King Diamond is one of the most known figures on Metal scene in the 80's. Starting as a singer of Danish quintet MERCYFUL FATE, who broke up on April 1985, he started his own band, with two of his colleagues from MERCYFUL FATE times (guitarist Michael Denner and bassist Timi Hansen) and two newcomers (guitarist Andy LaRocque and drummer Mikkey Dee, this one coming from Swedish Hard Rock GEISHA). This was KING DIAMOND's line up that recorded "Fatal Portrait" and "Abigail". On 1988, the band had a great change, with the coming of Pete Blakk (guitars) and Hal Patino (bass), both from GEISHA. So came the albums "Them" (1988), "Conspiracy" (1989) and "The Eye" (1990), with only one change on the band's line up (Mikkey left the band in 1989, and Snowy Shaw joined in his place in the same year). This is the classic era from KING DIAMOND.

But what about "The Spider's Lullabye", the album that came after King went to live in the USA and their first album on their new label back then? Good question, dears... And may this reissue, remastered by Andy LaRocque himself, of the album answers by itself.

The first thing that must be said album this album is that KING DIAMOND's musical style didn't change. It's the same virtuous and heavy traditional Heavy Metal. But the album is a bit far from the same level from "Abigail" or "Conspiracy". It's very good, but not a masterpiece. But if you want that conceptual Metal with horror themes and very good music, this album is for you.

King Diamond produced the album along with Tim Kimsley, as well as they did the mixing, having Andy as assistant producer. The mastering was done by Eddy Schreyer, so the album has a heavy and clean sound quality. But it's a bit dry than the needed.

"From The Other Side" with its excellent vocals (King was a master of high tunes and falsettos, using them wisely to create the right atmospheres on each song), the aggressive and powerful "Killer" (with a very good work done on guitars, especially on the riffs), the greatest rhythmic changes that fill "Dreams", the heavy elegance that we hear on "Moonlight" (what a wonderful work done on the guitars), the excellent "Six Feet Under", and "The Morgue". As some bonus tracks, we have the Demo versions for "Moonlight", "From The Other Side", "The Spider's Lullabye" and "Dreams". But being honest, these versions only have values for their fanatic fans.

It's a good album, and its reissue is a very good idea with a nice ground-spot. But what about reissues from KING DIAMOND's albums "Fatal Portrait" to "The Eye"?