Album: Prequelle
Artist: Ghost
Genre: #Metal
Sub-Genres: #Rock, #OccultRock, #BluesRock
Label: Loma Vista Recordings
Non-Airable Tracks: NONE
Description:
It’s been two years since the Clergy has delivered a fresh sermon to their legions, but time has not stopped the ghouls of Swedish occult rock outfit Ghost from returning in an explosion of fire and brimstone with their latest record Prequelle. After Papa Emeritus III was removed from the stage at the end of the Popestar tour cycle in 2017, effectively ending his reign as frontman, the congregation witnessed the beginning of a new era when the elderly Papa Emeritus Zero delivered a message in Latin declaring the middle ages to be upon us. Several months later, Ghost revealed their newest frontman in their ever-theatrical way to be no Papa, but instead a Cardinal by the name of Copia. With Cardinal Copia (lovingly nicknamed “Cardi C”) at the helm, Ghost released what could possibly be their greatest album to date. Prequelle is truly a masterpiece that we’ll likely be spinning for years to come.
A dark and somber theme of plague, disease, and death is at the heart of this brutally catchy and even danceable record with Ghost exploring a side of themselves we were given a glimpse of with the single “Square Hammer” in 2016. Tracks like “Rats” and “Faith” warn against the plague-like spreading of hateful and ignorant ways of thought, while “Pro Memoria” and “Witch Image” are odes to the brevity of life itself and the evils of believing we can live forever. Prequelle is also the most personal album we’ve seen from Ghost, with songs like the instant ear-worm “Dance Macabre” and the operatic “Life Eternal” being somber love songs for lovers destined to be separated by death. Of course, no Ghost album would be complete without a host of incredible instrumental tracks, and Prequelle certainly delivers on that end as well. The darkly beautiful “Helvetesfonster” (meaning “a window to hell”) calls upon Ghost’s uncanny ability to bring a crowd to absolute awe-inspired silence while “Miasma” might be the best instrumental track Ghost has written since “Genesis” on Opus Eponymous back in 2010. It’s got a fucking saxophone solo in it. Clocking in at just over 40 minutes, this album is easily listened to in one sitting and the experience is nearly flawless from start to finish. Do yourself a favor and pick up one of the finest albums of the 2018 and allow the ghouls of Ghost to invade your mind and astonish your ear holes.
Sounds Like: Blue Oyster Cult, Magna Carta Cartel,
Recommended Tracks:
6. Dance Macabre – Catchiest song on the album
5. Miasma – saxophone solo!
10. Life Eternal- Slow but so good
Reviewer’s Name: Natty Trujillo (with the help of Andrew)
Date of Review: 10/21/2018