King DiamondThe King -- that would be King Diamond, our favorite corpse-paint slathered metal icon -- will spend this Halloween working diligently. King Diamond has been toiling over a bunch of reissues, which he is masterminding, for Metal Blade. He had originally hoped to release the albums on Halloween, a fitting holiday for a costumed King. But things just didn't work out that way.

"There were setbacks because we are trying to make things work and improved stuff, so early next year is very realistic," King Diamond told Noisecreep about the reissues. "These King Diamond reissues might be a month apart for Mercyful Fate stuff. We are in the mode."

He admitted that he will be working on Halloween, trying to meet his deadlines for these reissues and still nursing his recovering back. "I am not going out anywhere," he said.

It's not that he dislikes being on the road. It's a medical thing. "My back is not perfect. I had a herniated disc for two years. I could not sit. I stood up and ate my dinner for a year, but it slowly got better. I am at about 80 percent and hope to get to 90 percent. And when it's 90 percent, then that will be the time, which will probably be next autumn, when I will go out. It's a guess, but it's a good guess."

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