Ghost, IMPERA | Album Review

Grammy-winning Swedish metal collective Ghost delivers another intriguing project with their fifth studio album, IMPERA.

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fter nearly four years, Grammy-winning Swedish metal band, Ghost has returned! Yes! In 2018, Tobias Forge and company wowed us with Prequelle, a conceptual album that explored plague-laden times.  They delivered a surefire gem with the marvelous “Rats”, keeping the momentum strong on “Dance Macabre”. Now, the band has moved beyond the plague and focuses on hypocrisy, bad religion, and questionable leadership among other things.  Their resulting fifth studio album, IMPERA, ends up being another winner.  From start to finish there’s plenty to appreciate and fawn over.

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 “Imperium”

IMPERA commences with the instrumental track, “Imperium.” Musically, it’s ear-catching, setting the tone for an album with some big, dare I say, beefy moments.  “Imperium” captures the spirit of metal while also exhibiting finesse and tremendous musicianship.  It’s a fine preface to the high-energy, first full-length record, “Kaisarion.” “Kaisarion” is fast, loud, dark, and unapologetic. For Ghost, the goal is to highlight and combat the utter stupidity that exist within the world. “Kaisarion, a prophecy told / We’re building our empire from the ashes of old,” Tobias Forge asserts, continuing, “Kaisarion, the fruit of the womb / Our brotherhood of good faith sealed an apostate witch’s doom.” Woo! Forge highlights Hypatia, an important female mathematician who was murdered by Christian zealots.  He takes ample opportunities to take shots at Christianity, including “(Hypatia) Far away from the stench of the Heavens” and “It’s the continence of bishops with their choirboys en-suit.” Hell of a way to start an album!

Got to love the rhythmic piano ostinato that kicks off and fuels “Spillways.” “Spillways” is a grandiose record through and through – powerful metal to the core. This is a metal record that is a clear throwback.  Pummeling drums, ripe guitars (sometimes harmonized), and an anchoring bass line truly stand out here in all their glory. Furthermore, the chorus is catchy, even if we don’t associate spillways with, well, being catchy:

“It’s the cruel beast that you feed

It’s your burning yearning need to bleed

Through the spillways

Through the spillways (of your soul).”

The lyrics are dark, pessimistic, and poetic. We wouldn’t have it any other way!

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“Call Me Little Sunshine” 

“Call Me Little Sunshine” arrived as an advanced single from IMPERA.  I enjoyed it moderately prior to the release but have a deeper appreciation hearing it in the context of the album. Ghost continues to present music in a more maximal sense, something that makes IMPERA a clear contrast to their previous album, Prequelle.  Like “Spillways” that precedes, I appreciate how catchy this record is, specifically the pre-chorus (“You will never walk alone /You can always reach me / You will never ever walk alone”) and chorus sections (“(Call me) Little Sunshine / (Call me) Call me Mephistopheles”).  Also, shout out to the pipe organ which just makes everything better, particularly metal!

Following the second single in the IMPERA tracklist is the first single, “Hunter’s Moon.” “Under a headstone, sister / I’m dying to see you, my friend.” Well, that’s morbid!  What is a hunter’s moon?  Well, it is a full moon that appears during the month of October, per Universe Today.  Is “Hunter’s Moon” the deepest cut from the Ghost catalog? No, it’s straightforward all in all.  Still, it’s enjoyable and easily gets stuck in the head.  Furthermore, the music is #winning.

“Searchlights / Looking for the watcher in the sky.” “Watcher in the Sky,” the second-longest record on IMPERA, commences in an unsettling fashion.  After initially sounding enigmatic, a groove and firmly planted minor key settle in.  A driving number, the guitars are rhythmic, aggressive, and jagged.  Even being rough around the edges, Tobias Forget continues to impress with how melodic his approach is.  I love the tunefulness of the verses as well as another memorable chorus.  Lyrically, there are intriguing moments, including the bridge, sure to piss off the most devout:

“For the light of our savior (savior)

His Machiavellian grace (Machiavellian grace)

And in the sheene of his splendour (splendour)

There is a better place, let’s go.”

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“Dominion”

“Dominion” marks the second instrumental of IMPERA.  The orchestration is gorgeous, featuring rich brass.  Like opener “Imperium,” it’s incredibly ear-catching and a fitting preface.  Preface to what? “Twenties,” of course, arguably the most unexpected record from the album – UNDERSTATEMENT.  That brass from “Dominion” returns on “Twenties” easily distinguishing the track from everything else.  I’d argue that this somewhat odd record grows on you.  The theme is one of the most intriguing of the LP (questionable leadership, politics, etc.), while “Listen up, you motherfuckers / Those Ivy League dopes, they wanna mocks us” ranks among the most colorful, memorable lines.  Another few compelling lines: “In the Twenties / We be taking no shit from no chulas,” and, “We’ll be grabbing ‘em all by the hoohaas.” Woo!

“There’s a darkness at the heart of my love / That runs cold, runs deep.” Darkness and love should be two starkly different things, right? “Darkness at the Heart of my Love” has a strong argument for the crowning achievement of IMPERA. The lyrics are cynical, as to be expected, critical of those who say they’re filled with love (and God) yet are hypocritical to the n^th degree. Anti-Christian themes are commonplace in Ghost’s music, so, if you’re easily offended, look elsewhere.  That said, even if you’re a believer like myself, there is something to be said about the points Tobias Forge makes.  Furthermore, there’s a lot to be said about the musicianship – the performance, the melody, the production.  Honestly, there’s something celestial about this hellish cut!

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“Griftwood”

“Suffering for the Lord is not an easy thing…” Now that is a heavy first lyric that Ghost presents on “Griftwood.”  Honestly, it sets the tone for a record where Tobias Forge is critical of ‘holier than thou’ folks that he clearly sees as hypocrites.  Like everything that precedes it, “Griftwood” features some clever, ‘spicy’ lyrics coupled with big, ripe metal/rock music.  Even though Forge serves up numerous spiritual references, he doesn’t partake or believe it, much like the people he claims put on a façade of sorts.  The chorus is notable, particularly the opening line, “You want to play with the sire?” 

The penultimate record, “Bite of Passage,” lasts just half a minute – the final instrumental of three.  It precedes the longest song of IMPERA, “Respite on the Spitalfields.” “Respite” lasts just short of seven minutes – you could say Tobias Forge has a lot to say! The tempo is more relaxed, but the intensity remains high on this big-time, arena rock record.  There are guitar solos featured throughout IMPERA, with this one sounding especially sweet prior to the bridge.  Often, the bridge sections are among the most intriguing.  Here, Forge mentions Seven Sisters, Saint Jezebel, and perhaps most colorfully, “the bowels of hell.” Woo! Essentially, Ghost continues to be skeptical about, well, plenty.

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Final Thoughts  

All in all, Ghost delivers a satisfying new album with IMPERA.  Does it eclipse Prequelle? Not necessarily BUT I find the LP to match the quality of the Grammy-nominated album.  What makes IMPERA a worthwhile listen is the dynamic music including excellent melodies, great, passionate vocals, and, perhaps most of all, the theme and lyrics.  From my perspective, Ghost never misses a beat on IMPERA.

Gems : “Kaisarion,” “Spillways,” “Call Me Little Sunshine,” “Hunter’s Moon,” “Watcher in the Sky,” “Darkness at the Heart of my Love” & “Respite on the Spitalfields” 

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Ghost • IMPERA • Loma Vista • 3.11.22

[: Loma Vista]

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