Roadrunner Records - 1986
9.5/10
To many, the debut King Diamond record acts as the bridge connecting a gap between early Mercyful Fate and the iconic concept-oriented trajectory. To me, Fatal Portrait is not only more than just that, but solid proof that half a concept with some standalones can flow just as nicely. Bringing axeman Michael Denner and introducing Andy, Timi and Mikkey would certainly show some new colors, despite following the tighter approach evident on Don’t Break The Oath. However, I’d go as far as saying this is a step up on the songwriting front.
The “Molly” short story that the first four tracks (and closer) revolve around paint an extremely chilling picture with a glimpse at what would soon become staple; combining furious riff progressions with atmospheric effect, and a healthy serving of melody. Chants, deep synth notes, and a droning buzz contrast the heavy delivery perfectly, which already does a fantastic job of swinging in with accessible melodies on its own. On the back side, single-serving doses that raise the same hairs on one’s skin work so nicely that an untrained ear couldn’t even tell the whole record isn’t one full narrative. Moreover, despite the cleaner production, there still remains a dingy tint adding extra flavor to the darker passages, rounding things off beautifully.
Where King Diamond’s magic lies is right in the sweet spot found between all of this. Opener “The Candle” might be one of the spookiest openings to a record I’ve ever heard, being the perfect kickoff to a spooky-season staple. Its descent into pummeling drum kicks and faster rhythms let on lots of adrenaline right away, melting nicely into the more accessible “The Jonah.” “The Portrait” then feels more vocal centric as it jumps between falsetto melodies and shrieking outbursts, topped off with some of the strongest solos in the cracks. “Dressed In White” then wraps this segment up with arguably some of the most accessible rhythms, particularly in the opening licks and iconic singalong chorus. We’d return to this at the end with “Haunted,” which admittedly would have fit better here, but I can’t act like it doesn’t feel like a solid bookend.
Looking at the individual numbers, the same tactics are used piece by piece save for connecting the songs with one narrative. If there’s a single “scary rotten fun” tune to be had, it would be “Halloween” thanks to the maniacal laughs and catchy verses, though even here the stomping, deep rhythms are a sharp force meant to remind us of the dark situation we’re trapped in. On a similar note, “Charon” utilizes explosive riffs for that effect, sharing the forefront with King’s outbursts. It bridges nicely with “Lurking In The Dark,” putting more emphasis on the soloing right out of the gates. All that leaves is the instrumental “Voices From The Past,” invoking a hallway chase that never truly ends, perhaps to quickly achieve the feeling that all of Fatal Portrait aims for in one swift swoop. It’s like your horror anthology series put into an engaging trailer.
For some reason, this record seems to have mixed reviews amongst fans, and I can’t help but think some of that is chalked up to it not being the typical concept record King would become known for. More iconic and in-depth records would certainly follow, but the first run around truly has some of the greatest songwriting in both bands’ discography. On an individual track level, its chilling vibes are unmatched. As a bigger picture, it flows like the smoothest horror themed roller coaster you’ve ever been on.
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