Ghost B.C. – Infestissumam

Black Light Guidance

Sweden is a country that has commonly known as home to some of the world’s most respected and influential metal acts. In 2008, Ghost (known in the U.S. as Ghost B.C.) formed in Sweden and dropped their debut, Opus Eponymous, in October 2010. Since then, they have taken the heavy metal world by storm, rising from a relatively unknown band to touring with bands like Iron Maiden, and have been the recipient of much praise, attention, and controversy.  Opus Eponymous has constantly been cited as being one of the most colossal albums to ever be recorded, and as such, fans were dubious as to whether their sophomore release would match this high standard. Infestissumam, their second album, is yet another masterpiece in the Ghost B.C. discography.

With this release, Ghost B.C. has evolved musically and lyrically. To start, the album features choir vocal use that adds an epic and groundbreaking sound. The music and songwriting is very catchy and well written, poppy in some places and ominous in others. Tracks like “Per Aspera Ad Inferi” and “Year Zero” feature progressive riffs, haunting choruses, and dismal sounding keyboards. On the other side, tracks like “Jigolo Har Megiddo” and “Idolatrine”  are more uplifting and pop sounding, featuring upbeat choruses and pleasant sounding ambiance. One of the finer moments of the album is found on the song “Ghuleh/Zombie Queen”; it is a near eight-minute epic starting out with soft pianos before breaking into an uptempo anthem of headbanging riffs. It’s a track that is rich in atmosphere and spirit. The drums are also very noteworthy, presenting uncommon and complex fills and patterns. Ghost B.C. has also evolved lyrically, and while the band still maintains satanic lyrical themes, Infestissumam contains other subjects that are poetic and descriptive. Likewise, the vocals are extraordinary and every bit as distinguished as the music.

In short, Ghost B.C. has yet again managed to create another mind-blowing masterpiece.  While they may have added happier sounding elements into this release, they can be commended for trying something new and taking musical risks. For those who favor classic black metal sounds like Mercyful Fate and King Diamond, this album will be for you.