Mercyful Fate is an influential Danish First Wave of Black Metal group who are often cited among the influences in the black metal, thrash metal, power metal, and progressive metal genres. They are also credited as a pioneering band of the first wave of black metal.

Mercyful Fate is a Danish heavy metal band which helped inspire black metal (by playing a form of speed metal that introduced black metal elements). The band was founded in Copenhagen, Denmark in 1980 from the ashes of Hank Shermann’s band Brats’ and King Diamond’s band Black Rose. Shortly thereafter, in the Spring of 1981 they helped out a fellow Dane, Michael Denner, with demos for his band Danger Zone. Soon it was apparent that Shermann, Denner, Diamond and Denner’s bassplayer, Timi G