Rhapsody - Dawn of Victory (2000)

This is a truly handsome set, and one of the only Collector's Editions in my collection. I cannot remember how much I pauid for it, but it is only worth around $70 now anyhow, so not exactly hidden treasure. Anyhow - there's no changing the fact that it is jolly fine packaging. Alas, the sleeves for the two discs are flimsy and card, so they live in a separate place from the 65 page hardback book.

The book starts with an introduction from a wizard called Aresius of Elgard. Ancient (but not too much, eh) wizard of the enchanted lands. But before we get into the plot, we are treated to a double page spread of the band, in full Rhapsody glory, mediaeval tunics, a throne and swords. Very, very D&D.

After that, we are into the plot, which follows on from the previous album/s. This is the third chapter in the Enchanted Lands trilogy.

First chapter = hellish evil army, lead by "Black King".
Second chapter = Heroic "Warrior of Ice" finds and wields the magical "Emerald Sword".
Oooh, a map!

I smell cheese - loads and loads of juicy cheese. Let's highlight the tropes in the plot:
- Black King with evil army
- valiant hero
 - Lands of Chaos
- Ivory Gates that can only be found by three keys (of wisdom)
- Magic sword (can only be wielded by one whose heart is true.
 Also, for some reason, lots of characters starting with "A".

Now, onto the third chapter. The valiant warrior has his magic sword and an army and is about to face off against the Dark Lord Black King.
And rape.... why oh why do these things always involve rape?  Followed soon after by death. But in her case her death saved the rest of them. Let's stop reading and let the music speak for itself!

"At the Court of King Chaos only blood can write its own tragedy...." begins "Lux Triumphans", with choirs, symphonic structures and an epic build up into the "Dawn of Victory". Surging guitars, like horses thundering across the plains. Charging the enemy. Triumphant melodies. Vocals mid-tenor, soaring with passionate power. You can see the hero riding forth on his massive steed, sword raised and hair blowing in the wind, like something out of a cheesy romance novel. Heavy on the pompesity.

Lots of keyboards, maybe even a harpischord, builds an indestructible wall of epic sound. I"m going to use the word "epic" as much as possible! Vocals smoother, as the Warrior celebrates "The triumph for my Magic Steel" (I kid you not). He parades across his Enchanted Lands, his army following, the enemies heads speared on their pikes. The next target is in his eyes, and his army ride to further victory (hopefully).

Gentler now, it's time for a little romance, and a homecoming, as we find our way to the "Village of the Dwarves". Keyboards mimic bagpipe rhythms, nifty! Vocals decidedly more folksy, with penny whistle accompaniment. Lovely, lilting reel of a rhythm. A charming blend of folk whimsy and modern instrumentations.

Time for the next battle this time in "Dargar, Shadowland of the Black Mountain". It begins with a thunderous roar of instrumentations and a cry of victory? Defiance? Dargor has been twisted into a disciple if evil. Cascading chorus, like a stampede across the lands; leaping, slashing, fending off the enemy.

Starting soft and slow, "The Bloody Rage of Titans" celebrates the beauty of the Enchanted Lands - where unicorns once roamed.  After a gentle and soothing intro, it surges into a dramatic and bloody war, vocals tinged with loss and a hint of despearation.

Another dramatic and pompous flourish as we rip roar and rage like a "Holy Thunderforce". Chaotic and violent. Vocals harsh-edged, cutting vicious as a sword. This is a battle hymn anthem. Dramatic harpsichord.

"So we'll fight against the wind for the glory of the kings to defeat the evil enemies..."

Creepy children's choir lead us down into the instrumental "Trolls in the Dark". A surging maelstorm of darkness and treacherous shadows, blood running in the night. Pounding rhythms. Choirs. Guitars ripping up a tornado. Dramatic and dangerous.

Harpischords again as, triumphant now, the horse rises into the sky, flying! Not only has it developed wings, but it is also the "Last Winged Unicorn". Oooh, an alicorn. And flying unicorns breathe innocence. Dragons, eat your heart out, this unicorn will breathe innocence at you. Okay, sarcasm aside, it's a powerful song, rising in triumphance and victory with harpsichord intermingling with guitars and choirs rising and falling, the tempo filled with great flourish and an epic cascard of sound and celebration. It is easy to imagine the great and fearsom last winged unicorn rising from the holy sea of golden flames and racing across the skies.
Is it a phoenix? Mythologies all getting entwined and confused!

