The Spider's Lullabye

Infobox Album | Name = The Spider's Lullabye
Type = studio
Artist = King Diamond
Released = 1995
Recorded = September-October 1994
Genre = Heavy metal
Black metal
Length = 47:19
Label = Metal Blade
Producer = King Diamond
Reviews =
*Allmusic Rating|4|5 [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:tdjw7ipog74r link]
Last album = "A Dangerous Meeting
(1982)
This album = "The Spider's Lullabye"
(1995)
Next album = "The Graveyard"
(1996)

"The Spider's Lullabye" is an album by King Diamond released in 1995. Contrary to many of King Diamond's albums, this is not a full concept album, but only half the songs form a single plot. It was also the first King Diamond album to be released on the Metal Blade record label.

ummary

The first half of the songs on this album are listed as a variety of short stories before the second half form the plot. "From The Other Side" tells about the protagonist's struggle with an out-of-body experience, forcing himself to come back to life before it's too late. "Killer" describes a Richard Ramirez-type serial killer who's being put to death by electric chair. "The Poltergeist" revolves around a ghost hunter who detects a spirit in their home, fearing that the invading ghost is evil, we come to find out that the supernatural being is harmless and is welcomed as a Casper the Friendly Ghost-type presence. "Dreams" is about a man suffering a series of terrifying nightmares, and encountering she-demons in the form of little girls who supposedly take him to what appeared to be a paradise that existed on the opposite side of the waterfalls in which they were swimming in, and receives quite a shock to find out that the little girls were not what the appeared to be, and screams to escape the nightmare. "Moonlight" tells about a group of cursed children, with references similar to Village of the Damned (1960 film). "Six Feet Under" is an alternate chapter-- a cut scene from Conspiracy (album) and references from "Them" telling what would have happened differently if King's mother and his sociopath therapist Doctor Landau had buried him alive in a glass coffin so they (along with his family) could watch him suffer in agony and perish, while his sister Missy kicks dirt in his face, laughing at his pain. His "family" mentioned in the song are: Grandma, King's mother, his sister Missy, his grandfather, etc. "The Spider's Lullabye" focuses on a reclusive man named Harry who is terrified of spiders and out of desperation, finds a doctor who can cure his arachnophobia. "Eastmann's Cure" is the continuing plot of Harry answering a local ad in the newspaper about a psychiatric hospital who specializes in curing phobias of all kinds. The second character in the song Dr. Eastmann introduces himself to Harry as a kind, friendly physician who hides his true intentions. In "Room 17", a confident Harry awaits Dr. Eastmann and his assistant Nurse Needle Dear to begin his treatment and cure. The so-called "treatment" was nothing more than a torture session when Nurse Needle unleashes a wolf spider from the "Crawly Box". The next day, Harry complains of having a weird feeling on his neck, spider bites, and intense pain. Dr. Eastmann dismisses Harry's comments and thinks nothing more of it. The same night, when Harry is discovered by staff, they find him long dead and covered from head to toe in a spiderweb-like cocoon giving evidence that a series of spiders have wrapped him up like a fly, saving his dead body for consumption. Dr. Eastman comes to the realization that Harry had clearly died of fright (possibly from the result of a heart attack). When Harry (who is now reduced to bones and skin) is taken "To The Morgue", along with other patients who have died for reasons unknown, spiders begin making their home in his empty eye sockets.

Track listing

Lyrics by King Diamond. Music credits as indicated.
#"From the Other Side" – 3:47 (Diamond)
#"Killer" – 4:14 (LaRocque)
#"The Poltergeist" – 4:27 (Diamond)
#"Dreams" – 4:37 (Diamond)
#"Moonlight" – 4:30 (Diamond)
#"Six Feet Under" – 4:02 (LaRocque)
#"The Spider's Lullabye" – 3:40 (Diamond)
#"Eastmann's Cure" – 4:30 (Diamond)
#"Room 17" – 8:17 (Diamond)
#"To the Morgue" – 5:00 (LaRocque)

Credits

*King Diamond - Vocals, Keyboards
*Andy LaRocque - Guitars, Keyboards
*Herb Simonsen - Guitar
*Chris Estes - Bass
*Darrin Anthony - Drums