form here. Themes around Satanism and Hell come back in full flesh, presented in a clean and streamlined fashion. Reflecting the late '90s era, we've got different tones and deeper distortions that feel a bit odd for King Diamond and co. however hey do add a crisp finish. Thus, we're somewhat void of that cold and haunting vibe that we got on Melissa, favoring a form that looks closer to Don't Break The Oath for inspiration. Again, the album art somewhat nods to this. Overall, it feels less like a single concept with songs born out of that initial idea, but rather is several songs of a different identity tied together with a similar vibe.
Thankfully, a lot of those songs are pretty well written and they make a strong impact upon landing. You can basically split this between numbers that take the catchy route or the speed-heavy route, both being presented nicely under this clean veneer. "Burn In Hell" has some absolutely stellar riff-work in this regard, backed by pummeling drum beats, and "House On The Hill" has a wonderful drive combining its threatening riffs behind sharp vocals and solid leads. Taking that to another level is "Insane," probably the closest the band has ever come to a full-on thrash metal tune thanks to a speed metal backbone and an explosive presentation. To the opposite end, opener "Last Rites" rests on its steady but strong chorus that can hook the listener quite easily, relying a little more on catchiness. You could say the same about likes of "Kiss The Demon," working in softer licks for some variation.
9 isn't really anything overly innovative for how far along Mercyful Fate are in their career, but it's definitely the closest effort to a return to form. Rather than being a sum of its parts, its parts are what help it standout, despite the obvious nod to wanting to their '80s output. It may not be my go-to, but there's very little to complain about, working as a nice in-betweener with the classics and the experimental ones; the brief runtime definitely helps this. Not an essential listen for those new to the band, but longtime fans that love this style should feel right at home.
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