GHOST – 'Prequelle' (2018) - Tangra Mega Rock

From the filthy brothels and inns around the docs in Europe insidious rumors started to spread in the first months of 1346 about a deadly disease that had already left thousand of corpses in other parts of the world. It was coming, inevitable and deadly, travelling on the Silk Road and harvesting the Mongol armies. It had already destroyed nearly 25% of the population of Asia before it moored in Constantinople and the merchants from Genoa brought it to Sicily. India, Syria and Armenia were depopulated.

They will call it The Black Death. In the coming years it would swipe off half of the population in Europe and would leave trails of terror, sealed forever in chronicles, letters, tale-tales and all other kind of folklore. The Plague would end the world and would start a new one.

This is not a history lesson, but an important part of the allegory in „Prequelle”. It is quite possible that The Black Death has several meanings in the world of GHOST. Imploding internal conflicts, line-up changes and even cases were all brought to the attention of the audience, which inevitable lead to the end of anonymity. And even though it was no secret who was the mastermind behind GHOST, the official statement about Tobias Forge being the papas, the cardinals and all only increased the hype. All the things above could have destroyed many careers, however here the negative aspects were dealt were heftily and resulted in positive effects. And if you think that this is just a coincidence, let me remind you the Instagram story video for „Dance Macabre” with Charlie Benante, Phil Anselmo, Kirk Hammet, Chris Jericho and Chino Moreno. Someone somewhere has done very well their homework and is spreading the disease with the most powerful marketing tools known to the world.

There is no metal in GHOST, not anymore. „Prequelle” is a catchy pop rock album which is great news considering that most of metal in 2018 is toothless and utter shite. Here we have the arena pump rock in „Rats”, the immaculate brass in „Miasma” and some classic 80’s in the style of Robert Tepper in „Dance Macabre”. These songs prove that that the world today needs some understandable pop music. The same music that disappeared from MTV during the 90’s. The most perverse thing is actually the fact that some American soccer mom can sing along the chorus of „Witch Image”, when they play it on the radio as it is some BOSTON leftover track, without knowing that the next line mentions decomposing flesh.

Tobias is not the first one who discovered the power of combining counterparts. ABBA have been always perceived as unashamedly joyous cheesy music, but their lyrics are often surprisingly dark. Same goes for the dark side of THE BEATLES and the grim Manson connection with the sunniest surf music by THE BEACH BOYS.

So, what you have got in front of you is a short by today’s standards album that gravitates around The Black Death as an allegory. In the beginning („Ashes”) you can hear a fiendish girly voice singing “Ring a Ring o’ Roses”. It has originated from the times of The Plague in England or so says the urban legend. „Prequelle”’s end is equally impressive. „Life Eternal” is a hymn about the loss and death, about mortality and eternity. This is how the cycle ends if not counting the traditional cover version, this time it is PET SHOP BOYS’ “It’s A Sin”. The show is over, and the audience had a good run for their money. At the end of the they it’s only rock’n’roll but you like it.

GHOST – ‘Prequelle’ (2018)