Time for celebration, as "The Mighty Ride of the Firelord". I assume that this is the Warrior of the Ice riding on his fiery winged unicorn/phoenix. The symphony builds and builds in scale and power, surging with mighty and an epic wall of sound. Flutes flicker across, like dancing dragonflies, harpsichords shimmer and the vocals soar above it all like a wicked edged sword. Choirs rise like flickering flames. Rhapsody are a very easy band to get metaphorical about.
And it just keeps on going.
For nearly 10 minutes.

There is one word to describe Rhapsody. Epic.
And another. Pretentious.
But despite that, they do what they do with extreme skill and ability and they have totally taken the "epic symphonic power metal" genre and made it their own. So what if their lyrics reek of double cheese pizza with extra cheese on top? Isn't that true of every power metal band? Rhapsody are the Manowar of the modern metal scene - bringing a deliberate level of pompesity and a wall of dramatic and powerful sound. All the rest (Skylark, Olympos Mons, Faeryland etc) fall beneath the hooves of their mighty phoenix-alicorn and get burned to ashes in their wake.

It's strange how keyboards, entirely electronic sound, can succesfully capture a mediaeval vibe.

Rating = 9/10

PS: The rest of the book is suitably impressive. In fact, the very next pages give a breakdown of what the band are trying to achieve with the sounds - which would have been good for me to refer to whilst writing this dissection. *sighs* Then there is some interviews with the band members.
Oooh, they use "bombastic" - I forgot to use that adjective!

Also, I think I am getting violins confused with harpischords, there's apparently lots of violins on the first two full tracks, but I can't *quite* seem to hear it.

Bonus enhanced CD has video clips and variations on the songs we've heard, along with pretty graphics and a screensaver.

Queensryche - Empire (1990)

This is Seattle band Queensryche's fourth album, and this is the album that brought them to the mainstream. Mainly because of one song - you probably know it. But we'll get there in a minute. First off - the packaging.

 Here we have the tri-ryche again, this time in pixelated glory, it soars over the word "Empire" designed like a tower. In terms of graphic design, it is very basic and kinda rubbishy. They could have done better. Let's hope the music makes up for it!

The album opens with the melodic progressive chords of "Best I Can". A radio-friendly song with decent rhythm and the occasional triumphant soaring of keyboards. A little anaemic, however, sanitised and sterile.

We blast into "The Thin Line" in which Geoff Tate starts with his lower, (slightly) deeper vocals. Low tenor, perchance? Some nice guitar interludes and a gentle bridge into the rockier chorus.

A distant shadow of "Revolution: Calling" - "Jet City Woman" starts with similar chords, but fades into a somewhat bland, exsanguinated number. Entirely too accessible and rather lacking in passion.

"Della Brown" is another gentle number. The vocals are quite nice, soothing, good rhythm.

Finally, something with a bit of spirit to it. "Another Rainy Night", the second single, starts with a more dramatic flourish. The vocals have a little more emotion, touched with pain and building to a powerful chorus. Bittersweet lyrics:

"...Strange how laughing looks like crying with no sound..."

 Starting with an answerphone message, we have "Empire", one of the strongest and more energetic tracks on the album. Lyrics are political, and more in the "Operation Mindcrime" league. It builds strong, has nicely echoey chorus, and Tate has a bitter knife-edge to his vocals.

"Resistance" is also pleasingly powerful, building to a strong chorus and again installs memories of OMC. Tate sounds rather more passionate when singing politics rather than love.

The glorious lullaby, "Silent Lucidity" remains the 'ryche's most well known - and probably their best - track. Ever. The use of orchaestral elements gives it majesty and power, and Tate's lower tenor is deeply soothing, slightly sexy and laden with emotion. This track, alone, deserves 10/10. The whispered "help me" sends a shiver down my spine.

"Hand on Heart" tries to be a powerful piece, but "Silent" is a hard act to follow. Tate's voice is smooth and flowing, like a creamy hot chocolate. Some passion, still a bit commercial, however.

Another somewhat sterile, but still appealing piece "One and Only".

The mournful "Anybody Listening?" seems a desperate, anguished plea for someone, anyone, to listen, to realise. The music is strong, thick, laden with guilt and social conscience. Tate's voice tempered with dedicaation and desperation. Deliciously low, thick, melancholic. A fine conclusion.

