King Diamond is finally unveiling more epic lunacy from his long in-the-works new album, having just delivered an asylum-set music video for the record’s hard-pumping “Spider Lilly,” which is likewise his first new song in five years.
A newly delivered music video for the track, which King Diamond and his band had debuted live this fall on their “The Saint Lucifer’s Hospital 1920” tour, was fittingly enough filmed at the Pennhurst State School and Hospital in Spring City, Pennsylvania — a controversial, state-run institution that had infamously abused its patients before closing in 1987.
The music video finds King and his cohorts — including current back-up vocalist-keyboardist and prolific metal musician Myrkur — performing the classically hard-chugged and squealing metal cut, while King Diamond, dressed up as his “Doctor” character, and Spider Lilly wander the grounds of Pennhurst.
“What a dark but great experience,” King commented of the filming. “Hopefully that was not the last video we will be able to film there.”
“Spider Lilly” follows King Diamond’s 2019 single, “Masquerade of Madness.” Those songs had also been part of King Diamond’s recent live setlist alongside another new tune titled “Electro Therapy,” and all are expected to appear on The Institute, an album set a hundred years in the past at the fictional and haunted Saint Lucifer’s Hospital. King Diamond had previously revealed that the album concerns a series of experiments being undertaken on patients to “progress medicine.”
“There are so many characters, and so many unexpected things along this journey,” King Diamond had previously explained of the horrific storyline, adding that its narrative “is the most elaborate thing we have ever done, that goes for the stage production as well.”
“Spider Lilly” is taken from King Diamond’s forthcoming horror trilogy — its first part, expected to be titled Saint Lucifer’s Hospital 1920, will be his first studio LP in 18 years. An ETA has yet to be firmed up for the first album, but guitarist Andy LaRocque had suggested that the band hoped to finish recording ahead of their 2025 European summer tour. You’ll find the recently unveiled itinerary here.