Denner and Shermann display a musical athleticism only matched by their unaware precursors in Judas Priest and perhaps London’s street-smart Iron Maiden. They pull diabolic leads and riffs from the netherworld with no regard to the demons within pulling them into the mist. Every riff, every solo – all exude a love, an obsession for the occult. The aforementioned opening sequence in “A Corpse Without Soul” ranks among the top work of Mercyful Fate’s career, and, not content with simply tearing the listener to pieces, the guitarists batter the remains with continuous maniacal musicianship reminiscent of the best Tipton and Downing compositions. Further guitar proficiency, whether it be the oddly “Living After Midnight” styled riffing in the beginning of “Nuns Have No Fun” or the malevolent riffs throughout “Doomed by the Living Dead,” asserts itself throughout the EP’s twenty-two minute duration. A highly competent rhythm section, subtly texturing the music’s demonically organic production with an extra feeling of monstrosity, backs this incredible performance.
And straight out of hell, Kim Bendix Petersen, better known as King Diamond, shrieks, screeches, and growls his way through four Satanic heavy metal classics. That screech at the end of the opening rite is so high-register that it’s likely even Rob Halford in his prime couldn’t reproduce it. Other passages King Diamond shadows with black emotion include his command to “say goodbye to all your holy angels” (which is followed by a melodic but still dark guitar section), his crooning over “long black hair,” and his disturbing falsetto wail of the final track’s title. That’s not even mentioning his vulgar chanting in “Nuns Have No Fun.”
Welcome to Hell had nothing on this. It’s easy to take a simple pentagram and stick it on the cover of an album – and after all, Venom were never quite serious – but it’s another thing entirely to grace the music with a black-and-white image of a virgin sacrifice. There is absolutely nothing holy about Mercyful Fate here, despite what such a name might lead some to believe. Even though the band would release two more majestically evil masterpieces before splitting up the first time, nothing would ever compare to the fury evident on their first EP.
Their first EP was nicknamed "Nuns Have No Fun" or "A Corpse Without Soul" by the fans because of the cover art. Original pressings have a slim white border around the jacket.
Also released as bootleg picture disc limited to 300 copies by Metalized Blood Records in 2006.
Also released as a bootleg split CD with the band Evil and their EP "Evil's Message".
Bootlegged on clear, red and white vinyl in 2011.
