A few days ago, the Rockstar Energy Drink Mayhem Festival kicked off its trek throughout North America and one of its headliners is the mighty King Diamond. We also happened to be there the beginning of the tour in San Bernardino, CA and have a nice gallery for you to check out here and prepare you for the show in case it hasn’t hit your city yet. In case the festival isn’t enough reason to get you excited about the King, what about a new album?

In a recent interview with Full Metal Jackie, the Danish legend has given us some news about the band’s upcoming album:

“Well, it’s always great to do when you’re on tour. I mean, I was supposed to be in the middle of writing right now, when suddenly we were… We were planning our own tour for this autumn, and suddenly we got the offer of doing [the Rockstar Energy Drink Mayhem Festival]. And it kind of put a stop to the… ‘Cause [my] home studio is ready now to go, but this [tour] is very important to do. So we don’t wanna be rushed with writing a new album anyway. So we are gonna take our time, and it’s gonna be the best you’ve ever heard from us — there’s no doubt in my mind — ’cause we have all the tools at our fingertips this time. But it has put, you can say, the brakes on starting that process, so we’ll pick it up when Mayhem is done. But it’s always great to come off a tour and then start writing, ’cause you are very, very inspired. I am, certainly.”

If there’s a reason to ever wish a tour to be over, this would be it. We haven’t heard any new King Diamond music since their 2007 album Give Me Your Soul…Please and the closest thing to a release we’ve had was the double-disc compilation Dreams of Horror.

There’s still more dates left before the tour is done and we suggest you get yourself a ticket and catch the King on tour at the remaining dates:

7/08 Milwaukee, WI @ Eagles Ballroom
7/10 Noblesville, IN (Indianapolis) @ Kilpsch Amphitheater
7/11 Clarkston, MI (Detroit) @ DTE Energy Amphitheater
7/12 Tinley Park, IL (Chicago) @ First Midwest Bank Amphitheater
7/15 Toronto, ON @ Molson Canadian Amphitheatre
7/17 Camden, NJ (Philadelphia) @ Susquehanna Bank Arts Center
7/18 Burgettstown, PA (Pittsburgh) @ First Niagara Pavilion
7/19 Hartford, CT @ Xfinity Theatre
7/21 Holmdel, NJ @ PNC Bank Arts Center
7/22 Gilford, NH @ Meadowbrook (Bank of NH Pavilion)
7/24 Bristow, VA @ Jiffy Lube Live
7/25 Boston, MA @ Xfinity Center
7/26 Wantagh, NY @ Nikon at Jones Beach
7/29 Atlanta, GA @ Aaron’s Amphitheater at Lakewood
7/31 San Antonio, TX @ Whitewater Amphitheater
8/01 Houston, TX @ Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion
8/02 Dallas, TX @ Gexa Energy Amphitheater

[via Metal Injection]