First of all, I apologize for the fangirl-like level of gushing that is about to go down. I’m a 40 year old man. I should behave with some sort of decorum. I blame my dysfunctional upbringing. Now then, let’s get on with it.
If you’ve ever thought you’d like to hear Mercyful Fate colliding with Blue Oyster Cult inside a Satanic church in 1978, you are in luck. Allow me to introduce you to Ghost (or, as they’re temporarily known as in the U.S. due to legal concerns, Ghost B.C. ). They’re my favorite new band. They’ve caused quite a rift in the metal community as well. Some people (like me) absolutely love these guys and see them as a breath of fresh air despite mostly having influences before 1984. Some people see them just as a stupid gimmick that’ll end any minute now. I don’t hear a lot of middle ground on the band.
In 2010, Ghost released their debut Opus Eponymous and my cold dead heart started to beat once again. The band’s lyrics glorify Satan unreservedly. The band’s presentation is pure devilish cheesy goodness, including a singing dead Pope. The music is catchy hard rock/metal with pop sensibilites, which will grow on you with repeated listens and you’ll find yourself singing about ritual sacrifice in the shower.
Their new album Infestissumam just came out, and I’m quite fond of it as well. While their first album was recorded in a basement studio in their hometown for very little money, the new one is on Universal and was produced by Dave Grohl. They just played the Coachella festival in Los Angeles.
Here’s a review of the new album I wrote elsewhere a week or so ago:
I’m not ready to give a full verdict just yet. I do love this album, but it takes a while to sink in. Here’s my track-by-track for the way I’m feeling about everything right now.
Infestissumam - This one’s just a brief intro. Not much to say about it. A sub-two-minute song with choir vocals over a driving rock beat. I can always take or leave tracks like this. They serve a functional purpose, not much else. It’s there to start the festivities, nothing more.
Per Aspera Ad Inferi - My initial reaction when this started was “What’s up with the mix??” Sounds a little too distorted. I guess I’ll wait until I get the real CD to compare and see if it sounds as funky. ANYWAY. It’s certainly catchy, although very repetitive and probably not the strongest song on the album. It’s like they’re going from the intro into a warmup track instead of hitting you with the best material right off the bat. That’s rare in metal, I think. They did this same sort of thing on Opus Eponymous . That one started out with a 94 second intro, then Con Clavi Con Dio , which is hardly anyone’s choice for the best song from the debut.
They’re building an album here, not throwing together songs. The first track says hello, the second track lets you feel out their sound a bit and get comfortable. Then we really begin at the third song (remember, the third song on Opus Eponymous was Ritual ).
Secular Haze - I wasn’t sure about this one at first, but I see what they’re going for now. This is less about the theatrical histrionics of Ritual and more about creating a dream-like vibe. The chorus itself is sluggish and - well, hazy - going along with the lyrics. The haze, the fog, the mist. Lyrically, the song is about cloaking ourselves in shadow to await the dark lord’s return. That’s reflected musically as well.
The other thing going on in this song is the addition of the carnivalesque organ elements. I think it fits their sound nicely and adds another tool in the theatrical side of the album.
Jiggolo Har Megiddo - This is the song I’m most into right now. So catchy. Some sly lyrics in this shit too.
I am the one who comes
I am the son who comes
Musically, it’s practically glam rock. They’re taking inspiration from a wider variety sounds of the 70s/early 80s than the first album, for sure. By Ghost standards, this is happy music. And I’m digging it.
At about the 2:08 mark, they sound like Sleepytime Gorilla Museum of all sudden. I don’t know how they worked up to that point without anyone noticing, but they damn sure did and it fits and then they switch seamlessly back into a devil-worshipping Whitesnake cover band at a carnival like it’s the most natural thing in the world.
