Ghost - Infestissumam

When the likes of The Devil's Blood and Ghost came on the scene a few years ago, one thing that caught my attention was their accessible sound. Honestly, if they were from the states and didn't sing about the occult, they would be BIG, plain and simple. Ghost would sign with a major label which was no surprise to me in the end but as discussed with a good friend last night, they have the image that will boost their popularity even further. The perfect package deal. The new album, 'Infestissumam' was certainly going to be an interesting offering just to see how the band would manage their new found stardom.

Well now, after hearing this several times, the evidence is clear. Ghost has gone from seeming like a small cult with 'Opus Eponymous' to a global occult empire with 'Infestissumam'. Hillsong better be careful because their arch nemesis has finally arrived. Just hear 'Year Zero' with its HUGE epic chorus and chanting and you can just imagine Papa Emeritus II lifting the entire stadium as one. It is the rising of something incredible.

'Opus...', as awesome as it is, practically becomes one dimensional compared to this. 'Infestissumam' is as daring as a pop album (yes, I said it.. POP) can get, and hell, does it pay off! Only minor elements of the eerie bounce from 'Opus...' remain here in the forms of 'Per Aspera Ad Inferi', 'Jigolo Har Megiddo' and 'Idolatrine' and 'Depths Of Satan's Eyes'. All great and catchy and even in an eerie way, feeling joyous towards Lucifer. But the real winners of the songs are the ones that meander, but so gloriously.

'Secular Haze' would be the perfect song to brainwash a circus full of clowns, acrobats and lion tamers into joining Ghost's new found gathering. 'Monstrance Clock', with its lifting chorus and endearing soar would lure any fan of real pop music from the 60s into their evil embrace and 'Ghuleh / Zombie Queen'? Well, that just might be the best thing they have ever done. With its hazing synths and eerie leads, it will hypnotize all the housewives while ironing their childrens school clothes with its dark, but beautiful ballad beginning before whisking them away into their dark lair when the pace arrives and the 'The moon is full, and shines an evil blinding light' line comes in.

In the end, this has been brilliantly done. Enough catch and simple song structure to lure the feeble minds to todays pop fan in and enough 'experimentation' in these structures to keep the fans from the beginning (the smart ones) intrigued. This is certain to pay off in an enormous way.

I think back to when I went to a Catholic High School and the ignorant ones referred to heavy metal (more the mainstream ones mind you) as 'Devil Worshiping Music'... Well, here is the New Wave Of 'Devil Worshiping' Music, only there is nothing heavy or metal about this one...

Ikil