Mercyful Fate Part Ways With Bassist Joey Vera, Issue Statement

Mercyful Fate on Tuesday introduced that they had determined to half methods with bassist Joey Vera, who had been performing within the reunited heavy metallic band for the final 5 years. Saying the choice was mutual, Mercyful Fate lead vocalist and bandleader King Diamond supplied a short assertion.

Last yr, Vera, who additionally performs in Armored Saint and Fates Warning, did not take part in Mercyful Fate’s first North American tour in 23 years due to a scheduling battle. He was changed on the highway by bassist Becky Baldwin.

See the band’s replace under.

In 2019, Vera took over on bass for late Mercyful Fate co-founder Timi Hansen when the influential group reunited. It’s at present unclear who will play bass in Mercyful Fate going ahead.

READ MORE: Mercyful Fate Albums Ranked

“Mercyful Fate and Joey Vera have mutually decided to split ways,” the band mentioned on Tuesday.

King Diamond mentioned, “Our friendship and respect for each other will always remain the same, and we all sincerely wish each other the absolute best for the future.”

Initially upon their reformation, Vera was meant to fill in for Hansen, who had been battling most cancers, however grew to become Mercyful Fate’s full-time bassist after Hansen’s loss of life in November 2019. The band’s reunion tour acquired underway in Hanover, Germany in 2022, with the group enjoying their first dwell present since 1999.

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