Ghuleh/Zombie Queen - If the sequence of events so far hasn’t clued you in, this song writes it down on paper and nails it to the door for all to see: This is not Opus Eponymous . This is Opus Eponymous on prog. This is Opus Eponymous on a Ziggy Stardust kick (the Bowie vibe here is undeniable). This is probably the track that takes the longest to sink in but also has the biggest payoff once you let it. It’s seven and a half minutes long and it throws in everything from Bowie to King Diamond to Savatage to a fucking surf rock guitar solo that no one even seems to notice. The chorus is both simple and epic. The way everything is put together in this one is impressive. In some ways this is the climax of the album.
Year Zero - Fuck me. By now, some people will be clamouring for the immediacy of the last album without all the accoutrements and excursions into Queen. Ghost giveth Year Zero . If the previous song was my favorite of the more complex side of the album, this one’s my favorite of the simpler material. The structure is very traditional, very straightforward. But man, that chorus! It is everything Ghost is and should be. Catchy, evil, dramatic. Fuck. By the time it’s over, they snuck in a disco beat in the backbone of the song* and nobody even cared. They’re too soiled with Papa Emeritus II’s semen all over their face.
(* listen to the verses of the song, especially in the parts between vocal lines. tell me that wouldn’t work on a Donna Summer album)
Body and Blood - Quite a one-two punch we just got dealt. The last two tracks are kind of extremes. Body and Blood soothes us back down into comfort. It’s far less emotionally grasping. It’s an interlude, if you will. On its own it’s a bit of a weak track. The chorus is a little lazy, to be honest. But a man needs to rest after two orgasms in a row like tracks 5 and 6. This gives us a break to commune with Lucifer while we reflect.
Idolatrine - This brings us out of the communion into more happiness. This is so damned upbeat. It’s got more of that glam sensibility. So radio-friendly and playful. I swear there’s a touch of The Monkees here. Meanwhile the lyrics are, as always, an homage to Hell, Satan, taking the souls of children, that sort of thing. They snuck in a clever play on the title too - sometimes he’s saying “idolatrine” and sometimes he’s saying “idol latrine.” Didn’t notice that, did you?
Depth of Satan’s Eyes - This is more evocative of Opus Eponymous than a lot of the other stuff. It’s definitely more metal. Then they immediately switch from a particularly dissonant verse to a passage with no guitars, and just female vocals. They gotta throw you for a loop, right? Wouldn’t be Ghost if they didn’t. I really like the chorus in this one, but in a different way than the typical Ghost chorus. The vocals here are downplayed, and without Papa’s characteristic flourishes. Kinda works on “change of pace” alone. Its placement in the song order is perfect.
Monstrance Clock - Great closer. This one basically takes all of the stuff we’ve heard so far on the album and pares it down to a final missive - come together. Together as one, for Lucifer’s son. Duh. Opus Eponymous ’ closer was an instrumental track, but IMO this one works better. It’s obviously designed as a big arena singalong number, with lots of rah-rah-kumbaya stuff going on.
Bottom line: This is still very much Ghost, but it’s also very much a progression from their debut. It still has Satan all over the place. Still has an accessible sound. Still has catchy choruses. It’s less simple and immediate, though. Throws in more curveballs that take some time to sink in, but once you let it possess you, you’ve been delivered an album like nothing else. Damn right.
Is it better than Opus Eponymous ? That’s a hard one to answer right now. Regardless, IMO it’s a terrific album.
For good measure, I’ll include some video clips.
My own personal video version of Death Knell from their debut (might be NSFW; shows some nudity in shadow): http://youtu.be/w8hZu3m-O60
Official video for Secular Haze from their new album: http://youtu.be/vyQZ13jobIY
Official video for Year Zero from their new album (extremely NSFW): http://stereogum.com/1298272/ghost-b-c-year-zero-video-nsfw-stereogum-premiere/video/
As you’ve noted, it’s very difficult to compare this album to Opus Eponymous . It’s excellent to be sure, but I’m not sure exactly how I feel about it just yet.