GHOST: “SPILLWAYS” VIDEO LIVE NOW FOR NEW ROCK RADIO SINGLE

GHOST
“SPILLWAYS”
VIDEO LIVE NOW FOR NEW ROCK RADIO SINGLE
MTV – LIVE FROM THE MINISTRY To Air Throughout Week of July 25
IMPERATOUR North American Arena Tour Kicks Off August 26

Photo Credit: Ryan Chang

The Swedish band Ghost reliably hits the three Ps hard: proggy, punky and poppy. Its fifth album, IMPERA, packs the ambitious sprawl of ’70s rock epics into (relatively) bite-size packages with amusingly confounding story lines. ‘Spillways,’ one of the album’s most straightforward tracks, starts with a pounding piano straight out of Billy Joel’s ‘All for Leyna’ and quickly segues into a sweetly constructed rock tune. Think Bad Religion with ‘Jesus Christ Superstar’ running through its veins.”—THE NEW YORK TIMES

From the pages of the gray lady to the silver screen… Ghost presents the phantasmagorical video for “Spillways,” rendering the irresistible earworm of IMPERA’s latest single — a solid contender to continue the band’s streak of Rock Radio #1s (IMPERA’s “Call Me Little Sunshine” and “Hunter’s Moon” bringing Ghost’s career total to five consecutive #1s) — in majestic visual form courtesy of director Amir Chamdin. To lose yourself in the cinematic world of “Spillways,” watch HERE.

In other Ghost audiovisual news, MTV is currently in the midst of a massive 10 full-length broadcasts of Ghost’s 6-song “Live From The Ministry” ritual in its entirety on MTV Live. Check local listings for remaining specific dates and times.

Finally, for the North American faithful anxiously awaiting another taste of Ghost in the flesh, Papa Emeritus IV and the Nameless Ghouls will once again bring the “euphoric spectacle” (ROLLING STONE) of its live ritual to North America for the next leg of its globally dominating IMPERATOUR. The North American IMPERATOUR will see the GRAMMY® Award-winning Swedish theatrical rock band headlining 19 arenas across the U.S. and Canada (plus an appearance at Virginia’s Blue Ridge Rock Fest), kicking off August 26th at San Diego’s Pechanga Arena and running through September 23rd at the Resch Center in Green Bay.

See below for a complete list of dates. For more information, including details re: limited VIP packages, go to www.ghost-official.com

GHOST
IMPERATOUR
North America 2022

Fri Aug 26 – San Diego, CA – Pechanga Arena San Diego
Sat Aug 27 – Tucson, AZ – Tucson Convention Center Arena
Tue Aug 30 – Austin, TX – Moody Center
Wed Aug 31 – Corpus Christi, TX – American Bank Center Arena
Fri Sep 2 – Huntsville, AL – Von Braun Center’s Propst Arena
Sat Sep 3 – Duluth, GA – Gas South Arena
Sun Sep 4 – Asheville, NC – ExploreAsheville.com Arena
Tue Sep 6 – Tampa, FL – Yuengling Arena
Thu Sep 8 – Alton, VA – BLUE RIDGE ROCK FEST*
Fri Sep 9 – Trenton, NJ – CURE Insurance Arena
Sat Sep 10 – Belmont Park, NY – UBS Arena
Mon Sep 12 – Providence, RI – Dunkin Donuts Center
Tue Sep 13 – Bangor, ME – Cross Insurance Center
Thu Sep 15 – Quebec City, QC – Centre Videotron
Fri Sep 16 – Laval, QC – Place Bell
Sat Sep 17 – Toronto, ON – Coca Cola Coliseum
Mon Sep 19 – Saginaw, MI – Dow Event Center
Tue Sep 20 – Youngstown, OH – Covelli Centre
Wed Sep 21 – Peoria, IL – Peoria Civic Center Arena
Fri Sep 23 – Green Bay, WI – Resch Center**

*Ghost and Spiritbox only
**Ghost, Spiritbox and special guest Carcass

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Filed Under: Music, Music Headlines Tagged With: ghost, live, radio, rock, single, spillways, ...

