Ghost – Prequelle
Fans have come along for the ride for years, not knowing for certain who
was behind the anonymous band… that is, until Tobias Forge recently revealed
himself as the man behind Ghost. Each album is more like a film release than a
record release. In addition to serving as director, Forge conceives the role of
every character, and oversees everything from the screenplay to video to
wardrobe design to artwork to cinematography to soundtrack.
For a brief Ghost 101 – Papa Emeritus I was singer on the first album. Papa
II on Infintessimum, and Papa III on Meliora. Papa Emeritus Nil or Zero is the
father of Papa’s II and III. II & III are brothers born three months apart!
Papa Nil is considered too old for fronting Ghost, so in comes Cardinal Copia,
who is an apprentice who needs to learn from the master, with a view to
becoming Papa Emeritus IV and is vocalist for Prequelle.
Lyrically, Prequelle delves into the plague, the apocalypse, and
dark ages.
Now, back at the beginning I thought that Ghost were a gimmick band (Think
Kiss, only in robes and slightly less make up). I dismissed tham at my peril. I
didn’t even want to know what they sounded like, as to me, it all looked shite.
I would have closed the curtains had they been playing in my back yard (etc,.).
Until last year…
I caught them on the ‘Meliora’ tour and was completely blown away, with
their blend of metal riffs and a definite knack for melody, almost bordering on
mainstream. So I went out and bought all the albums within days, on vinyl of
course. I fully emersed myself in the history and wonderfulness that is Ghost.
On to ‘Prequelle’, and just like old school, we get an intro based on the
plague, with “Ashes’, or as we Brits call it, ‘Ring a ring o roses’, before
expanding into what becomes the unbelievably sing-a-long-a-tastic ‘Rats’. If
anyone can make a poetic and infectious song about vermin, its Ghost. In fact,
I cant tell the difference between Papa II and Copia. (That’s because they are
all the same, dumbass!) Rats is based on 80s hair metal riffs, with the melody
of J-pop! ‘Faith’ is old-metal neo-classical riffage, with their trade mark
chugging riff overlaid, and is the
heaviest song on the album with some great harmonies – its probably the only
song on ‘Prequelle’ that references their past. It ends with a choral passage
leading into ‘See The Light’ and is gonna be a big hit for Ghost. The verse and
chorus are opposites light and shade, with a delicate piano being the light,
and powerful darkness of the chorus.
‘Miasma’ is a bit of a strange beast in todays World, an instrumental from
a bygone age of the 70s and 80s when albums used to be full of the buggers. I
always thought instrumentals were a lazy option, but in this instance, guitars,
retro keyboard synth and even a saxaphone at the end all come to play their
part, and it is glorious. ‘Dance Macabre’ is an old school rocker that would
have blitzed the Billboard charts back in the day and is different to anything
that Ghost have perviously given us, its something like Abba could have written
back in the day, and is absolutely massive. ‘Pro Memoria’ starts as if it were
a soundtrack piece, or written for a musical not to dissimilar from Jeff Wayne,
and is like a old 70s prog song full of storytelling. Different, but in a great
way. ‘Witch Image’s’ opening riff is just like klassik Kiss, and is catchy as
Hell, with the keyboard and guitar riff interplaying with the melodic verse and
chorus to great effect.
When you think one instrumental is one too many, then we get a second one.
‘Helvetesfonster’ is part X-Files intro, part Jethro Tull, and Ayreon, which is
folky, earthy and just feels as if there are lyrics itching to reveal
themselves, and for a 51 year old, brought up on shit like like this, is manna
from Heaven. Its quickly onto the final song, ‘Life Eternal’, a more
melancholic song for them and it proves to be a fitting end to this strange,
different and beautiful album.
All the old elements are there from Ghosts past, but I think that this is
an album that could get them even wider appeal as the songs of offer could, and
should cross borders and open them up to a whole new audience. Its rock, metal,
pop, prog, soundtrack and Broadway/West End musical running all they way
through the veins, which is all down to the huge talent that is Tobias Forge.
Ghost have announced their fourth sacred
psalm Prequelle (pronounced prē-KWELL) will
be released on June 1, 2018 via Spinefarm/Loma Vista Recordings. Limited
edition bundles including 8-Tracks, Casettes and more are available exclusively
in the Ghost shop HERE.
Score 9/10
Tracklisting -
Ashes
Rats
Faith
See The Light
Miasma
Dance Macabre
Pro Memoria
Witch Image
Helvetesfonster
Life Eternal
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