"Egypt" opens the album in spectacular fashion. The all-out metal assault is about as heavy as you could hope for. Guitars from Michael Denner and Tom Shermann are as spectacular as always, very raw and crunchy. Vocalist King Diamond tones down the falsetto a little from his solo days, and sounds in fine form. The song's lyrics and the indeed the album as a whole are a step away from the satanic lyrics of the band's early albums. "Egypt" appropriately seems to be about Egyptian gods and mythology, an interesting topic. A decent track, but nothing to rival their earlier material. "The Bell Witch" opens with a great riff, a sludgy, progressive groove. Bass from Timi Hansen sound great, one of the highlights of the band's sound. After about a minute, the song gallops into a thundering blast of metal. Lyrically, the song covers much of the territory that King Diamond covered during his solo career. About a witch haunting a family in the American South, the song could easily be mistaken for a King Diamond solo track, sans the keyboards so present on his albums. I really like the solos, and Mercyful Fate have certainly produced some great guitar work. A solid track.
"The Old Oak" seems to be a story about a haunted tree and burial ground. I like the occult and creepy lyrics, but the song just lacks the spark and depth of earlier albums. The drumming is solid, but sounds a bit wooden in terms of the recording, not very crisp. Some great solos are on the track, but I found it to be a tad dull. "Shadows" opens with another chugging, muddy riff. The operatic vocals are gorgeous, as are the gothic-like leads and soft classical guitar. Classical MF, the song is a highlight and a great sign of the classic sound of the band. Great stuff.
"A Gruesome Time" seems to be a tale of endless torment by a supernatural being for terrible deeds done. The song is one of the more unsettling on the album, very dark. Musically, the song is classical Mercyful Fate: classical-influenced leads, heavy riffs, and powerful drumming along the master of horror's (Diamond) devilish lyrics and trademark screams. A pretty good song, if not somewhat exceptional. "Thirteen Invitations" brings back the satanic lyrics of past albums. More a cautionary tale about satan, it concerns a group of individuals who attend an event hosted by the devil, in which he promised eternal life. A great story, King Diamond certainly has a knack for telling a great tale. The short solo is fantastic, one of the most epic by the band. A classic, I really enjoyed the song.
The album continues along with the instrumental "Room of Golden Air". I like the classical guitars on the track, as well as the nocturnal organ. As always, the album features killer leads, very technical and classical based. A good interlude into the next song. "Legend of the Headless Rider" features dueling riffs, each playing from separate speakers, akin to what Twisted Sister did on "Stay Hungry". The song title exactly describes what the song is about, a demonic headless horseman roaming around the countryside. Another song that could have easily fit on King Diamond solo album, it sound less like Mercyful Fate and more like his solo material. But I certainly not complaining, as King Diamond produced some of the greatest metal albums of all time. I like the speed metal section near the end of the song, and it's great to see the band playing fast again, as parts of the album can be a bit slow. The album closes with "Is That You, Melissa?". It seems to be connected to the story told on the band's debut album, "Melissa". After a haunting harpsichord introduction, a massive riff blasts in telling of Melissa's death and how she haunts King Diamond on a daily basis. A beautiful song at first, it soon turns to a chugging and grim tale of haunted despair. An epic song, and a great close to the album. "Return of the Vampire" is included on the album as a bonus track. This rerecorded version features fellow Dane Lars Ulrich on drums. Not bad, but I prefer the rawness of the original, which can be found on various compilations.
"In The Shadows" is a pretty good album. Although it often feels like a King Diamond solo album, there are plenty of moments when the classic sound of the band comes out. Fans of the band's earlier albums could do worse than giving later albums a spin, and this album is no exception.
Rating-8/10
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