Something of a santised, polished and radio friendly album from Queensryche. It does contain the one song that made their names known - and is pretty much the only Queensryche song I've ever heard on the radio, outside of specialised "metal" shows (when I used to request a different track from them every 2-3 weeks). The album starts weak, builds to its climax, peaking at "Silent Lucidity", although the songs that follow are still more spirited than the opening. The first four almost had me giving this a lousy 5/10, but I now feel more comfortable lifting it to a 7/10.

Paradise Lost - One Second (1997)

Like Lake of Tears, Paradise Lost are a band that have evolved with the ages. They began with "Lost Paradise", "Gothic" and "Shades of God" which were pure Doom/Death, and then slowly introduced more melodic, baritone vocals (sung, instead of grunting and growling) and a decidedly more Depeche Mode/80s Gothic influence. This was even more pronounced on the follow-up to this album "Host".

I thought I might listening to one of those songs - from "Host", and I'll have to say - this album is better! (And who let the 80s encroach on the late 90s?), comparing "Permanent Solution" with the glory that is "Forever Failure" just makes me shudder at what they became. Now, however, they seem to have transformed again, this time into a more aggressive vocal style, with the doom influences returning.

Anyhow, I'm not sure if this is going to rate higher or lower than the astonishing "Draconian Times" ("Icon" I still haven't managed to listen through all of, let alone review/dissect). So, let us see how it goes.

Cover is an old, wrinkled man (?) in close up, showing the fine carvings of age upon his skin. Booklet features black and white photos, all slightly eerie in concept, with the lyrics featuring on coloured pages opposite. Vocalist Nick Holmes has cut off his golden tresses.

 Keyboard harmonies lead us into the gothic title track, "One Second". Holmes' wonderfully deep voice is as powerful as previous, but here is allowed a bit more melody.

It's been a few years since I last heard "Say Just Words" - a track we managed to smuggle onto party playlists on more than a few occasions, yet I find I can still sing every word of it. The instrumentations are pure, echoing, late 90s gothica. It has power - na da good beat to dance to.

"Lydia" gets off to a sombre, there's an electronica feel here - and in the entire album - that makes you feel the poor keyboardists should be credited as actual band members, and not just lower in the acknowledgements. Holmes lifts up an octave (or pitch, or whatever you call it) to a more melancholic edge, before dropping down for the chorus. There's some samples too. I guess they were popular at the time.

Remembering their doom roots, we slip into "Mercy", which quickly shifts into a sort of downtrodden synthpop. The keyboards, synthesizers and sounds are there, but slowed down and heavy on the gloom, reminiscent of the goth sound, but cleaner and better polished.

"it's mercy you're asking for... take my life or give me more..."

 Faster, more energetic and more 80s, "Soul Courageous" gets off to a rocking start. Complete with catchy chorus.

"Another Day" draws us away even further from the metal and into a slow, languid summer day, starting with keyboard-esque piano and slow synthpop rhythms. The opening verse is decidedly pop-rock, dropping down into more aggressive and slightly urgent vocals, albeit not picking up the pace.

Organs and synthesizers add an eerie and ominous vibe, falling into a faster, almost dance-pop rhythm, before it is steamrolled by the heavy instrumentations of "The Sufferer". Dropping again, into ominous, whispered chorus.

"A time when I'm all alone and I'm breathing afraid, cause all my pride is gone..."

 I think there might be a bit of the Nu-metal sound here too, but I kinda missed that genre out (thankfully) so cannot say for sure.

Even slower, gentler, is "This Cold Life". Vocals stand all but alone, cold and isolated, supported only by low beats, with the occasional explosion of sound. An isolated, lonely piece. And more synthpop.

"Blood of Another" is repetitive and somewhat sterile, polished. It's got a decent rhythm, and good pace, but ultimately the lyrics consist of:

"You see the blood, the blood of another, you see the blood as we roll in it together..."

There's a few verses, but ultimately this line is repeated numerous times. Sounds unhygenic.

"Disappear" is another maudlin, doom-orientated piece. The lyrics are along the lines of "forever failure" and would suit better with heavier, more aching musical backing rather than the somewhat tacky synth accompaniment and what could well be a drum machine. Nice low vocals, however.

