I bought Ghost's debut album "Opus Eponymous" just a couple months ago, and I must say, it is just absolutely awesome beyond words, there's really no other words to describe it. I love it so much, I've had it spinning in rotation ever since I first bought it. For some of those that don't know, Ghost are a heavy metal outfit from the great European country of Sweden, consisting of six anonymous members with five of them (two guitarists, a bassist, a keyboardist, and a drummer) being all dressed up in black hooded cloaks, while hiding their faces, referring themselves as the "Nameless Ghouls", and their frontman/vocalist known as Papa Emeritus is all decked out like a Satanic arch bishop type Pope. They all play a very fresh and unique blend of 70's style heavy/doom metal with some psychedelic rock influences thrown in the mix as well, and of course lyrical themes that deal with Demons, Occultism, and Satanism which I don't even take seriously whatsoever. Musically, Ghost's influences range variously from the likes of Black Sabbath, Blue Oyster Cult, Angel Witch, Witchfinder General, and Mercyful Fate. This album is just jam packed with catchy, hard edged, driving guitar riffs, hot piping keyboard effects, memorable sing along choruses, and superb clean singing vocals throughout. "Opus Eponymous" starts off with a short funeral like organ sounding instrumetal "Deus Culpa" which then blasts right into "Con Clavi Con Dio" which begins with a catchy, chugging bass line that shifts into a marching drum beat that will have you bobbing your head in unison, and then the clean vocals and hard driving guitars come into play. "Ritual" is without question the best song on the album hands down. This song features a batch of catchy riffing including a great 70's Classic Rock inspired melodic guitar intro and an awesome memorable clean sung chorus, and it's definately the best chorus on the whole album I might add. Other standouts on here include "Elizabeth" which is an awesome, catchy melodic headbanger reminiscent of early Mercyful Fate, as well as "Stand By Him", "Satan Prayer", "Death Knell" (which features soaring choruses, as well as some atmospheric keyboard and bell sounds), "Prime Mover", and of course the closing instrumental "Genesis" which has an old school video game soundtrack vibe to it. To me, this whole album works so well like almost a conceptual music score, it would fit so perfectly to an eerie late seventies horror film. Bottom line, "Opus Eponymous" is one album that'll steal your soul on the first listen, and make you keep on coming back for more. It is just simply awesome from beginning to end, and it's definately a huge breath of fresh air in today's modern metal for sure...I highly recommend this album, and be sure to check out their new upcoming album under the name Ghost B.C. "Infestissumam" which comes out on April 9th!!! HORNS UP!!!
