Four members of King Diamond‘s classic late-’80s lineup have resurfaced together in a new band. Lex Legion brings together guitarist Pete Blakk, bassist Hal Patino, guitarist and producer Andy La Rocque, and drummer Mikkey Dee (the latter best known for over two decades with Motörhead and a decade-long stint with Scorpions) alongside vocalist Nils K. Rue, who built his reputation across five acclaimed albums with Pagan’s Mind.
The band was formed by Dee and Blakk, with the rest of the lineup drawn from over 40 years of shared history. All four instrumentalists appeared together on King Diamond‘s Them and Conspiracy, and all had remained close in the years since, with everyone already knowing Rue through prior collaborative work. La Rocque, a constant presence in King Diamond since 1985 and a contributor to Death‘s landmark Individual Thought Patterns, is quick to draw a distinction between what Lex Legion is and what came before.
The self-titled debut Lex Legion arrives in June 2026 via MNRK Music Group, with the band citing Iron Maiden, Queensrÿche, and Accept as touchstones. Lead single “Sleep Eternally” is out 03/31.
“The song style is different from King Diamond but still from the same era,” he says from his studio in Varberg, Sweden. “The riffs are different, and the arrangements are a little less progressive and a little more straightforward.”
“There are elements of everything on the album,” says La Rocque. “The right tempo and the right kind of vocals, both starting like a fist in your face!”
“This is totally unique. No one is writing this kind of music, and there’s a big hole for us to fill,” states La Rocque. “The album is a journey, and every song is like the beat of a movie. I want listeners to travel back.”
The first single, “Sleep Eternally”, out March 31, sets the tone instantly. Rue‘s soaring pipes and ominous harmonies are framed by Dee‘s unmistakable powerhouse drumming, a clutch of imaginative leads from both guitarists, and shifts of pace and tempo that will satiate King Diamond fans.
Follow-up single “Gypsy Tears” seals the deal — eerie and rapturous, otherworldly and propulsive, evocative and a straight-up headbanger that leaves the listener in no doubt about the thunderous treasures within.
Dee puts it more simply: “Lex Legion is totally written the way we thought in the ’80s,” he says. “We wrote what we wanted, and if you liked it, that was a great bonus. If you didn’t like it, that was fine with us, too! “Enjoy it or fuck off!”
The post Four KING DIAMOND Alumni Team Up With PAGAN’S MIND Singer In New Band LEX LEGION: “No One Is Writing This Kind Of Music And There’s A Big Hole For Us To Fill” appeared first on Sonic Perspectives.