GHOST ANNOUNCE “IMPERATOUR” NORTH AMERICAN ARENA TOUR

Featuring Special Guests Mastodon

Tickets On Sale May 20 at 10am Local Time at https://found.ee/Ghost_Tour

​​“Call Me Little Sunshine” #1 at Rock Radio

New Ghost Webisode Chapter 11: Family Dinner Live Now at https://found.ee/Ghost_Chapter11

Children of North America, rejoice… GHOST will once again bring the “euphoric spectacle” (ROLLING STONE) of its live ritual to North America for the next leg of its globally dominating IMPERATOUR. The North American IMPERATOUR will see the GRAMMY® Award-winning Swedish theatrical rock band headlining 19 arenas across the U.S. and Canada (plus an appearance at Virginia’s Blue Ridge Rock Fest), kicking off August 26 at San Diego’s Pechanga Arena and running through September 23 at the Resch Center in Green Bay.

The newly announced dates will comprise Ghost’s first North American run since the March 11, 2022 release of its fifth album IMPERA via Loma Vista Recordings. As reported by THE LOS ANGELES TIMES in a Calendar cover story, Ghost “conquered metal and the charts” as IMPERA debuted at #1 in a sweep of the U.S. album charts, entering the BILLBOARD 200 at #2 with first week sales of nearly 70,000. Internationally, IMPERA bowed at #1 in the band’s native Sweden as well as Germany and Finland, while cracking the top 5 in the UK (#2), Netherlands (#2), Belgium (#2), Canada (#3), Australia (#3), France (#5), Ireland (#5), and more. Produced by Klas Åhlund and mixed by Andy Wallace — and featuring “Spillways”—hailed as a “sweetly constructed rock tune” by THE NEW YORK TIMES, the Billboard Rock Chart (BDS) #1 charting “Call Me Little Sunshine,” and Active Rock #1 radio single “Hunter’s Moon” — IMPERA finds Ghost transported centuries forward from the Black Plague era of its previous album, 2018 Best Rock Album GRAMMY® nominee Prequelle—or as ROLLING STONE put it, “Ghost predicted the pandemic, Now the metal band is foretelling the fall of empires.” The result is the most ambitious and lyrically incisive entry in the Ghost canon: Over the course of IMPERA’s 12-song cycle, empires rise and fall, would-be messiahs ply their hype (financial and spiritual alike), prophecies are foretold as the skies fill with celestial bodies divine and man-made… All in all, the most current and topical Ghost subject matter to date is set against a hypnotic and darkly colorful melodic backdrop making IMPERA a listen like no other — yet unmistakably, quintessentially Ghost.

The announcement of IMPERATOUR’s North American swing completes a perfect storm of Ghost mania, coinciding with this week’s ascension of “Call Me Little Sunshine” to the top of the Rock Radio chart and the unveiling of Chapter 11: Family Dinner, the newest installment of Ghost’s long-running narrative series of webisodes. In this next chapter, we find Papa Emeritus IV, having returned to the Ministry, joining Sister Imperator, Mr. Saltarian, and the spirit of Papa Nihil for a meal of Chinese takeout. To take your seat at the reunion dinner, go HERE.

Support on all dates (with the exception of Green Bay which will feature support from Carcass, and the Blue Ridge Rock Fest) will come from GRAMMY® Award-winning band Mastodon, who have quietly evolved into one of the most influential, inimitable, and iconic rock bands of the modern era. Since emerging in 2000, the Atlanta quartet have defied both sonic and thematic boundaries with an uncategorizable, undeniable, and uncompromising vision unlike anything else in music. This vision manifested over the course of canonical albums such as Leviathan, which landed on Rolling Stone’s coveted The 100 Greatest Metal Albums of All Time. Following the seminal Crack The Skye [named one of the best albums of 2009 by Time], they earned three consecutive Top 10 debuts on the Billboard Top 200 with The Hunter [2011], Once More ‘Round the Sun [2014], and Emperor of Sand [2017]. Out of six career nominations, they received a GRAMMY® Award in the category of “Best Metal Performance” for “Sultan’s Curse.” They are the rare creative force whose music can be felt everywhere from Game of Thrones, Adult Swim, The History Channel, and DC comics films to Coachella and Bonnaroo. They notably supported the Hirschberg Foundation For Pancreatic Cancer Research with a rendition of “Stairway To Heaven” in honor of late manager Nick John. The group reached another critical high watermark via their ninth full-length, Hushed and Grim. Featuring the GRAMMY® Award-nominated “Pushing The Tides,” it marked the band’s third straight #1 bow on the Billboard Hard Rock Albums Chart. It concluded 2021 on over a dozen year-end lists with Rolling Stone raving, “we get everything from some of the band’s hookiest rockers to date to some of their most awe-inspiring epics.” Evolving as they usher rock into new realms, they forever remain the same unpredictable trailblazing beast—Mastodon.

