by Justin Gaines
– Senior Columnist —
Has there ever been a “hype band” that was actually worth the critical buzz and who continued to live up to that hype over the course of three (and a half) albums? At this point it’s safe to say that Ghost is the real deal; a “next big thing” that actually deserves it. Yes, Papa Emeritus III and his band of Nameless Ghouls have a very obvious gimmick, but even the most jaded critic ought to be able to listen to Meliora – the Swedish band’s third full-length album – and see that this is way more than just cheap Satanic trappings.
On Meliora, Ghost seems to bridge the gap between their first two albums. Opus Eponymous was more Blue Oyster Cult meets Angel Witch, with its NWOBHM vibe and cartoonish Satanic lyrics, while Infestissumam went in a more Progressive Rock direction. Ghost dials back the Prog a bit, the hooks get a bit heavier, and riffs take the lead over the organ. Meliora is, as expected, an incredibly catchy album. Whether the songs are grooving and heavy (“From the Pinnacle to the Pit”), hauntingly soft (“He Is”), sinister and almost thrashlike (“Mummy Dust”) or gloriously Retro-Symphonic (“Deus in Abesntia), they’re always extremely melodic and quickly become lodged in your brain.
If there’s a gripe, and it’s a minor one, it’s that Meliora is a short album at just 41 minutes, and two of the songs are brief atmospheric instrumentals. One more “Monstrance Clock” style epic song would have made the album that much better.
It’s not Opus Eponymous redux, but it does have that simpler, more metallic feel to it, so Meliora might win over fans of the debut who didn’t love Infestissumam. If you appreciated the progression Ghost made between the two albums (and even more so if you loved the overall tone and atmosphere of their covers EP If You Have Ghost), you will probably love Meliora. If you’ve never heard the band at all, writing them off perhaps due to their costumes or the fact that so many hipsters seem to love them, this is an album that will win you over. It takes all the best elements of the late ‘60s and early ‘70s heavy psych and the early ‘80s heavy metal sounds and blends them together amazingly well. It’s also arguably the best album you’ll hear all year. We all have those albums where you know immediately that it’s going to be a long time before you take it out of steady rotation. Melioria, like the two albums before it, is definitely that kind of album.
Just as a side note, Ghost recently kicked off their North American tour. Every time they come around, they play in larger venues, and every time the places are packed, and with such a unique cross-section of fans. And much like their last tour, which started just as Infestissumam was released, fans are already screaming for, and singing along with, the songs from Meliora. How often does a band get that kind of reaction when they announce that they’re going to “play something from the new album?” It tells you just how quickly these Meliora tunes are going to become favorite songs.
Edition Notes: There’s a Best Buy exclusive version of Meliora (on CD only) that includes two bonus live tracks (“Year Zero” and “If You Have Ghosts”). The live tracks are fun, but not essential. They might however have you pondering what a Ghost live album/Blu-ray might be like.
Genre: Heavy Metal, Progressive Rock
Track Listing:
1. Spirit
2. From the Pinnacle to the Pit
3. Cirice
4. Spoksonat
5. He Is
6. Mummy Dust
7. Majesty
8. Devil Church
9. Absolution
10. Deus in Absentia
Label: Loma Vista, Rise Above
Website: http://www.ghost-official.com
Hardrock Haven Rating: 9/10
