More is all you could wish for.
Review by David Feltman
Ghost is one of the most beautiful sounding bands in modern metal; it’s also one of the creepiest. Taking its theatrics seriously, Ghost revels in costumes and face paint, recreating both in sound and appearance all the somber reverence of a Catholic mass…or rather a satanic mass that has been carefully modeled after how the Catholics do it.
Similar to operatic bands like Candlemass but with less Ronnie James Dio-ishness, front man Papa Emeritus II sings soft and sweet and clear in hymnal cadence. Emeritus often finds himself supported by the throaty tenor chants of his Nameless Ghouls on tracks like “Year Zero,” giving an extra oomph to the effect. However, it’s jarring when you realize that Emeritus’ angelic voice is delivering lyrics like “The swamp of feces that is this world flatulates a whirlwind storm in which you swirl.”
The riffs are sharp and clean, but never showy. Whichever nameless ghoul is the guitarist is never afraid to play second chair to the organs and vocals when it’s required, giving the sound a flawless balance. The anonymity of the band’s shtick allows the music to be the star.
Honestly, very little has changed since the band’s 2010 debut Opus Eponymous. The album even carries over the ‘rise of the antichrist’ narrative. But there’s nothing broken in Ghost’s formula that would require fixing. More is all you could wish for.
