Ghost (or Ghost B.C. or w/e) -- Swedish Pop Metal in Satan's Service

I guess they think slapping an erect cock on the cover counteracts the limpness of the music?

Satanism used to be classy, now look at what these guys are doing with it.

There's a "new" singer and a new single

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C_ijc7A5oAc

That track picks up in the second half, gets some pop “ohs” and the coda is nice and chunky

Finally figured out who Ghost remind me of - pre-fame Europe! Must be the Swedish thing.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_v7byabCFC8

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lElLEmdYuDM

Ghost is headlining Barclays Arena and The Forum?!?!

What do we think of the new single “dance macabre”

it's very 80's but it works

Prequelle is out tomorrow and the deluxe edition contains two covers: Pet Shop Boys' It's A Sin and Leonard Cohen's Avalanche.

ordered.
3d cover, and 2 cover versions, how could I not succumb.
never bothered with the 'live' album though.

I feel like I don't actually need to hear the "It's a Sin" cover - I can just generate it in my head.

I hope this is good. Why am I a little worried? Meliora was my #1 of 2015.

It's dece but I can't imagine it topping the metal poll again this year. They've doubled down on the cheese but I don't hear any new tricks in the songwriting department, or any hooks to rival the likes of "Square Hammer", "He Is," or "Cirice."

So I’m assuming the 4 nameless ghouls who sued Papa are not involved in the new album? Or is the new album those 4 plus a new singer?

Definitely the same singer, at least.

I dig it so far

It's all about the singer - he writes everything and plays some/most/all? of the instruments on the recordings and does all the interviews (disguised as a ghoul)

Yeah, based on the lawsuit from last year, it sounds like Ghost has been Tobias Forge plus hired musicians for most of its existence.

I've been so out of the loop, I didn't even know about this album until yesterday.

considering how much they've shifted Ghost into a real full-time band (and merch operation, tbh) in the past couple of years, it's kinda surprising how little promo / buzz i've seen around this album.

Yeah it’s a bit of a missed opportunity, I’ve always felt that with better management this band could have exploded to Rammstein level fame within 1 or 2 albums.

until yesterday, I had no idea there was a new album out.
it was only cos of this thread revival.
and that's pretty insane, given I have bought so much stuff from them directly.
and yeah, that's a brilliant comparison re Rammstein …

which is kinda weird, re: fame level, because they're also headlining two arenas in L.A. and NYC this fall, and my reax to that was "whaaat? how is Ghost playing any arena?"

so maybe they're bigger than we think they are?

Those are oneoffs tho, around halloween/xmas. Their profile is def growing but nothing like the promotional steamroller that was Rammstein.

right, i def didn't mean to imply it was on a Rammstein level.

basically i just can't figure out how big Ghost is right now. which is fine. plenty of other things to worry about. :)

1.7 mil listeners on Spotify which is..kind of a lot?

to kind of explain their crossover appeal, lots of my musical theatre friends were at their last show, and only one or two of them listen to metal.

did they like the tunes though maaan

The new album is so surprising and wonderful. Hooks for days as expected (they've taken the Blue Öyster Cult influence and ran like hell with it) bit I was not anticipating the progressive rock element that creeps into the record. I'm elated.

someone clearly has a very different viewpoint to me re this band :

https://noisey.vice.com/en_us/article/9k8qbe/ghost-is-the-most-try-hard-satanic-rock-band-on-earth?utm_source=vicefbus

I came to the band as a non-metal fan who loved the excess, theatrics, and massive TUNES.
and so far, I have yet to be disappointed.

Their entire publicity strategy is like a teenager arriving at Christmas dinner with a face tattoo and then screaming, “GOD, LEAVE ME ALONE!” every time someone points it out.

You mean like every black metal band ever? Fuck this chump. I don't even like Ghost's music, but this guy is the worst kind of metalhead. (OK, second-worst, 'cause he didn't say anything overtly racist.)

Don’t you forget about dying
Don’t you forget about your friend death
Don’t you forget that you will die
Yup

I lol'd admiringly in the lyrics in several spots including that one

Those lyrics don't bother me. Probably because I've heard enough, far worse, metal lyrics to last a lifetime.

And that Vice piece is symptomatic of how tone-deaf and paranoid much of the metal scene is.

it's hard to be as wrong as that Noisey piece is

that noisey thing... I'm just trying to imagine a grown adult man writing that

also he mentioned King Diamond a couple times, like uh did I miss something where King Diamond wasn't high camp? or Priest or Maiden or Kiss or Alice Cooper or Dio? (all legends)

dan ozzi writes there so i can easily imagine a grown adult man at noisey writing that

Liking this album. It's weird - I often go into new Ghost content feeling a bit weary and dubious, but they have a way of winning me over. Pro Memoria got stuck in my head after like two listens.

like uh did I miss something where King Diamond wasn't high camp?

lol otm

I like the hair-metal-ish touches on "Rats". not that I'm saying it's a hair metal song, but some of the intro chord progs and the "ahh-oooh-wahhh-ahhh" of the chorus.

That Rats riff totally smacks of Jake E. Lee/Vivian Campbell circa 1984.

Jake E Lee era Ozzy is very underrated

Miasma is so awesome.

Right now I'm thinking this album's on a level with Opus and Meliora (I don't rate Infestissumam quite as highly).

ppl say BOC a lot and i hear that some but other times ("Dance Mabacre") i hear a very distinct Scorpions melodic influence

cd arrived today.
I have been somewhat apprehensive due to the build up press/reactions.
so, poured a big glass of red wine.
positioned myself in the sweet spot, and pressed play.
absolutely wonderful experience.
nothing totally jumped out at me, other than the brilliant sax solo during 'miasma' (loving the 2 instrumentals), however, the BIG tunes are there.
also, there is quite a gap between the album proper and the bonus tracks.
which is of course a good thing.

Don’t you forget about dying
Don’t you forget about your friend death
Don’t you forget that you will die
Yup

the albums big crowd singalong chorus.
bring on world domination.

Right now I'm thinking this album's on a level with Opus and Meliora (I don't rate Infestissumam quite as highly).

this is my one listen reaction.
however with this lot, a few listens in, and everything can change.

You're allowed to go completely over the top if you've got the tunes, imho. And Ghost do.

ok, new album obvs rules, but one nitpick: why did he choose to go with the "witchu" pronunciation in Danse Macabre instead of "with you"? it doesn't ruin the song for me - not even close - but i do find it kind of distracting and i think it was the wrong choice. Tobias doesn't make many wrong choices, musically at least.

It's not just a pronunciation choice - he's doing a pun.

OOOOHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

"bewitch"

got it

carry on :)