KING DIAMOND — The Dark Sides

MetalMusicArchives.com — the ultimate metal music online community, from the creators of progarchives.com

KING DIAMOND - The Dark Sides cover
3.58 | 11 ratings | 2 reviews
Buy this album from MMA partners

EP · 1988

Filed under Heavy Metal
By KING DIAMOND

Tracklist

1. Halloween (4:15)
2. Them (1:57)
3. No Presents for Christmas (4:21)
4. Shrine (4:23)
5. The Lake (4:12)
6. Phone Call (1:37)

Total Time: 20:48

Line-up/Musicians

- King Diamond / vocals
- Andy LaRocque / guitars
- Michael Denner / guitars
- Pete Blakk / guitars
- Timi Hansen / bass
- Hal Patino / bass
- Mikkey Dee / drums

About this release

EP, Roadrunner Records, 1st of November 1988

Thanks to Stooge, UMUR for the updates

Buy KING DIAMOND - THE DARK SIDES music

More places to buy metal & KING DIAMOND music

KING DIAMOND THE DARK SIDES reviews

Specialists/collaborators reviews

UMUR
"The Dark Sides" is an EP compilation by multi-national heavy metal act King Diamond. The EP was released through Roadrunner Records in November 1988 (Just two months after the release of the band´s 3rd full-length studio album "Them"). King Diamond were riding a high at this point in their career, and felt the time was right to release a compilation.

"The Dark Sides" features 6 tracks and a full playing time of 20:48 minutes. The EP opens with "Halloween", which had previously been released on the band´s debut full-length studio album "Fatal Portrait (1986)" and on the eponymously titled single from the same year. "Them" is a short instrumental and the title track from "Them (1988)". So the first two tracks don´t bring anything new to the table, if you´ve already got the studio albums. "No Presents for Christmas" was on the other hand, at the time "The Dark Sides" was released, a more rare track, as it had only been feautured on the eponymously titled single from late 1985. "Shrine" is the next track on the EP, and it was originally released as the B-side to "The Family Ghost" single from 1987. "The Lake" follows and it was originally released as one of the B-side tracks on the 1986 "Halloween" single. "Phone Call" closes "The Dark Sides". It was previously released as the B-Side to the 1988 "Welcome Home" promo single. It´s a leftover track from the recording sessions for "Them (1988)", which wasn´t included on the album.

"The Dark Sides" is upon conclusion a nice little compilation, featuring a couple of rarities, but also a couple of more redundant tracks. There´s for example not much reason to include "Halloween"... and "Phone Call" is a bit redundant too, as it´s basically just a short spoken word/horror effects type track, but overall the quality is still high enough to warrant a 3.5 - 4 star (75%) rating.

Members reviews

Andy
"The Dark Sides" is a good compilation. Short but good.If "Halloween" and "Them" are from "Fatal Portrait" and "Them", "No Presents for Christmas" is a single track (and as bonus track on limited edition of "Fatal Portrait"), "Shrine" is another single track (and as bonus track on limited edition on "Abigail")as "The Lake" is another single track (and as bonus track on limited edition on "Fatal Portrait". "Phone Call" is a previously unreleased track (this is only a fake phone call between King and his grandmother).

The music is good, obvioudly. Typical 80's Heavy Metal with good melodies and power. In my opinion is an excellent addition to a good 80's Metal collection or if you love Traditional Heavy Metal. But is clear that "The Dark Sides" isn't a compilation that introduce King Diamond in a good manner. Notwithstanding, because it also contains rare songs, And because is a good sidekick during a driving trip i think that this Ep/ compilation is good. But not essential.

Ratings only

  • GWLHM76
  • karolcia
  • SilentScream213
  • Fido73
  • Lynx33
  • aecht
  • Zargus
  • Vic
  • slow man

Write/edit review

You must be logged in to write or edit review

MMA TOP 5 Metal ALBUMS

Rating by members, ranked by custom algorithm
Albums with 30 ratings and more
Master of Puppets Thrash Metal
METALLICA
Buy this album from our partners
Paranoid Heavy Metal
BLACK SABBATH
Buy this album from our partners
Moving Pictures Hard Rock
RUSH
Buy this album from our partners
Powerslave NWoBHM
IRON MAIDEN
Buy this album from our partners
Rising Heavy Metal
RAINBOW
Buy this album from our partners

New Metal Artists

New Metal Releases

I, the Destroyer Black Metal
SVARTFJELL
Buy this album from MMA partners
A Sonication Technical Death Metal
OBSCURA
Buy this album from MMA partners
Hin helga kvöl Atmospheric Sludge Metal
SÓLSTAFIR
Buy this album from MMA partners
The Cycles of Suffering Black Metal
BURIAL OATH
Buy this album from MMA partners
More new releases

New Metal Online Videos

More videos

New MMA Metal Forum Topics

More in the forums

New Site interactions

More...

Latest Metal News

members-submitted

More in the forums

Social Media

Follow us