This pretentious, epic, almost sappy concept record follows lyrical suit with
King Diamond's previous offerings, however,
House of God lacks the musical commitment of the artist's best recordings,
Them and
Abigal. Rare in his ability to manage a successful solo career with a long-time band partnership,
King Diamond was very busy releasing numerous albums, both on his own and with
Mercyful Fate in the '90s. Quantity might have taken precedence of quality as the prolific vocalist and songwriter ended up offering several sub par discs during this period. Long time guitarist and co-songwriter
Andy La Rocque joins
Diamond, drummer
John Herbert, guitarist
Glen Drover, and bassist
Dave Harbour on
House of God. Each member delivers fine performances, but the opportunities to stretch out are rare as
Diamond pastes his obtuse prose (more like an album-length short story than poetry or song lyrics) all over mediocre riffs and flat arrangements. Creative ambition and a dark quirkiness are decidedly core elements to
Diamond's appeal, but these qualities often require catalysts to be transforming. A certain amount of intellect and humor are needed to support what can be otherwise bland music. Sadly, there is little in the way of interesting writing or fiery musical performances to enhance
House of God, a lesser
King Diamond release. ~ Vincent Jeffries
