- Them (King Diamond album)
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"Them" Studio album by King Diamond Released 1988 Genre Heavy metal Length 53:29 Label Roadrunner Producer King Diamond, Kenneth Hister King Diamond chronology Abigail
(1987)"Them"
(1988)Conspiracy
(1989)Professional ratings Review scores Source Rating Allmusic [1]
"Them" is an album by King Diamond released in 1988 on Roadrunner Records.
It is the first of two fictional concept albums about King and his mentally ill grandmother, the second of these being Conspiracy. King falls into a harrowing descent into madness via his grandmother and the voices in the House of Amon, known to the listener only as "Them".
Contents
Plot summary
As the album opens, a young King and his mother and sister are welcoming King's grandmother home from a mental asylum. That night, King investigates strange voices and discovers his grandmother having a tea party alone, with the teacups and kettles floating in the air. King is promptly sent back to bed.
On another occasion, Grandma awakens King and tells him that she will teach him about Amon, their house, over a cup of tea. Grandma cuts King's sleeping mother's hand and adds her blood to the teapot. The voices of the house ("Them") begin to affect King with a drug-like effect. King's sister Missy tries to convince King that they should do something to help their mother, who is unconscious under "their" power, but his judgment is clouded due to his altered state. He refuses to call for help and cuts the phone line. At tea, Missy interrupts and furiously expresses concern about her mother's state and breaks the teapot. "They", in response to the breaking of "their" teapot, chop Missy into bits with an axe and throw the remains into the fireplace in the kitchen. King is snapped out of his "spell," and he stumbles outside and pieces together the events that transpired.
After fainting and regaining consciousness, he decides to attack his grandmother. He notices that "their" power is weakened outside of the house, so he lures his grandmother outside and kills her. The voices of Amon continue to haunt the boy as he is questioned by police and incarcerated in an asylum. Years later, he is released and returns home to find his grandmother and the voices of Amon are still very much alive.
Track listing
No. Title Writer(s) Length 1. "Out From the Asylum" King Diamond 1:44 2. "Welcome Home" King Diamond 4:36 3. "The Invisible Guests" King Diamond 5:04 4. "Tea" King Diamond 5:15 5. "Mother's Getting Weaker" King Diamond, Andy LaRocque 4:02 6. "Bye, Bye Missy" King Diamond 5:08 7. "A Broken Spell" King Diamond, Andy LaRocque 4:08 8. "The Accusation Chair" King Diamond 4:21 9. ""Them"" (Instrumental) King Diamond, Andy LaRocque 1:56 10. "Twilight Symphony" King Diamond 4:10 11. "Coming Home" King Diamond 1:11 Remaster bonus tracks
No. Title Writer(s) Length 12. "Phone Call" King Diamond 1:39 13. "The Invisible Guests (Rehearsal)" King Diamond 5:19 14. "Bye, Bye Missy (Rehearsal)" King Diamond 4:51 Personnel
- King Diamond - Vocals, Keyboards
- Andy LaRocque - Guitar
- Pete Blakk - Guitar
- Hal Patino - Bass
- Mikkey Dee - Drums
Rehearsal versions of The Invisible Guests and Bye, Bye Missy featured King and Andy on guitars, Mikkey on drums and Timi Hansen on bass.
In other media
The song "Welcome Home" and lyrics from the song "Invisible Guests" were featured in the movie Clerks II. "Welcome Home" was also featured in the 2009 video game Brütal Legend.
External links
- Official Website
- The Story of Them (Site not found?)
References
King Diamond • Andy LaRocque • Mike Wead • Hal Patino • Matt Thompson • Livia Zita
Michael Denner • Timi Hansen • Mikkey Dee • Pete Blakk • Hal Patino • Snowy Shaw • Roberto Falcao • Herb Simonsen • Chris Estes • Darrin Anthony • John Luke Hébert • Glen Drover • David HarbourStudio albums Fatal Portrait • Abigail • Them • Conspiracy • The Eye • The Spider's Lullabye • The Graveyard • Voodoo • House of God • Abigail II: The Revenge • The Puppet Master • Give Me Your Soul...PleaseEPs Live albums In Concert 1987: Abigail • Deadly Lullabyes: LiveCompilations A Dangerous Meeting • Nightmare in the Nineties • Decade of Horror • The Best of King Diamond • Black Rose: 20 Years AgoSingles "No Presents for Christmas" • "Halloween" • "The Family Ghost" • "Welcome Home" • "Eye of the Witch"Categories:- King Diamond albums
- 1988 albums
- Concept albums
- Roadrunner Records albums
- Rock operas
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