124 - Mercyful Fate Melissa 1983

Mercyful Fate hails from Denmark and is arguably Venom´s side kicks in the pioneering of the black metal genre. They played traditional heavy metal but their lyrics were mostly about evil and Satanism. Also, their lead singer, King Diamond, would wear capes and face paint.In 1983, they released their first LP entitled Melissa. Their debut was an astoundingly powerful metal album from start to finish.
'Melissa' closes the album with a melodic/nostalgic atmosphere. The skull King Diamond used to carry on stage was inspired on the album Melissa. The title track of the album is very different from the rest of the album, as it is much slower than the other songs (which are speedier and more aggressive). The lyrics tell of a male protagonist (usually identified as King Diamond himself by fans) who lost the love of his life, a witch who was burnt at the stake by a Catholic Priest. The story builds itself up around the emotions of the protagonist, who first feels sadness and uncertainty, hope for her to still be alive, and then rage over his loss. He swears revenge on the priest who burnt her, proclaiming that he must die in the name of hell. The song ends with a whisper that hints Melissa's spirit is still with the protagonist.