I was watching an interview with KREATOR’s Mille Petrozza the other day when he mentioned „Don’t Break the Oath“ by Mercyful Fate. Mercyful Fate. Of course I know the name but have I ever actually heard one of their songs? Nope, not that I remember. They’re legendary, yet somehow underrated.

So here’s what I want to do:
Sit back. Headphones on. Listen to „Don’t Break the Oath“ in its entirety and write down my thoughts as they come.
I do know that this is their second record. But that’s all.

Join me as I get pulled into the sound of a one-of-a-kind album — from a band I’ve mistakenly overlooked for far too long. Spoiler: It’s fun.

A DANGEROUS MEETING
„Tonight the circle is meeting again. Who will be the first to fall in trance.“
This is my first real encounter with Kim Bendix Petersen, better known as King Diamond and his band. Sometimes in the first Verse I am thinking: What the hell is he doing? That’s not a complaint. In fact the singing gets me from the first note. The vocal acrobatics, the drama, the audacity. It’s like I would think of a musical performance in some way.
„Tonight the circle is broken forever. Seven people dead within a trance.“
Okay this is a nice twist. The Song itself is straight forward most of the time. The groove gets me. Great start.

NIGHTMARE
Second Track: “Nightmare.”. Not that accessible as the opener but interesting in its patterns and grooves. I like the bass sound. In the middle of the songs everything changes. The “Coven sings” part completely floors me. I am all in.
And when I think it’s over, nope the song keeps evolving, ending on this wild tangle of guitar leads and a bass line that refuses to go quietly.

Those were two great tracks. This feels weirdly familiar. Not the riffs, but the energy and sound. Not identical, but comparable in the way Fields of the Nephilim evoke something timeless. What I mean by that is not necessarily sonically, but in that overall feeling. Listening to „Don’t Break the Oath“ in 2025, you can hear just how much of its DNA still runs through metal today.

DESRACTION OF SOULS
This pulls back a bit. Straight forward Song. Lead sits perfect. And again I love the bass sound. Play this song to get an example of the bass sound and playing of the entire record.

NIGHT OF THE UNBORN
Just when I expect the band to speed up, they don’t. Instead, “Night of the Unborn” teases the listener, it flirts with momentum. Trotting where I expect a gallop, circling around it with theatrical flair. Then, right at the end, the trotting opens. And yes, I’m still talking about the bass.

THE OATH
Synths! Out of nowhere bells, atmosphere, and then that riff. This now is a gallop! The following tempo change throws me completely off, and I’m sure that’s the point. Again the leads are sitting well.

GYPSY
Short. Full of harmonized guitar leads. Feels like a ramp for what is left to come.

WELCOME PRINCESS OF HELL
And it’s coming in great: The guitar sound here scratches something in my brain. It’s gritty so widely used until today. If you’re curious what I mean by the tone, listen to SabÏre. Different riff, definitely the same kind of bite.
But hey, how catchy can it get? „Even in the night I see the light shining bright“! However you look at it, this one’s a hit.

Back Cover of „Don’t break the Oath“

ONE FOR AWAY
Oh you lovely guitars. Just keep doing this forever. Seriously this is how you interlude. Beside the sound, thematically this leads to the last song where we will finally get to the sabath.

COME TO THE SABBATH
Oh boy, uptempo! Come to the sabbath. One could argue the motto of the sabbath is to reflect and cherish what I just listened to for somewhat 40 minutes. The middle part reminds me of a creepy interpretation of „Hotel California“. But I get the answer right away: „If you say heaven, I say a castle of lies“.

That’s how „Don’t Break the Oath“, or Merciful Fate in that regard, broke me in: One riff, one vocal expression, one revelation at a time.

Quick facts & Verdict

• This thing is crazy good
• Petersen shines, but the songs are beasts in their own right
• Gorgeous chorus tone on the guitars (though some say it might just be a cocked wah)
• “Welcome Princess of Hell” for me is the highlight. It sits perfectly at track 7
• Even the interlude is a hit („One for away“)