Ghost
Meliora

Ghost is one of those unique bands that at first listen seems average, but upon closer examination, they stand out. They are based on a well-defined hard and heavy sound, enriched by a prog keyboard and the dark influences of Black Sabbath. Unexpectedly, these 5 masked musicians are gaining a certain commercial success.

After two studio albums and an EP, in 2015 Ghost released "Meliora": the album opens with the strange "Spirit," which however doesn't quite convince, given the banality of the guitars. "From the pinnacle to the pit" introduces us to the more rock and commercial side of the band, but I didn't like it either: rather cliché lyrics and music almost reminiscent of Wolfmother. I begin to worry, but then the gem "Cirice" comes along: engaging riffs, attractive vocals, and the musicians express themselves much better, leaving behind the coldness of the first two tracks. After a one-minute acoustic interlude ("Spoksonat") comes the melodic "He Is," which vaguely recalls Metallica ballads and continues in a rather enveloping way, although not at the level of "Cirice." With "Mummy Dust," Ghost reminds us of heavy metal, although the track suffers a bit from a "heard it before" vibe. In this track, nonetheless, Papa Emeritus III's vocals, the brief guitar solo, and the performance of one of the Nameless Ghouls on keyboards are commendable (yes, because all members except Emeritus are called Nameless Ghoul and are identified only by a geometric figure). "Majesty" is an intriguing and rather well-executed track. After the progressive-symphonic moment of "Devil Church," "Absolution" arrives, similar to "Spirit" and adequate. With the concluding "Deus In Absentia," the five have fun with an average track. Actually, the album closes with a dark ecclesiastical choir, but these are details.

In conclusion, Ghost is one of the rare mainstream metal bands that are pleasant to listen to, even if not perfect. 3 stars, more precisely 72%.