One of the most exciting supergroup formations of 2026 has been confirmed: LEX LEGION brings together four-fifths of KING DIAMOND's legendary late-1980s lineup for an entirely new project. Guitarist Andy La Rocque, drummer Mikkey Dee, guitarist Pete Blakk, and bassist Hal Patino have reunited — joined by Nils K. Rue, the Norwegian vocalist known from progressive metal act PAGAN'S MIND.
The group's self-titled debut album is due in June 2026 via MNRK Music Group. Tomorrow, March 31, the band drops their first single, "Sleep Eternally," which will be followed by a second track, "Gypsy Tears," shortly after. Touring is planned for 2027.
The history these musicians share is staggering. La Rocque has been a KING DIAMOND mainstay since 1985 and also contributed guitar to DEATH's landmark Individual Thought Patterns (1993). Mikkey Dee spent two decades behind the kit for MOTÖRHEAD before joining THE SCORPIONS in 2016. Blakk and Patino both played key roles in the KING DIAMOND albums that defined theatrical heavy metal — Abigail (1987), Them (1988), and Conspiracy (1989).
Rue brings a different energy: a clean, operatic tenor with a wide range, well known from PAGAN'S MIND albums like Heavenly Ecstasy (2011) and Enigmatic: Calling (2005). The vocal shift from the falsetto extremes of King Diamond himself is deliberate — La Rocque confirmed the band is going for a different sound, citing IRON MAIDEN, QUEENSRŸCHE, and ACCEPT as reference points while keeping the dark, theatrical atmosphere.
"No one is writing this kind of music and there's a big hole for us to fill," La Rocque said in an interview with Metal Injection. Keep your eyes on LEX LEGION — this could be one of the year's best metal records.