At last, the guitarists get chosen over the keyboards, as we roll into "Sane", the initial instrumentation fades to vocals and drums and an eerie, echoey keyboards.

Another slower number, "Take Me Down" starts with some very gothic keyboards, rather reminiscent of the Sisters of Mercy. Vocals are ominous, low, like whispers in the darkness. Creating a spidery, shadowy atmosphere, filled with predatory menace. It's a strong way to conclude the album, despite the overload of unecessary samples. Somewhat haunting.

Overall, this isn't a bad album, just a tad sterile and dull. Synthpop has been described as anemic and soulless, and whilst this is not precisely synthpop, it does seem to rather lack in passion. The original songs are strong, but by the time you're halfway through the album, you are starting to wonder why you bothered. Also, given the high emphasis on vocals and keyboards, one rather wonders if the rest of the band are feeling a little left out. It feels a little like they're trying to go mainstream, and not quite suceeding. I do like the first two tracks and the last one, however.

Rating = 6/10

Ozzy Osbourne - Down to Earth (2001)

Everyone knows Ozzy Osbourne - or thinks they do. He is a musician that truly needs no introduction. This is his 8th solo studio album. The cover features a three faced figure (two of which are skulls), standing before a cross with arms raised. Inside there are numerous photos of Ozzy divided up into 9-square grids, dominating one half of the concertina fold cover, on the back of which are the lyrics. No wait, no lyrics, just a list of song titles and more pictures of Ozzy. I almost wonder if there's supposed to be some sort of interactive or 3d element to the images which seem to show Ozzy morphing into the 3-faced fellow, but it's all a bit deep and meaningful for my humble little brain. It IS an "enhanced" cd, which means there's an interview on it, but no actual music videos or anything really exciting and interesting.

We open with the self-exploration of "Gets Me Through" - slow piano and dancing flute before the bass and drums surge in, and Ozzy's vocals rasp out melodiously*:

"I'm not the sort of person you think I am - I'm not the anti-christ or the iron man..."

Chugging along at a regular pace, Ozzy sounds almost like he's trying to convince the listener that there ain't nothing that special about him and that he wants to be left alone.
Well, I doubt that is the truth, Mr Osbourne.

Keyboards rising, into the crash of the guitars as we chug into "Facing Hell". Again, the vocals seem a little pained, Ozzy's razor edge seems to be getting more pronounced as he's getting older.

Piano-laden melancholy, and we are into "Dreamer", in which Ozzy's vocals seem a little smoother, a little sweeter. One of the more radio-friendly tracks and undeniably beautiful.

Something a little more energetic now - "No Easy Way Out" in which Ozzy is pretty-much shouting the lyrics. The music is a raucous affair, moving into a smoother chorus, thick and slightly sludgy.

 "That I Never Had" is another perfectly acceptable, but not particularly inspiring rock song. The guitar solo is pretty good though - I believe Zakk Wyld had returned for this album.

Another Ballad in "You Know" - a very short piece indeed.

"Junkie" has a bitter edge to it, not surprisingly (also contains the "Explicit content" warned by the cover). The music is churning, angry, flavoured with tension. A personal song, revealing Ozzy's own struggles with drugs and alcohol:

"...A bird with one wing who's trying to fly..."

Another melancholically wrenching piece "Running Out of Time". I guess Ozzy is starting to understand that he isn't getting any younger.

"Just another broken hero..."

"Black Illusion" surges in with dark and sludgy force.

More melancholy in "Alive":

"What keeps me alive is dreams..."

Sounds like we're getting back into the introspection here, Ozzy. Not even sure if this counts as singing for the most part, he's almost just speaking the lines.

Dramatic start to "Can You Hear Them?" Chugging, clapping rhythms, swelling in force. Vocals the typical Ozzy, double-recorded**, giving it that slightly echoey quality.

As Ozzy gets older, his songs have become more mature, more depressing and more personal. This is darker than my previously reviewed "Ozzmosis" (which felt more introspective). The songs seem heavily laden with shadows and darkness, and even the sweeter, ballad numbers have a bittersweet edge to them. His vocals have worn a little, become harsher with age and it all rather lacks the fun energy of Black Sabbath and earlier songs like "Bark at the Moon". Not remarkedly original or different. Kinda dull, really.

Let's go for 6/10.

