Hard to believe it’s already eight years since Ghost’s debut album Opus Eponymous. Time flies when you’re having satanic fun. And on the plague, death and apocalypse themed Prequelle, Ghost are still all about fun. Like on its excellent predecessor 2015’s Meliora, Ghost’s fourth album is full of blissfully catchy theatrical rock that laces its spiritually uplifting hooks with diabolical twists. But it doesn’t do much that Meliora didn’t already do better. Two flat instrumentals pad out the running time, Pro Memoria is beyond Muppety and the fiendish lyrical slants aren’t as keen or effective (replacing “be with” with “bewitch” isn’t enough to add depth to the ABBA-tastic Danse Macabre). But all gripes are rendered churlish when faced with the excellence of tracks like the glam metal Rats, the passionately defiant See The Light and majestically melodic Witch Image. Prequelle might be a weak facsimile of its predecessor but there’s still enough devilish fun in its diminishing returns to make it worthy of devotion.
HEAVY METAL OVERLOAD 
I think Uncle Meat feels his jury is still out. He wanted to hate it, but can’t. I’ll see if I can lure him out by posting this review to the Sausagefest page.
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I wanted to love it but I only like it. Not a bad result but it is a wee bit disappointing after Meliora. Still a good album! But it’ll have a fight to stay in my Top 10.
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Posted in the S-Fest group. Frank, Dr. Dave and Meat at least have heard this album.
LOOOOVE Meliora. I find them somewhat equal but that’s only after a week of rock.
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I think this is like the Goes To Hell to Meliora’s Welcome To My Nightmare. Which is interesting because Goes To Hell is quite Muppety too!
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Wow, it is 6:49 AM and you kinda blew my mind a little.
I do love Goes to Hell, although it is muppety.
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Haha can’t beat a bit of mind blown with your brekkie.
I like it too but it’s one of those “same as before just slightly less good” albums. Like Day At The Races to Night At The Opera!
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I just got mine but have yet to hear it. Soon.
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Quickly! You’re not getting any younger you know!
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I am Cardinal Bopia. I plan to live forever.
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LONG LIVE CARDINAL BOPIA!!
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It might be just you and I at the end of days HMO.
Oh, and Keith Richards of course.
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Perhaps if I live forever, I one day will hear all of my music.
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I’m not as hard core as you fella’s.
I have the live album and this one..
I dig it immensely even the musical numbers…I mean how about a few bars of some Satanic Sax please!? Why Thank you Cardinal…
I dumped $7.99 in the Ghost offering plate at iTunes and I’m totally into this…
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The sax bit is the best part in that tune. If the album had maybe one or two more proper rockers I’d have been happier.
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I have Rats as a single and I like it a lot. Will get the album i expect
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Best song on the album.
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I gave this a few listens and I’m just not feeling it. That said, I’m not sure I’m all that into them. Well, I know I’m not, but, I do quite like Opus Eponymous and I kinda want to like them? I think I only like Opus cause of the cover, y’know.
I’ll go back and listen to Meliora… see how I get on with that one.
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I like them with reservations. Didn’t like the second album much. Sometimes I find it them a bit too tame and shallow. I liked Meliora cause it had a bit of passion to it. Opus was good but it got quite boring quickly.
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I agree with this: “Sometimes I find it them a bit too tame and shallow”. My issue is the posturing. They’re kinda like Florence and the Machine with masks. I don’t like Florence and the Machine.
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* I don’t mean they sound like Florence… I just mean the music is as real as Florence.
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What sort of posturing do Florence and the Machine do then?
I do quite like the whole Satanic Pope schtick, it’s good fun. But they shouldn’t have had Dave Grohl in the band. I draw the line there. That’s just… evil.
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Pretending that it’s not a pop act?
I don’t mind a good gimmick, but after a while it’s just a gimmick… I’ve always had issues liking bands like that. I don’t know why.
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I don’t mind the gimmick as long as the music’s good. I think Ghost are being pretty honest about wanting to be as big as possible but the appeal to me is the dark twist and that’s kinda getting smoothed over the bigger they get. I don’t have a problem with pop but I can’t really get behind stuff like Danse Macabre… it’s a bit too hen party for my liking. I’ll be interested to see where they go next after this.
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“ it’s a bit too hen party for my liking”… yes.
Gimmicks are alright if the music is good, but sometimes I’m left thinking the thing I remember most is the gimmick. I don’t doubt the music is brilliantly crafted, but it’s just pop music. I don’t have a problem with that, cause I like a bunch of pop shenanigans, but I guess it’s just like S Club 7 with masks and songs about the black plague. Maybe not quite. That was an extremely mental thing to type.
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Hahaha S Club 7 with masks and songs about the black plague. That sounds like something I’d want to hear if I’m honest!
I get what your saying though. Ghost have always just straddled a line with me. And they’re kinda wobbling on it here. Some stuff I like, some stuff that I just can’t encourage or accept.
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I actually have Meliora lined up for the train home. I was gonna listen this morning on the way to work, but I ended up listening to Who’s Next instead!
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Much better choice! The Who over Ghost any day of the week.
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Just a hint J.
Whatever you do, don’t get off the train at the Baba O Riley stop. It’s a real teenage wasteland.
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I have been enjoying it. Still need a few more listeners to decide if I love it, but right now I like it a lot.
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There’s a lot to like about it! I just find it a bit patchy but I still enjoy it for the most part.
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Got my hands on the same limited edition you did — meaning there can’t be many left for others, ’cause it’s limited(!). Ashamed that I have not yet listened through yet. I heard a few of the new songs at the Ghost show I attended and was moved though, so between that and knowing myself and my tendency to like things, I’m going to add a half-point to your score and figure it’s 4 Out Of 5 for me. That’s Satan science. Speaking of, I wish ol’ Beelzebub would get off his ass and rise up to rule already. God knows the world could use the change!
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4 out of 5 is a good expectation. Don’t think you’ll be disappointed. It’s good stuff, just a bit short on killer songs and padded out a bit. But there are plenty of classic albums out there that you can say that about too!
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This is fair review. It’s grown on me over time and, listening to it properly today, I feel the same.
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It is a grower, definitely agree with that. So was Meliora.
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I love Rats, the drumming is fantastic.
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Having just dipped my toe into the Ghost water with the single Rats, I have to say…. I quite like it. It’s surprisingly poppy! But I’m guessing the previous albums (judging by your review) are tonally different. Time to go back and listen to the back catalogue then!
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Only a bit. The new album is a bit less guitar based, more theatrical… strings and orchestration. A bit Bob Ezrin! But not a big change in style really. Could just do with a few more killer songs is all. Rats is the best thing on it.
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A bit more Bob Ezrin you say? Well he did give us ‘Revenge’!
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True… but I won’t hold it against him!
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Funny, I bought the first two and the EP, but never bought Meloria or this one. Maybe I had enough of the schtick in my collection with those early ones? I’ll wait and see if they change things up ever!
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