In a recent interview with “The Metal Podcast,” King Diamond guitarist Andy La Rocque spoke about the progress of the songwriting sessions for the band’s long-awaited new album, “The Institute.”
The album, which is tentatively due for release in 2024 via Metal Blade, will be King Diamond‘s first studio LP in 17 years. It will be made available as a two-LP horror concept story, with the second part arriving at a later date.
La Rocque said that the band has been working on songs since the end of their 2019 US tour. “We might be able to come out next year for something,” he said. “I can’t really tell you when or where, but we’re checking the possibilities to really come out with something next year, definitely.”
When asked if he meant a new music release or a tour, La Rocque replied, “A tour. And with the songs. I mean, we’re working on that. We have songs. I sent King a bunch of songs, like, a year and a half ago, and we started working on them, like arrangement-wise and all that. And then Mercyful Fate came in between kind of; they did their summer tour in Europe and also a U.S. tour. And then they’re gonna record like a single or two, I believe.””
“And as soon as they’re done with that, we’re gonna go back and pick up where we ended with King Diamond, all the King Diamond songs that we have. And then, of course, King’s going to write his share of the songs too, and all the lyrics and stuff. So it’s a long procedure. But we have started.” he concluded.
King Diamond fans have been eagerly awaiting a new album from the band for many years, and while there is no official release date yet, the fact that the band is working on new songs and is planning to tour next year is a good sign.
