Ghost - Meliora album review

Meliora is here! The much anticipated third album from Swedish heavy Metal band, Ghost, along with their third Papa Emeritus.

Ghost - Meliora album cover

Ghost are a welcome difference to the Metal scene of 2015. They're the first band since Kiss in the 1970s to take their gimmick very seriously and keep their identities as secret as possible, most notably lead singer Papa Emeritus III who is known to turn up for shows just minutes before and leave immediately after. Shrouding himself and his cult of Nameless Ghouls in a thick veil of mystery - and I really like it.

Having build this image Ghost go full throttle with it and even bring it to their album artwork (see picture). At first it looks like occult ish imagery, with a dark priest looking over his domain - but on further inspection, from a distance away, is the face of Papa Emeritus III. Very clever if you ask me...

The Swedish heavy Metal group have a very unique sound, with essence of ABBA flavouring their heavy cocktail of papal appearance, occult theme and progressive, dark soundtrack. Ghost have managed to find a perfect slot in the bookshelf of 2015 Metal, combining both super heavy, almost doom Metal, with a softer progressive sound.

Ghost are known now for their sound which portrays an almost ethereal feel, very much similar to one you might associate parochially, despite Ghost's presentation being a complete juxtaposition of that theme with the dark robes and skull face mask worn by Papa.

Meliora begins with Spirit. A typical Ghost song that sets up the rest of the ten track album in safe, familiar accord.

Next are From The Pinnacle To The Pit and Cirice (either pronounced Cherryche or Sirice?) both of which are brilliantly constructed. FTPTTP features an excellent, rocking opening bass line that then opens up the rest of the song which treats us to beautiful harmonics that Ghost are so well known for delivering. Cirice is similar to the previous track in that it's one of the longest tracks on the album and also musically it's phenomenal. Where it differs though is in it's timing. From verse to pre chorus to chorus and back to verse it isn't scarred to mess with it's own rhythm and timing and instead uses it's own atmosphere to lead the experience.

After these two incredible tracks Ghost turn their approach on it's head with a minute long, spooky acoustic number called Spöksonat that acts as an interlude before Ghost's creative juices get flowing on tracks five and six.

On said tracks five and six, we are given two songs that demonstrate the polar opposites musically that Ghost are able to achieve. Firstly, the progressive Metal ballad He Is and then the extremely dark, powerful Mummy Dust.

Much like Spirit, Majesty is a solid track and fits well into the overall flow of the album.

The next track bring two words together rarely seen in pairing; Devil Church. It's another minutely interlude that clears the palate and prepares you for the all encompassing darkness that proceeds.

Absolution is a great song in it's own right, and will probably sit just below Cirice in the singles pecking order, but brings it's own intimidating sound to the party that sets it apart from the rest of the album. The way that it builds and is structured makes it catchy without it being obviously designed to be so, showing that Ghost can write impressive songs without making a conscious effort to produce something that makes the listener sit back in amazement.

The ending of the album comes about via Deus In Absentia, and brilliantly so. This track brings together exactly what Ghost are all about; theatrics, parochial backing vocals and progressive Metal. So theatrical in fact, it sounds like it could have been pulled straight from Phantom Of The Opera.

Verdict - 8/10
I had to listen to Meliora a few times before I "got it". Due to it being progressive in nature you have to listen carefully to get all the messages and musical flavours and that cannot be done properly on one listen alone. I've given it three or four goes on the turn table and I must say it grows with every one. It may not be an outstanding Metal album but in it's own way it's a statement of intent from Ghost as to what they are capable of and is a great demonstration of progressive Metal setting a standard in 2015.