10 Most Underrated Heavy Metal Guitarists
5. Andy LaRocque - King Diamond
When Danish metal group Mercyful Fate broke up in 1985, their lead singer King Diamond needed something to do.
Naturally, he started a new band and named it after himself.
The guy called himself "King", what were you expecting?
His Majesty called on friends old and new to get this new project off the ground, including a little known Swedish guitarist by the name of Andy LaRocque.
LaRocque had floated around the Swedish metal scene for a while before getting his call-up from the King. He quickly settled into life in his new band and showed everyone why he deserved to play alongside royalty.
King Diamond (the person) is one of the most captivating singers in all of rock, thanks to his high-pitched falsetto vocals and bizarre stage appearance.
It's credit to LaRocque then that he can keep up with his bandmate, wowing audiences with technically savvy riffs and mind-blowing solos in equal measure.
He's made many a guest appearance on fellow Scandinavian metal bands' records, but his popularity outside of the region remains on the low end of the spectrum.
For anyone who hasn't checked out King Diamond, now's as good a time as any.