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King Diamond: Give Me Your Soul…Please
 The ticking clock at the beginning of the CD is a metaphor for the career of King Diamond as this is quite a disappointment. As a long standing fan it pains me a little to be honest with you, but the truth for me is unavoidable… The production (The king needs to have a grand and cinematic production I.M.O.) is dry and sterile and not a good vehicle for carrying these songs. In fact, some parts are really going to have you scratching your head in disbelief because it can be incredibly weak sounding in places. For instance, in "Give Me Your Soul" where he is saying "Pictures in red…the axe is coming down into his head" you're like W.T.F was that? The music and the melody sound like some poorly converted electronica. In "Cold As Ice" around 1:48 the guitar sounds like a Def Leppard riff and him repeating "cold as ice" culminates into another W.T.F. moment. It should also be said that the band can't seem to hold and maintain any energy where initiated and the rhythm guitars are sorely in need of a boost. These missteps and others eventually lead to the project falling on its face.
Since the lyrics have always been an integral part of the King Diamond mystique; I feel that I should mention something about them and that is… they are just not as good as before. I much prefer the last release in this regard and about every other. The story line seems to consist of a father who whacked his two kids. The murdered girl goes to King's house to find a soul (King's) for her brother whom apparently is doomed for hellfire. Well, I am not taken that much with the whole thing. It is just barely a step beyond Alice Cooper at this point. The story seems to be more descriptive than informative. I mean, he spends two songs: "Is Anybody There" and "Black Of Night" explaining that he "needs a little light". Of course, YOU must decide.
All the magic and character that usually abound are found in the guitar solos. LaRoque and Wead are duelists for sure and this will remain unchallenged. However, the songs themselves are nothing you have not heard before and the parts where there is double bass propelling them (like in the first song) become overused by the end. The drumming may be the most boring to ever grace a Diamond album. The guitar riffs, when they were done originally, were far superior. Take for instance "The Never Ending Hill"; it was way better when it was called "Painkiller!" Sorry people, I wish it were different!
Track listing
1. The Dead
2. Never Ending Hill
3. Is Anybody Here?
4. Black Of Night
5. Mirror Mirror
6. The Cellar
7. Pictures In Red
8. Give Me Your Soul
9. The Floating Head
10. Cold As Ice
11. Shapes of Black
12. The Girl In The Bloody Dress
13. Moving On
Added: March 10th 2008
Reviewer: Hugh Dark
Score:  
Related Link: King Diamond Website
Hits: 5194
Language: english
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King Diamond: Give Me Your Soul…Please
Posted by jin nagnada on 2008-01-31 04:59:44
My Score:
you are stupid-- tis CD rocked-- you dont know shit..about music, or king diamond.
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King Diamond: Give Me Your Soul…Please
Posted by Coupdemon on 2007-07-08 18:50:18
My Score:
Let's see...I've been a big fan of King since Abigail. When I listen to this album I hear absolutely killer guitar riffs and solos, the best drumming on any King album post-Mikkey Dee and Kings sick vocals. I give it only 4 out of 5 upside crosses because King has already set the bar way too high with Abigail and Them. You guys should be thanking the metal gods that this guy is still putting out records..
ALL HAIL THE KING OF METAL!!!!
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King Diamond: Give Me Your Soul…Please
Posted by David W. Whitten on 2007-07-08 10:57:20
My Score:
I have been a Mercyful Fate & King Diamond fan since hearing Mellisa in the 1980's. Since then, I have either purchased or heard most of the material. I purchased "Give Me Your Soul, Please." last Thursday night. I sold it yesterday for $2.50 at a local music store. When I heard House of God and Dead Again, I thought this band was changing with the times. The Metal genre has undergone much needed changes as of late. Guitar solos, for the most part, have been replaced with a much heavier sound. When I heard this recording, I was bored from the first track. Yawn. After hearing Marduk, Dimmu Borgir, and Gorgoroth, Kind Diamond's material seems to be uninspired and repetitive. So, King Diamond, get rid of those dueling guitars and update your signature sound. It is possible. You were on the road to making some much needed changes when you recorded "House of God." But, now, you have slipped back into the mundane.
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King Diamond: Give Me Your Soul…Please
Posted by John Cook on 2007-07-02 14:26:45
My Score:
Wow -
There are seriously mixed reviews on this album. I think it's actually one of his best. I was surprised at it's catchiness and instant likability. I am used to letting his new stuff grow on me before really loving it. Honestly, that worries me because I wonder if it will hold up over time. For right now it's fantastic. My best friend hates KD and he liked this right away, so something here is definitely different. The review above rips on the production which I cannot understand. This is a very bright and clean sounding album but I would not say it sounds "sterile". The guitars on this are way overdriven and sound heavy as hell. I would even say that this album was intended to be a showpiece for the guitars and they did put less focus on the bass and drums. But for a huge Andy and Mike fan like myself - it's really the best I could have hoped for. The riffs and solos on this album are mindblowing and obviously the result of a lot of hard work. He is always tweaking his style and changing things up a bit depending on what is called for on the album. You can always tell a King song of course, but there are always changes in his production and "sound" from one album to the next. It's just part of creating the right mood for the story. I used to hate Voodoo with a passion, but after letting it collect dust for a few years I gave it another chance and now I love it. I have learned to trust King. If you don't like the new stuff right away just wait because you will eventually.
But my overall opinion? I have been using the terms "tour de force" and "masterpiece" to describe this album elsewhere. I really think it's that good.
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King Diamond: Give Me Your Soul…Please
Posted by Jan Parucka on 2007-06-29 13:45:54
My Score:
I've read about five other reviews and they all seemed completely out of track mostly regarding this album as one of King's best. I really don't get it, to me it's quite obvious that Give Me Your Soul is mediocre at best. I'd conclude my view of this cd like this: production is dry and lacking punch, songwriting is really uninspired and lyrics are poor. Lots of riffs and melodies are rehashed and often in a bad manner. Lots of stuff on album sounds way too similar to each other, just listen to the beginnings of songs 3,4,5,6 in quick succession and you'll know what I'm talking about. While simple drums isn't necessarily a bad thing, here they are just boring, often ineffective and frankly I am quite suspicious they were programmed. Overall sound is lacking some lower end which is not good for a King Diamond release. Probably most dissappointing are vocals. King almost entirely throws away his falsettos and mostly sticks to his mid-range half sung, half spoken voice and it sorely takes a lot of character from the album. Also vocals courtesy of gust vocalist Livia really lack any spark which is probably due to bad production. Occasional abrupt endings put aside, structure-wise most songs don't contain many elements of surprise or interesting progression. Only musical element that I enjoy on this release are guitar solos which are mostly inspired and sometimes even experimental such as those on Is Anybody Here? or The Floating Head which also happens to be album's strongest track in my ears. Storyline match music quite well. It lacks the usual element of surprise, it goes nowhere lyrics themselves are generic.
Overall I think this is King Diamond's weakest album yet and comes off as a big disappointment after quite excelent Puppet Master. Soul is pretty much what this album lacks. Even more disappointing are those ping eye-glassed reviews over the net which doesn't do this album justiceand probably aren't much honest as well. So I was glad to read your review which was the first dead on and it also made me write this comment. I realize this is all a matter of opinion and taste but hearing King himself claim this is his strongest effort yet really insults his past great works such as Abigail, Them or Conspiracy. I hope that when he will listen to Give Me Your Soul ... Please from a distance he'll recognize its faults and his next release will be much better. He is far too unique artist to sink into mediocrity.
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