* an oxymoron of an adjective+adverb? Well, not if you've listened to Ozzy.
** I'm guessing, but my musical knowledge in this manner is limited. So, feel free to deny this claim if you know better ^^

Nightwish - Wishmaster (2000)

I own a lot of Nightwish, and I love their music - the exquisitely fragile beauty of Tarja's voice, the depth of complexity and power in the instrumentations and the epic force of their melodies. These is their third album, and they have yet to employ an official male vocalist - instead with have a list of men providing their voices - ranging from bass to tenor. And choirs, which should make for an epic production. Oooh, and flutes - can't forget the flutes!

To be honest, I've been putting off reviewing Nightwish becuse my brother does it so much better, so more poetically. You can read his blogpost about the band here. He knows technical terms and so forth - me, I resort to adjectives and repetition of the word "ethereal". Let's see if I can do an entire Nightwish album dissection without using that E word again.

Okay, here goes:

The cover depicts a child, kneeling before a lake, a scroll before him. He raises his hands, summoning the swans to take flight. Above, the sunset paints the sky in orange lava, whilst the dark reflections of trees line the horizon. Dreamy, strings of mist cloak the horizon and set a deep and melancholic mood. The entire palatte is shades of orange and brown. Inside, the booklet contains several fold out pages and the band all look suitably angelic.

Dramatic rhythms lead us into the stirring "She is My Sin" which builds in epic scale and might, broken by Tarja's hauntingly sweet, soaring soprano. It glides like a silver-feathered swift. Now the music has subsided down as a backing, complementing her voice but occasionally taking the opportunity to fly between verses.

"The Kinslayer" pays tribute to those slain in the Columbine massacre, in 1999. It starts with a dramatic cascade of keyboards and drums, before surging into the urgent rhythm and Tarja's exquisite voice soaring above like a lost soul or an avenging angel. It intermingles with the deeper bass (or baritone?) lending an ominous edge to what was a truly tragic event.

"For whom the gun tolls, for whom the prey weeps. Bow before a war, call it religion."

Softer, gentler, flutes and gentle keyboards usher us into the folk-orientated "Come Cover Me". Gliding gently, Tarja's voice soars with the gentle rhythms, like floating through clouds on a sunlit day in early spring. There's an earthy, pagan feel.

"Wanderlust" continues with this pagan, traveler vibe. The chorus is gloriously smooth, the keyboards dancing playfully between the voices, like leaves borne on a summer breeze. It all feels wild and free, unihibited by the restraints of the modern world.

"It's not the end, not the kingdom come - it is the journey that matters, the distant wanderer."

Beautiful fade out, as Tarja's exquisite vocals fade into silence.

Haunting, slow and slumbering, "Two for Tragedy" is a lullaby, a lament. Beautifully melancholy and utterly heart-wrenching.

"Wishmaster" starts with a dramatic flourish. Undeniably fantastical, with shades of epic power metal in the lyrics. Stirring, symphonic.

Keyboards and we're into "Bare Grace Misery" another piece driven by the vocals. Honey-tongued, golden and darkly romantic.

With a flourish and a flare, we rage into "Crownless". Fast in pace and with a fairy-tale theme. Keyboardist Tuomas is given full reign here, and the keyboards surge and swell in drama and pace, whilst the drums race the vocals.

"One fragrant rose worth ten times what I am..."

 Now it is time to be enshrouded in the gloaming shadows, as we find ourselves engulfed by "Deep Silent Complete". Black velvet, sirens calling - darkly romantic, infused with bittersweet melancholic grace.

Poetic and dark, "Dead Boy's Poem" is a last cry for help, a swansong. Vocally sublime, the music plays a soft accompaniment. Haunting.

"FantasMic" offers up a change of pace, starting with a waterfall of keyboards, a beautiful kalediscope of symphonic glory. Here the keyboards are given full, dramatic reign and the lyrics return to the fantastical - and also demonstrate Tuomas' love of Disney*. Part 2 is deliciously slow and heavy with loss and longing. Melodious melancholy. As we roll into Part 3, the flute adds its lilting, playful voice (like a dancing bluebird) to the rhythm and Tuomas returns with a flourish. Tarja's voice becomes a force of nature, fast and energetic. This section seems dedicated to the villains, and as such is heavier, more aggressive.

