Ghost – Opus Eponymous (2011)

Labeled as one of the most interesting Psychedelic/Occult Rock releases of the last few years “Opus Eponymous” is the first full-length release of Ghost. For over 30 minutes we are treated to a very interesting and nostalgic sound that the band presents with their satanic craft.

The album gets off to a great start with “Con Clavi Con Dio” thanks to solid riffs, great vocal arrangements and keyboards. However, the band’s sound is not as bombastic and effective as we expected and bands like The Devil’s Blood put them to shame when it comes to Psychedelic rock with occult elements.

After the initial strong impression of the first few songs (“Ritual” is excellent), the album quickly gets a bit repetitive and formulaic. The riffing feels empty and after a while you will get bored (and by while we mean 15 minutes). The album is short and if you get bored in the middle of it, it means that there is something missing.

The lyrical content is pretty bizarre and interesting, songs like “Satan Prayer” capture the essence of Occult/Psychedelic Rock from the past and the delivery in this particular song is flawless. The progression of “Prime Mover” makes it a very appealing song. Our favorite song has to be “Genesis”, in this track the band shows great dynamism and a different sound than in the rest of the album.

Overall, we think that “Opus Eponymous” is a pretty solid album but has something missing. The band does a great job in crafting a very mystical and satanic psychedelic aura around their music but quickly fades after a few songs. The riffing starts off pretty solid and also tends to get repetitive before the end. If you are looking for an alternative to The Devil’s Blood, the Ghost is a good option. However, if you are looking for something better than The Devil’s Blood in the genre…. look somewhere else.

Release: January 18th, 2011

Country: Sweden