A royal show of power

One day before the Savatage mass in the Turbinenhalle, it was time for royalty: King Diamond himself headed to the Ruhr region to invite us to Saint Lucifer's Hospital 1920.

But before the main act began, Angel Witch warmed up the audience in the hall, which was well filled that evening but far from sold out. After 26 minutes, however, the fun was over – and we could concentrate on two other things again: chatting with friends and colleagues – and sweating. If someone had told me that evening that it would feel 10 degrees warmer during Savatage, I would have thought they were insane.

After the NWOBHM legends, Paradise Lost took to the stage – and I have to admit that the Brits played a varied set that entertained me very well. My expectations were rather low, so this was the first positive surprise of the evening. The 40 minutes flew by, which is always a good sign. I definitely need to take a closer look at this band...

But what we were able to marvel at for almost two hours after a fairly short break to change the stage set-up eclipsed much of what I have seen in my life: King Diamond celebrated classic metal at the very highest level. Even though the three-storey stage, which reached up to the roof of the hall, was very impressive, it would have been enough to let the music speak for itself – this band is so talented and tight that show elements are only an addition. A solo by Andy LaRoque radiates more magic than one can process.

Fortunately, the King himself was not only in a good mood, but also in top voice. One day before his 69th birthday, one had the impression that Mr. Petersen had fallen into a fountain of youth. He himself is as timeless as the 13 songs that fans were able to enjoy on this Friday, 13 June 2025. A phenomenon...

As always, the setlist focused on the first five albums, but also included the 90s classic “Voodoo“ and the two well-crafted 'new' tracks “Spider Lilly“ and “Masquerade of Madness“, which we may eventually find on a new King Diamond album.

My highlights were definitely “Halloween“, “Sleepless Nights“ and “Eye of the Witch“, which alone would have been worth the ticket price. Immortal anthems! Fortunately, the sound was okay, although I have to say that the Turbinenhalle is generally only average in terms of sound quality.

All in all, it's safe to conclude that King Diamond made a big impression in Oberhausen. In this form, they continue to be among the best our scene has to offer. Hopefully, all tickets will be sold out the next time they visit the Ruhr area. These exceptional musicians deserve it!