Album Reviews : Ghost – Meliora

The effortlessly mysterious Swedish metallers, Ghost are a cause of much debate and discussion in the metal world but you cannot deny that they have a unique class and charm about them. I’ve always found myself listening to their music in complete awe, not only of their sound but just their overall  obscure persona. After the success of their first two albums, the masters of melodic occult music offer ‘Meliora‘ to the world, an album that will undoubtedly put your mind to rest,  as to why this anonymous band’s  evocative aura and haunting tunes are truly ingenious.

In true ‘Ghost-ly’ fashion, Meliora welcomes the listener with the classic sounds of a spacey, psychedelic organ on ‘Spirit‘ which leads into an absolutely mad track. The rhythm on this is hypnotic as is Papa’s voice; it will captivate you instantly. ‘A gateway to secrecy’ sings Papa Emiritus III, in hushed tones, giving you a taste of what’s to come. ‘From the Pinnacle to the Pit‘ has some choppy goose bump-inducing bass lines opening the track, and is quite different to the opener. The organ hits a faster pace with some extremely groove-laden riffs and some very enigmatic layers of choral vocals. A perfect choice for the first single released, the eerie ‘Cirice’ has a massive sound and a mystical ambiance throughout, the instrumentation, remarkable and the chorus, a source of instant addiction. Ghost has mastered the usage of acoustic and soft string sounds to mislead you before the actual aural assault takes place. This album as a whole exhibits a more progressive side to Ghost, the heavier metallic elements woven into sections of melodic rock and layers of vocal brilliance.

‘He Is‘ brings the tempo down a notch with a dreamy sort of melody running through the length of the track( the intro is amazing); the two melodic guitars that work in perfect sync to create one of the most charming songs Ghost has ever written  while ‘Mummy Dust‘ erupts into a chugging series of  chunky riffs that combine with the sinister  presence keys, the band living up to the reputation of their name. Both these tracks show an immediate contrast of Papa’s vocals, bringing out the raspier, lower side of his voice. ‘Majesty‘ follows, aptly named, a track with quite a lot of classic rock influence and a massive sound. There are times when it can seem a tad repetitive, especially with the consistent drone of Papa’s voice but that is something you will eventually get used to after a good few listens

‘Devil Church’ serves as a minute long interlude of organ grandeur guided by a the flow of beautiful choral vocals which eventually fade into  ‘Absolution‘. The riffs are dripping with a melodic groove, and that overall grim vibe culminates the very essence of what Ghost’s music attempts to portray. It’s sends chills down your spine and you are left with no choice but to surrender to the sheer magnificence. A dramatic yet powerful ‘Deus In Absentia‘ sees ‘Meliora’ finish on an absolutely glorious note and culminates the essence of Ghost’s music, pulling in all their signature sounds for the final track. As I have come to see, many are disinclined when they come across Ghost, purely because of the obvious nature of their mysticism and anonymity, all of their antics an apparent means to grab attention. But look past that and you will appreciate their choice to remain anonymous as a way to dig further and really understand their music. That being said, ‘Meliora’ culminates a variety of sounds and proves to the listener that there really is no other band that can be compared to the Swedes; their spine-chill inducing music undoubtedly leaving it’s mark on you. A short way from being considered a masterpiece for me, but it’s almost there. Hail Satan!

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