Metal Blade Records - 2007
7.5/10
A couple years following the moment I believe to be what King Diamond's entire post-classic career was leading up to in The Puppet Master, we'd come to find that it wasn't things ending on a bang. This would be the largest gap of time we'd see between records since 1995, perhaps taking a little bit of influence from before, if nothing else because of Livia Zita assisting with vocals again. However, the outing known as Give Me Your Soul... Please is more accurately described as a simplified version of this modern sound, almost reverting back to the sound that it began with in the mid-'90s. Though not quite what I would call "watered down" in style, I may describe the songwriting itself as such.
In other words, Give Me Your Soul... Please blends small hints of the operatic feelings thanks to the extra vocals with the expertise used the last time around and applies them to a far more straightforward template. Many of the songs operate on catchy choruses under an extremely clean production, almost too clean at times. Similarly, the solos slide in with such a slick feeling to match the crystal clear surface, with the usual driving rhythms that rely on that for structure. Together I must admit some of this feels a bit tired. Very little is done to really add that sizzle making former records stand out, and King is absolutely lacking in the oomph his voice once gave such a captivating boost, leaving no room for aggressive snarls or compelling outbursts. Instead, almost everything is pretty heavy metal by the numbers.
Thankfully, like I said, it's very competent, and I can at least say this doesn't feel as forced as Abigail II: The Revenge. "Is Anybody Here?" and "Mirror Mirror" almost deal in Iron Maiden terms with their classic NWOBHM under a powerful drive, and the pummeling gallop of the title track is pretty fun. "Black Of Night" stands out a tad with its vocal tradeoffs, and the album's general tame vibe helps the otherwise basic spooky chops feel like a proverbial funhouse ride. Just don't expect much more than that; even after listening to the better songs, they're not exactly memorable, and it's like coming out the other end forgetting what everything was like.
If I had to compare this to another King Diamond record, it may be The Spider's Lullaby, another one that does its job and has at least some bits of an identity, but is really lacking in terms of doing anything very interesting. Nothing is objectively bad, things are consistent, and the album's existence doesn't feel like a desperate throwback or cash grab, but it's not one I'll return to very often either, especially with its fifty-five minute runtime. Talk of another album has been in the works since seemingly forever, and we can only hope that it really introduces a new element. If it's just another one of these, I'd probably prefer nothing.
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