Review Summary: LISTEEEEEEENNNNN
Whether you call Mercyful Fate’s 1982 EP by the intended self-titled or as Nuns Have No Fun, you can’t say that the Danes didn’t know what they wanted from their very conception. Of course, the execution of that occult metal vision is rudimentary here compared to the two full-lengths that would truly make it iconic.
The aesthetic already thrives on a menacing atmosphere and diabolical lyrics, but the musicianship isn’t as refined as it would soon become. This is most apparent in King Diamond’s technique, his falsettos thrown around without his signature finesse while his mid-range voice still has that youthful timbre. You can also feel Hank Shermann and Michael Denner forging their distinct guitar team with an array of raw flurries and frantic leads. And while I wish bassist Timi Hansen was as prominent here as he’d proved to be on the albums proper, Kim Ruzz does step up with a lot of energetic and acrobatic drumming.
I also appreciate how the songwriting highlights a combination of ambitious structuring and campy fun that’s compact enough to not feel like they bit off more than they could chew. The Metallica association might make “A Corpse Without Soul” an obvious pick for the main highlight but I do love how its shuffle feels like the next step from Di’Anno-era Maiden with catchy call-and-response falsettos that climax to a held out scream whose shrieking finish makes my throat sting just hearing it. “Devil Eyes” is another favorite despite a somewhat repetitive chorus thanks to an almost disco-rooted drum beat. When people say that Ghost’s first album sounds like Mercyful Fate, this is what they’re talking about.
It’s easy for Mercyful Fate’s 1982 EP to be overshadowed by the forthcoming Melissa and Don’t Break The Oath, but it ultimately deserves to be part of the conversation. As critical as I may sound of a band still going through their growing pains, this is also a cohesive listen with the sort of charm and can-do hustle in the performances and songwriting that can make metal of this era so entertaining. Nuns may have no fun but I’ll always get a kick out of this.
