Lex Legion, the newly formed heavy metal outfit boasting four-fifths of the classic late-1980s King Diamond lineup, has unveiled the official music video for their brand new single, “Gypsy Tears“. The cinematic visual was directed by renowned filmmaker Patric Ullaeus of the rEvolver Film Company.
The track is the second preview of the band’s highly anticipated self-titled debut album, Lex Legion, which is scheduled to arrive in June 2026 through MNRK Music Group. Following the immediate impact of their debut track, “Sleep Eternally“, the new single maintains the momentum with a driving mix of heavy atmosphere and sharp riffs.
The project is tailor-made for fans of traditional heavy metal acts like Iron Maiden, Queensrÿche, Accept, and naturally, King Diamond. The band’s core instrumentalists famously played and recorded together on the iconic King Diamond records Them and Conspiracy.
The powerhouse roster of Lex Legion consists of guitarists Andy La Rocque and Pete Blakk, drummer Mikkey Dee, and bassist Hal Patino. They are fronted by lead vocalist Nils K. Rue, best known for his work in the progressive metal band Pagan’s Mind. Together, the musicians bring decades of high-level touring and recording experience from legendary groups like Motörhead, Scorpions, and King Diamond.
Drummer Mikkey Dee shared his excitement about the new release and its accompanying video:
“It’s now time to release our second single; ‘Gypsy Tears‘. Another great song with a lot of fire and bite, this one is a real driving banger! The video, it’s more of a short movie, does a great job of telling the story in the lyrics. Check it out!”
Explaining the thematic depth and visual representation of the track, vocalist Nils K. Rue stated:
“At its core, the song is a dark portrait of obsession, told through the eyes of a watcher who cannot let go. The video re-imagines this as a timeless story of love and longing that stretches beyond reality itself. Through layered metaphors, the lyrics transform personal conflict into vast, symbolic landscapes — where emotional collapse feels like war-torn ground.”
Guitarist Pete Blakk also offered his perspective on the band’s undeniable musical chemistry on the new song:
“‘Gypsy Tears‘ is the essence of me, Mikkey, Andy and Hal. With me and Andy trading off solos and the power of Mikkey and Hal‘s rhythm section all supporting the powerful vocals of Nils, the song really brings a new dimension to metal in 2026. The video is tasteful, mystical and raw. It’s a piece of art that will leave no one untouched.”
Earlier in April, while discussing the stylistic approach of the new record, Andy La Rocque noted that the band is filling a specific gap in the modern metal landscape.
“There’s elements of everything on the album,” he said. “The right tempo and the right kind of vocals, both starting out like a fist in your face!”
“This is totally unique. No one is writing this kind of music and there’s a big hole for us to fill. The album is a journey and every song is like the beat of a movie. I want listeners to travel back,” Andy continued.
He further clarified how the new material compares to their previous work together.
“The song style is different (to King Diamond) but still from the same era. The riffs are different and the arrangements are a little less progressive and a little more straightforward.”
Mikkey Dee emphasized that the writing process was driven entirely by the band’s own creative desires, mirroring their uncompromised approach from the 1980s.
“Lex Legion is totally written the way we thought in the ‘80s. We wrote what we wanted, and if you liked it, that was a great bonus. If you didn’t like it, that was fine with us, too!”
Dee added: “Enjoy it or f**k off!”
In a recent interview with The Metal Crypt, Andy La Rocque discussed the formation and creative direction of Lex Legion.
Reflecting on the band’s long gestation period, the guitarist explained that the project’s roots actually date back nearly two decades.
“The story is kind of long because it started back in 2008 when me and Pete talked about maybe doing something together. Maybe just put together an album and start writing some songs. We started to write a few songs back in 2008. We had a few riffs here and there, and then it just turned into nothing because we were kind of busy with other things,” Andy shared. Then, many years later, I think this was during the pandemic, Pete continued writing a few riffs, and he played some of the riffs and songs for Mikkey, who thought, ‘This sounds really good. I want to be a part of this.’ Then Pete said, ‘Yes, maybe we should ask Andy too, but I guess he’s too busy with King Diamond and everything.’ At the time, during the pandemic, nothing was really happening. They called me and asked me if I wanted to join that project. I said, ‘Sure, man. We’re doing nothing really with King Diamond because we have a pandemic now, and let’s do it.’”
Once the lineup was solidified, the creative process accelerated significantly.
“During that time, we put together a few more songs, and that’s how it started. Then Hal Patino was also asked during that period. It took us about — I don’t know — many years. If you count it from 2008 up until now, that’s many years. For the final maybe three or four years, we put everything together. In the very end, everything went quite fast. We got a record deal, and everything was really smooth in the very end.”
Regarding the decision to launch the band with “Sleep Eternally“, the guitarist noted that the choice was a collaborative effort with their label, MNRK Music Group.
“We actually asked the record company what they thought would be the first single to release. We went through it. We had a few suggestions, too, of course, but we all agreed on, at the very end, that this would be the first single. They also came up with the suggestion of the second one, which we all agreed on. I’m not going to say which one it is if you don’t know it already, but you’ll hear it in a couple of weeks because the second single is going to be released, I don’t know, somewhere in May, I believe. People who have heard that say, ‘No, I like the second one even better.’”
While the reception to the new project has been overwhelmingly positive, Andy La Rocque was careful to distinguish Lex Legion‘s material from his primary band, ensuring fans understand this is a completely separate creative entity.
“The response has been absolutely overwhelming. I also think it’s important to say here that the songs we write and the songs from my side of it, it’s nothing that — it’s no leftovers from the King Diamond songwriting, if you know what I mean, from the library I have with King Diamond. This is completely different and has nothing to do with King Diamond in that sense. King Diamond is King Diamond, and I write songs for King Diamond, and then I write songs for Lex Legion. I don’t want people to believe that, oh, he has some songs that were intended for King Diamond that he’s using here. No, not at all. It’s not the other way around, either. It’s two very different and separate things,” he concluded.
Following the album’s summer release, Lex Legion plans to begin touring in 2027.
Lex Legion Tracklist:
- “Sleep Eternally”
- “Gypsy Tears”
- “When The Stars Align”
- “(I Am) The Resurrected”
- “Lost Inside”
- “Darkness”
- “Saviours”
- “Life Eternal”
- “Far Away”
