King Diamond is a Danish heavy metal band formed in 1985 by vocalist King Diamond, guitarists Andy LaRocque and Michael Denner, bassist Timi Hansen and drummer Mikkey Dee. Diamond, Denner and Hansen had recently departed the group Mercyful Fate, and decided to form a new band under the King Diamond moniker, as it was already known from the Mercyful Fate days. Since the band's inception, there have been over fifteen musicians in and out of King Diamond, with the only two mainstays being Diamond and LaRocque. Their current lineup consists of Diamond, LaRocque, guitarist Mike Wead, drummer Matt Thompson, and bassist Pontus Egberg.
King Diamond has released a total of twelve studio albums (most of them are concept albums), two live albums, two extended plays, five compilations and five singles. Their first album, Fatal Portrait, was released in 1986, followed a year later by the band's first concept album Abigail (1987). Three more albums were released before the band was put on hold in the early 1990s, when King Diamond reunited with his former outfit Mercyful Fate. Diamond reformed the band in 1994, and would balance recording and touring with both Mercyful Fate and his eponymous band throughout the 1990s. King Diamond has remained active since then, despite having not released a studio album since 2007's Give Me Your Soul...Please.