Ghost - 'Opus Eponymous'

A roaring debut that gives psychedelic rock a kick in the pants with a heavy sound and lyrics that will piss off the ultra-religious.

Satanic metal never sounded as infectious as Ghost plays it on their stunning debut Opus Eponymous. With the flowery melodies of Iron Butterfly, and the blasphemous nature of Mercyful Fate, this album is one of the first great releases of the new year. It’s catchy, fun, and impossible to resist, at least for those who are not easily offended. The six members, who hide their identity and their faces behind masks, are adept musicians who have a firm grip on the qualities of a memorable song.

The whole Satan worshipping in metal has run its course, yet Ghost is able to get some extra mileage out of the empty tank. The band is so immersed in the whole spirit of the dark lord that even an atheist can’t help singing along to a tune like “Satan Prayer.” If there is anything to get out of Opus Eponymous, it’s that Ghost knows how to write a gripping chorus. A few listens of “Ritual” is all it takes to get somebody singing lines like, “This chapel of ritual/Smells of dead human sacrifices/From the altar bed” at the most inopportune moments (i.e. family dinners, work, church proceedings).

The nine tracks are jam-packed with falsettos, harmonic guitar leads, thick bass lines, and bursts of organ. The crisp production allows each instrument to have their own space to be heard, capturing the chemistry that fuels each member into one whole unit. The explosive build-up to “Prime Mover” wouldn’t be as effective as it is if there wasn’t a strong force pulling everything together. Unlike other songs that head to a lame-duck finish, “Prime Mover” bubbles and stews for what seems like a century before punching forward.

Not one song sounds the same. The only thing they all have in common are tuneful choruses. “Stand By Him” is an anthemic number destined to get hands clapping together. The wicked “Elizabeth” is about an evil woman who made a pact with the devil, a tale given weight by hefty riffs. Closing instrumental “Genesis” is a lengthy jam that features everything from acoustic reverence to jagged synth.

Opus Eponymous is not a rehash of a lost sound, nor is it the generic “breath of fresh air.” This is the sonic equivalent of a weekend vacation to the underworld, a pleasant soundtrack for the boat-ride down the river Styx. Ghost may turn some away due to the lyrical content, but their songwriting is so undeniably catchy that it’s hard to let the album pass by. The scary thing is, this is only their debut album; quality like this usually doesn’t come until a few albums into a band’s career.

Disclosure: A review copy was provided by the publisher. For more information, please see our Ethics Policy.