Formed in 1985 by vocalist King Diamond, guitarist Michael Denner, and bassist Timi Hansen after the breakup of their former band Mercyful Fate.
[1] The band currently consists of Diamond and LaRocque alongside guitarist Mike Wead, drummer Matt Thompson (both since 2000) and bassist Pontus Egberg (since 2014).
Denner left King Diamond after the release of the band's second album Abigail in 1987,[2] with Mike Moon taking his place for a European tour at the end of the year.
The band would reform in 1994, adding guitarist Herb Simonsen, bassist Chris Estes, and drummer Darrin Anthony for the album The Spider's Lullabye, released the following year.
[8][9] Due to injuries suffered in a road traffic accident, Anthony was forced to leave the band shortly after the release of the 1996 follow-up The Graveyard, with John Luke Hebert taking his place.