As an unannounced surprise we have "Sleepwalker", a track not listed on my "not to be sold outside of Russia" cd. This has a more modern sound to it, the keyboards taking on a space-edgy sound. It reads on my WMP as "Passion and the Opera", for some reason.

Overall, another beautiful album from a band of great power and majesty. Epic, symphonic, glorious - do I really need to say anything more?

Rating = 10/10

* I may not have noticed this if my brother hadn't pointed it out in his review, which made me read the lyrics in greater depth: the line "A cub of the king betrayed by usurper" is a dead giveaway - that and I see mentions of Black Cauldron, Fantasia...

Ghost BC - Infestissumam (2013)

I realise that I should be moving right along onto N now - but the only band left I have is Nightwish, lots of Nightwish. I love Nightwish, but there's only so many times you can use the word "ethereal" in reviews. And  since I purchased this album, I 've become slightly obsessed with it.

Firstly, I would like to thank my brother - who is possibly the only person reading this blog (if anyone else is, please make yourself known to me). He suggested I might like the band, shared with me their cover of an Abba song and that lead me to watching them endlessly on youtube until I finally decided to buy one of their albums. And oh, it's been playing on and off in my stereo ever since.

Ghost hail from Sweden and they are a band cloaked in secrecy. They formed in 2008, making them younger than most of my albums (let alone the bands) and perform on stage in robes. The vocalist is known as Papa Emeritus II, and he resembles a Satanic pope. The other band members are all merely Nameless Ghouls. This is their second album (I'm getting the first for my birthday) and it is an attractive affair. My brother recommended I acquire the NZ/Aus edition, which I purchased via the newly discovered WowHd whom with their free shipping and prompt delivery will probably now consume a generous portion of my expendible income. Either that or encourage me to participate in more online surveys, since I earn points that can be spent on $10 vouchers. Anyhow, I'm pretty sure mine is that edition as it cost somewhat more than the other versions and does indeed seem to contain artwork that some might percivably consider to be Heretical.

The cover pays homage to the movie Amadeus, with his anti-lordship, Pope Emeritus II, hands upraised above an infant in a manger. Behind him, the sun illuminates all in orange and sepia tones. Lucifer was, after all, the Light Bringer.

The BC was added for legal reasons (there's another band called Ghost) and according to the band, it's silent. It also contains a "Parental Advisory" sticker, although I do not recall anything in the lyrics. Maybe that is a warning against the artwork? Most of the lyrics seem to be either Latin or somewhat Satanic. Apart from the somewhat heretical nature of the art, the colour - oranges and browns, really appeals to me - and I must admit it, I'm not perturbed or offended by sepia images of orgies and of a more ghoulish nature. In fact, the surreal nature of some of them is excellent, and makes me want to stare at them again and again to take in all the details. I think my favourite is the giant cat,  surrounded by three headed dogs, that seem to be choking a rather cadaverous man whilst being whipped by tiny men.

This album is about the antichrist. According to wikipedia, "Opus Eponymous" concluded with the birth of the anti-christ, and this is his rising.

The album opens with the chanted title track "Infestissumam": Imagine a choir of faceless monks, looming out of the darkness, revealed in jagged sepia-tinged light. Powerful and ever so slightly ominous. The music soars with their voices, overwhelming it and sweeping it away on an epic tide.

It links into the powerful opening rifts of "Per Aspera Ad Inferi" (through hardship to Hell) in which Papa Emeritus II's strong and melodious, almost sweet, vocals rise and soar. Heavy rhythms and the occasional snarled growl of a savage beast, the stirring melodies of keyboards, build to a beautiful symphony.

Papa Emeritus II has the sort of voice I would attribute to Lucifer, the Lightbringer, shortly after he fell. Glorious, melodious, but ultimately sinister.

Crazed out carnival rhythms lead us into "Secular Haze", an appealing progressively orientated number with jerky, staccato rhythms intermingling with the soar and melody of Emeritus's voice.

"Jigolo Har Megiddo" has a poppy, lively melody, with a late 70s, (perhaps, or maybe earlier, it makes me think a little of an evil Abba) vibe to it. It's quite heavy on the synth-pop feel with an added hint of menace. It is exceptionally playful and bouncy, sure to be a hit at parties and probably quite acceptable in the retail workplace, if one does not pay too much attention to the lyrics...

"I am the one who preys on weak - I offer everything they seek..."

