40 years ago today (10/30/83), Mercyful Fate released their debut album Melissa. This album is considered a classic in the heavy metal and black metal genres and had a significant impact on the development of those genres. It featured King Diamond on vocals and is known for its dark and occult themes, which became a trademark of Mercyful Fate’s music. In 2017, Rolling Stone ranked Melissa as 17th on their list of ‘The 100 Greatest Metal Albums of All Time. Relisten to the thunderous debut in full..
