Review Summary: The best malevolent album of the 70's that was never released.
I thought the 70’s were over. I was under the impression that disco and pop music had washed them away for good in the next decade. In 2010, Ghost crafted a debut album that has since proved me wrong. With
Opus Eponymous they showed that metal can be catchy and less extreme, but still maintain a heavy aspect. Their debut promised a strong start for an interesting concept of a band. Combining lyrical concepts dealing with the apocalypse, AOR hooks and melodies, and NWOBHM guitar riffs, the group emerged in the metal scene in a very unique way. Oh, and they also happen to dress in black robes and masks with no one in the general public knowing their true identities.
Ghost know they have something special here, and they wisely don’t force it onto the listener right away. The opening track is a minute and a half of ominous organ sound that build the anticipation and intrigue, while slowly easing the audience into the record. It does a fantastic job of conjuring images of devils and demons within the music. The track soon explodes into the booming bass and guitar work that dominates this album. The guitars definitely are the driving force for this record. They’re fuzzy and crunching, but not to the point of stoner rock material. They truly do sound like a rendition of Blue Oyster Cult meets Black Sabbath. Songs such as
Elizabeth and
Con Clavi Con Dio feature heavy guitar riffs, while also providing powerful melodies of their own. There’s a serene feeling when listening to this album. It doesn’t try to do too much, and does the best job with what it knows it has. It does lack diversity in some aspect, as each track essentially follows the same formula, however, Ghost keep the album short and to the point, and know when to pull back on their inventive style before it gets tiring.
The songs on
Opus Eponymous are perhaps the catchiest collection of music ever materialized in Hell. Fueling the 70’s AOR sound, just about any of these tracks could be featured on classic rock radio had they came out a few decades ago, just based on their melodies alone. The lyrical themes of sacrifice, death, witches, and anything else found in a cheesy horror film might not have been all that proper for the radio, though. However, on this album, nothing else would be appropriate. They fit the music and image of the band all too perfectly. Papa’s vocals shine on each song, delivering these lyrics to the point where we welcome their Satanic intentions. On
Ritual, the album’s catchiest track, he lures the audience down into Hell with him, crooning about the rotting chapel of ritual that he wants us to be a part of. The riffing on the verses is almost thrash metal in a sense, in vein of Megadeth or Slayer. The persona of Papa is omnipresent again on
Satan Prayer, announcing his love for the only god he desires in Satan. Once more, the guitar riffs and vocal melodies here carry the song, leading into an anthemic chorus that I can easily see being chanted at concerts.
Ghost end their surprising debut on a high note with the instrumental track
Genesis. A Nameless Ghoul provides a consistent and hypnotic keyboard pattern behind the guitar melodies that never once feels repetitive. As the guitars play into each other they evoke a lush soundscape of music, which is pursued to its’ limits until it all falls into some final acoustic work by the Ghouls. Closing the record in a fitting way, Ghost proved with their first release that they were a group that people should keep an eye out for in the future. In today’s day and age with every band trying to play as fast and heavy as humanly possible, it’s refreshing to see a band that can still maintain that aggressiveness without overly assaulting the listener. With their demonic image and eclectic lyrics, this is a concept that could have easily flopped. It’s over the top, but not to the point where it’s laughable or cringe-worthy in any aspect. In fact, we welcome it.
Recommended Songs
Ritual
Elizabeth
Satan Prayer
Con Clavi Con Dio
Genesis