This band just screams to be played as loudly as possible. I hope my neighbours like Ghost too!
(and if they don't, tough!)

Sinister, dreamy, languid and soothing are all words to describe "Ghulel/Zombie Queen". Nobody can sing such macabre lyrics with such romantic beauty:

"Putrefaction - a scent that cursed be, undercoat of dust..."

Then follow it up with delicate piano and soft guitars. It is nothing short of an oxymoron. There's  the deep throated voice of an organ, then all turns faster, determined, sinister, enraged, surging into a melodious, triumphant chorus. The Zombie Queen has risen! There's even a bit of surf guitar in this track.

The menacing "Year Zero" (uncensored video, viewer discretion advised) is set to engulf you. It starts steady, pounding, with a looming undertone of threat. And, of course, there's the chants of:

 "Hell Satan - Archangelo..."

Modern in sound, melodious in verses, ominous in chorus. The looming menace is like an atom bomb mushrooming and heralding the apocalypse.

Tinkly, discordant, disconcerting, then Emeritus swoops in like a hawk on its prey, pinning the weak beneath his mighty "Body and Blood".  With its keyboards and regular rhythms, it is rather reminiscent of something from a bygone era. Maybe the 70s.

"Idolatrine" has a haunting melody, it begins with a confused whirlwind of sound that sorts itself out into a straight forward, fast paced rhythm. Insanely catchy.

"Suffer little children to come unto me..."

There are elements of Voivod's "Angel Rat" in the "Depth of Satan's Eyes". Slower and steady, with the cruising, soaring vocals and a somewhat mellow feel.

Low and menacing, we are treated to the steady tones of the "Monstrance Clock" (brand new video!). Eerie, ominous; the worshippers gather, marching through the dark with their black candles blazing to pay tribute to the monstrance clock. This is an anthem, a hymn, a celebration. Reflected in the video, in which fans "confess" of their love of Ghost.
(A "monstance" is an object of piety, one cannot help but wonder what a monstrance clock measures - the days til doomsday? Quite possibly, lyrics seem to indicate it.)

"Come together... together as one. Come together, for Lucifer's son."

There's a lengthy pause after this track, before we are treated to the two bonus tracks. The first "La Mantra Mori" is slow and almost dreamlike, with a languid surreality. The lyrics are repetitive, simple:

"We focus on your death
We focus on your death
You share not the blood of ours
Thus we focus on your death" 

 This is the entire lyrical content of the song. It is haunting and also rather ominous.

Final track "I'm a Marionette" is the compulsory* Abba cover. And what a cover! The original is pretty nifty too, being darker than your typical Abba track. Performed by Ghost, it takes on a new level of mechnical ominisity (look, I invented a word!). The poppy beats of Abba are heavier, leaden, jerky and disconcerting. The chorus is sublime and creepy. I'm glad I purchased the Deluxe edition.


Words cannot describe how I feel about Ghost. They are intensely addictive, beautifully contradictory. Their sinister lyrics intermingle with their tongue-in-cheek appearance and gloriously inspiring and stirring combination of modern sounds and more classic (rock) stylisations. They are also instrinsically catchy. I actually stopped listening to this album for a week or two - scared that I was overdoing it and would make myself tired of it, but then I was struck by a deep and demanding desire to listen to it again. And again.

This is definitely my favourite album for 2013, and I look forward to seeing what they come up with next (or came up with first, since I'm getting "Opus Eponymous" soon).

In terms of the satanism... I listen to Christian music, I listen to Satanic music. I'm an agnostic-with-a-touch-of-pagan myself** but I prefer bands like Ghost and Mercyful Fate to the entire Norwegian Black Metal scene, because they are musically superior (and melodiously superior). One cannot help but wonder if Ghost are entirely, instrinsically Satanic, however, or just setting their tongue firmly in cheek. As long as they're not burning down beautiful wooden Norwegian churches or brutally murdering members of other bands, they can believe whatever they like.

I'm going to have to rank this another impossible 11/10.
(Since the last time I did this was with Diabloswing Orchaestra, I think we all have to agree that my brother has an excellent idea of what sort of music flies my kite).

* It is requirement for all Swedish bands to cover at least one Abba track during their career. Ok, so I made that up. But metal Abba covers are the best!
** As in, I'll invent my own religious beliefs if I have to.