Ghost - Impera

New week, time to introduce "Record Of The Week". "Impera" is the fifth full-length studio release for the Swedish rock band GHOST, twelve years as a band and they really have establishes them self as a commercial hard rock force and they finally reached the top-tier mainstream heavy metal/hard rock act that they were aiming at. "Impera" is themed mainly on "the rise and fall of empires". It is described to take place hundreds of years forward from the 14th century Europe Black Plague era of GHOSTs previous album, "Prequelle".

The album is a well crafted catchy piece that flows between heavy metal, rock and catchy pop ,much depends on the magic team they have surrounded them self with, thinking of the very talent Swedish writers and producers, namely pop producer Klas Åhlund and songwriting team Tobias Forge, Joakim Berg (KENT), Salem Al Fakir, Vincent Pontare and Peter Svensson (CARDIGANS) and for the musical parts we have the marvelous guitar playing by Fredrik Åkesson (OPETH), drummer Hux Nettermalm (INFINITE MASS, PAATOS), and on Piano, keybords Martin Hederos (THE SOUNDTRACK OF OUR LIVES, TONBRUKET).

The albums opens up with an instrumental intro in "Imperium", dual lead guitars, marching drums that gives a powerful feeling and give a great start to the next tune "Kaisarion", i high driven catchy piece. The tune is titled for the son of Cleopatra and Julius Caesar, the last Pharoah. "Spillways" is a bombastic popish tune, written by Salem Al Fakir and Vincent Pontare. Keys that bings the mind to ABBA, yes keep it Swedish. The second single out of the album is "Call Me Little Sunshine" and "Hunter's Moon" are two powerful tunes where the both have a 80's feeling. The guitar heavy "Watcher In The Skies", heavy riffing and a great melody keeps the tune up. "Dominion" an instrumental interlude to prebuild "Twenties", another heavy riffing piece, that takes the band out of the normal comfort zone and serves us with a head banger. "Darkness At The Heart Of My Love" is a power ballad with some beautiful harmonies. "Griftwood" gives a nod to WHITESNAKE. The album closes up with a short interlude "Bite Of Passage" before the half pace "Respite On The Spitalfields" closes the book for this time. A story about Jack The Ripper, where the arrangement sounds partly as DEEP PURPLE and ALICE COOPER. The album is a pleasant listen, where they successes to keep the interest high. This is a grand step for GHOST. Now it will be interesting to see where it goes.

"Impera" was released by Loma Vista Recordings on 11 March 2022. The cover art by Zbigniew Bielak is a reference to English occultist Aleister Crowley.

Sum: GHOSTs fifth album have a history that strangely enough fits into today's events.

Today's tune "Call Me Little Sunshine", taken from "Impera", enjoy!



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