Ghost – Prequelle
Caroline/Spinefarm/Loma Vista – 2018
Rock, Metal, Pop, Theatrical, Occult
Rated: ***
As we return to the fold after the Graspop Metal Meeting Festival, we went back to one of the mentions we wrote before we left but had not posted yet. The few words below are still how I feel about the album, but the live show has become a different sort of thing. It’s not that fun anymore when you started out making fun of the band; but now the band parodies itself. Ghost on Roadburn was weird, the way they looked did not match up with the sound. And every show afterwards, the steadily grew better into their pop musical future. Until the decline started. On Graspop the new Cardinal Copia character has turned into more of an Inspector Clouseau, who makes lame jokes and sings horribly. Which might be due to the new mask and getting used to it or something. But still. We now not just hope for something a bit more Satanic next time around, we hope for a new Pope! And quickly!
As you all might know, we’ve been following Ghost since we were confronted with them on Roadburn 2011 and we predicted the Popestar album back in 2013. Since then much has changed in the Ghost realm. But not for their music! Of course, everyone now knows (thanks to lawsuits and a few journalists who wouldn’t play the game) who is behind the Ghost project and that it is basically a one-man project. And that he longs to translate his love for the seventies approach that Sabbath and Blue Oyster Cult had into whatever pop song magic Abba was able to tap into. We have been hearing Ghost do this on every album; and every one of those records has worked well. To a bigger or lesser degree. Well, Prequelle is no different. And therein perhaps lies the rub, the more of the same feeling and the lack of real progress. Or perhaps not, for when a track like Witch Image comes along, you cannot stand idly by. You will have to chant along and smile your lovely evil smile! There are few more of those damn catchy moments, but perhaps not quite enough. And yes, there it is, It’s A Sin! It was only logical that this would be recorded. Logical. Expected. Perhaps we would should start an incantation hymn for something a bit more Satanic next time around…
(Written by JK)
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