1308 - Ghost Ritual 2010

Ghost made a real mark in metal when their release of 2010’s “Opus Eponymous” hit the scene. Their music is basically going back to the roots of hard rock. They are a perfect example of recycling in music - creating something new from already existing patterns. The unnamed vocalist (all members of Ghost apparently go without names and wear corpse masks and robes when playing live but word on the street suggests members of Watain and Repugnant are involved) does at times sound like King Diamond without the falsetto and he turns in a very solid and enjoyable performance here. No screaming, no death gurgles or shrieks, just clear, clean singing and it fits perfectly. All of this results in some excellent and memorable songs like ”Ritual".

1211 - Ghost Elizabeth 2010

Swedish sextet Ghost mines the early sounds of Black Sabbath, Pentagram, and Judas Priest, as well as the progressive and psychedelic rock of the late ‘60s. Elizabeth Bathory has been a tried-and-true song topic throughout heavy metal history, and the appropriately titled “Elizabeth” boasts an intense gallop, funereal organ, and theatrical, falsetto vocals clearly inspired by King Diamond.