By Geno McGahee
I grew up Catholic and have been an atheist for years, but I think that I’m having a change of heart and will now follow the teachings of Papa Emeritus III. Emeritus III is the front man for the metal band “Ghost,” and their new CD “Meliora” is a great blend of songs that create a certain atmosphere that you don’t see very often. Although MP3 downloads are the thing currently, I consider the Meliora CD somewhat of a must have if you are going to buy these tunes. The booklet included features tremendous artwork for each of the songs on this disc and each picture seems to capture the vibe of the tune.
I want to give credit to Ghost for bringing the theatrical side back to metal. It’s easy to see the Mercyful Fate influence on this band, but they are their own unique force and their music is very compelling stuff. I haven’t enjoyed a CD this much in a long time.
Spirit
“Throw yourself into the vessel of possibilities.”
We begin with a very mellow and almost creepy feeling tune called “SPIRIT.” It’s a great way to ease into this CD. It was welcoming but intense. It was the perfect song of the bunch to begin this journey.
From the Pinnacle to the Pit
“It is a long way down.”
FROM THE PINNACLE TO THE PIT is dark and catchy and will most likely be one of the more popular songs from this CD. It has an edge but it’s catchy enough to sing along to. I really liked this tune.
Cirice
“Can you hear the rumble?”
Another song sure to generate some attention is CIRICE, a very catchy tune with a menacing presence. Great lyrics and a great message all around. This is the sort of song that will absolutely connect with many that have been labeled or condemned for being different. The catchiness of the song makes it another song that you will be singing to yourself.
He Is
“He is the Shining and the Light.”
Another mellow entry but much more playable than SPIRIT. This one is quite atmospheric and almost some Pink Floyd influence it appears. I really enjoyed this one.
Mummy Dust
“In God We Trust. My Mummy Dust.”
MUMMY DUST is the weakest of the tunes in this collection. It’s OK but it’s one that I’ll be skipping over as I drive with the CD on. It went into the area of “really creepy” but really paled in comparison to the others.
Majesty
“Pathetic Humans in Despair.”
MAJESTY has this great pace and energy. It really brings you on a journey with the lyrics and the setup of the song.
Absolution
“Ever Since You Were Born, You have Been Dying.”
Another stylish, dark and catchy tune. It fits the theme of the entire story that is being told by Ghost.
Deus In Absentia
“The World is on Fire.”
They may have saved the best for last with THE WORLD IS ON FIRE. As much as I loved FROM THE PINNACLE TO THE PIT and CIRICE, this one is probably the best of the bunch. It really brings the edge and gets into your head. I actually had it in my head for the entire day after I listened to it.
GHOST: MELIORA is an amazing experience. These aren’t just songs. These are stories that really tie into a bigger theme. It’s very interesting and when I see the live performances of Ghost, I see that they are storytellers and they are getting the word out much like Mercyful Fate. I can’t recommend GHOST: MELIORA enough. It was amazing.
Rating: 9/10
To purchase the album now, click HERE or purchase on iTunes or Amazon.
