I like to think of Ghost’s fourth full-length album as the Lick It Up of
their career. The band won’t follow KISS’s no makeup phase anytime soon but
their mystique as performers has completely faded. Now that the dirty laundry
has been aired and the Nameless Ghouls of years past revealed that they did
have names after all, bandleader Tobias Forge had to be sure that the music
keeps talking as much as his satanic pope (Or I guess he’s a cardinal now?)
gimmick.
Ghost’s transformation to pop rock is complete but Prequelle isn’t the hellish dance party that the singles suggested. On the contrary, it’s a surprisingly somber affair as the track listing is dominated by bombastic power ballads like “See the Light” and “Pro Memoria.” The lyrical tone has gotten incredibly personal to the point where the occult aesthetic feels more like a thin mask than a source of provocation. It’s enough to make one wonder if the band had Adele and the latest Kesha album on their playlist when putting this together.
Fortunately, even Ghost’s pity parties retain the varied styles and sinful catchiness that has made them infamous. Traces of their metal past can be found on the opening tracks as “Rats” stands out for its hissing vocals and Maiden-style guitar intrusions while the bottom-heavy stomp on “Faith” would’ve fit snugly between “From the Pinnacle to the Pit” and “Cirice.” “Dance Macabre” may be yet another one of the band’s disco doom anthems but I feel no shame in listening to it on a loop since its initial release.
Prequelle isn’t the ten variations of “Dance Macabre” album that I was hoping for, but its somber execution of the pop rock formula does make for a compelling listen. The sound isn’t too drastically different from Meliora and the more emotional approach isn’t dead serious by any means, but it’s a logical progression for the band and its creation must’ve been a cathartic experience. I may have to keep waiting for the satanic Eurodance rock album that I want for some reason, but those who have enjoyed Ghost’s previous efforts won’t be too alienated by this.
Highlights:
“Rats”
“Dance Macabre”
“Pro Memoria”
Final Grade: B
Ghost’s transformation to pop rock is complete but Prequelle isn’t the hellish dance party that the singles suggested. On the contrary, it’s a surprisingly somber affair as the track listing is dominated by bombastic power ballads like “See the Light” and “Pro Memoria.” The lyrical tone has gotten incredibly personal to the point where the occult aesthetic feels more like a thin mask than a source of provocation. It’s enough to make one wonder if the band had Adele and the latest Kesha album on their playlist when putting this together.
Fortunately, even Ghost’s pity parties retain the varied styles and sinful catchiness that has made them infamous. Traces of their metal past can be found on the opening tracks as “Rats” stands out for its hissing vocals and Maiden-style guitar intrusions while the bottom-heavy stomp on “Faith” would’ve fit snugly between “From the Pinnacle to the Pit” and “Cirice.” “Dance Macabre” may be yet another one of the band’s disco doom anthems but I feel no shame in listening to it on a loop since its initial release.
Prequelle isn’t the ten variations of “Dance Macabre” album that I was hoping for, but its somber execution of the pop rock formula does make for a compelling listen. The sound isn’t too drastically different from Meliora and the more emotional approach isn’t dead serious by any means, but it’s a logical progression for the band and its creation must’ve been a cathartic experience. I may have to keep waiting for the satanic Eurodance rock album that I want for some reason, but those who have enjoyed Ghost’s previous efforts won’t be too alienated by this.
Highlights:
“Rats”
“Dance Macabre”
“Pro Memoria”
Final Grade: B
1 comment:
It's incredible - to me at least - that they've been getting such a huge response. Even the guys that should see through the gimmicks are getting on board. Maybe Ghost are nice guys behind the masks. Maybe they're just so driven by the desire to be a HUGE band that they haven't let talent or decent songs get in the way. The Kiss comparisons are obvious (and a little too easy?) but they make sense in light of there being no sense - except in fun and mass gathering - behind what Ghost are doing.
I hope you don't wait another four months to buy another album - some parts of your review almost made me want to go and listen to this one. Tongue-poke emoji.
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