Tickets for Ghost’s North American IMPERATOUR will be on sale from May 20 at 10am local time at https://found.ee/Ghost_Tour. American Express® Card Members can purchase tickets in select markets before the general public beginning Wednesday, May 18 at 12pm local time through Thursday, May 19 at 10pm local time.

See below for a complete list of dates. For more information, including details re: limited VIP packages, go to www.ghost-official.com

GHOST
IMPERATOUR
North America 2022

Fri Aug 26 – San Diego, CA – Pechanga Arena San Diego
Sat Aug 27 – Tucson, AZ – Tucson Convention Center Arena
Tue Aug 30 – Austin, TX – Moody Center
Wed Aug 31 – Corpus Christi, TX – American Bank Center Arena
Fri Sep 2 – Huntsville, AL – Von Braun Center’s Propst Arena
Sat Sep 3 – Duluth, GA – Gas South Arena
Sun Sep 4 – Asheville, NC – ExploreAsheville.com Arena
Tue Sep 6 – Tampa, FL – Yuengling Arena
Thu Sep 8 – Danville, VA – BLUE RIDGE ROCK FEST*
Fri Sep 9 – Trenton, NJ – CURE Insurance Arena
Sat Sep 10 – Belmont Park, NY – UBS Arena
Mon Sep 12 – Providence, RI – Dunkin Donuts Center
Tue Sep 13 – Bangor, ME – Cross Insurance Center
Thu Sep 15 – Quebec City, QC – Videotron Centre
Fri Sep 16 – Laval, QC – Place Bell
Sat Sep 17 – Toronto, ON – Coca Cola Coliseum
Mon Sep 19 – Saginaw, MI – Dow Event Center
Tue Sep 20 – Youngstown, OH – Covelli Centre
Wed Sep 21 – Peoria, IL – Peoria Civic Center Arena
Fri Sep 23 – Green Bay, WI – Resch Center**

*Ghost and Spiritbox only
**Ghost, Spiritbox and special guest Carcass

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Filed Under: Music, Music Headlines Tagged With: american, announce, arena, ghost, imperatour, north, ...

GHOST AND VOLBEAT TO COMMEMORATE CO-HEADLINING TOUR WITH LIMITED EDITION DOUBLE A-SIDE 7” – ONLY AVAILABLE AT THE SHOWS

7” FEATURES BOTH BANDS’ CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE METALLICA BLACKLIST: GHOST’S COVER OF “ENTER SANDMAN” AND VOLBEAT’S COVER OF “DON’T TREAD ON ME”

ALL PROCEEDS BENEFIT THE ALL WITHIN MY HANDS FOUNDATION AND BOTH BAND’S CHOSEN BLACKLIST CHARITIES: CAMP ARANU’TIQ AND BØRNE CANCER FONDEN

GHOST and VOLBEAT will be co-headlining across the US beginning January 25th, and to commemorate the monumental tour, the bands have teamed up with Blackened Recordings to release a limited edition Double A-Side 7” featuring each band’s contributions to The Metallica Blacklist charity album: Ghost’s cover of “Enter Sandman” on ‘Side G’ and Volbeat’s “Don’t Tread On Me” on ‘Side V.’ The 7” will be pressed on crystal clear vinyl and limited to only 3,000 units with 115 copies available at each tour stop on a first come, first served basis (limit one per customer).

All proceeds from the split 7” will be split evenly between The All Within My Hands Foundation and the charities of the artists’ choice: Camp Aranu’tiq (Ghost) and Børne Cancer Fonden (Volbeat).

The two bands will kick off their co-headlining 26-date U.S. arena tour on January 25th, with support from Los Angeles’ Twin Temple. Tickets for all dates on the Live Nation produced tour are on sale now, with tickets and band-specific VIP packages available at ghost-official.com and volbeat.dk.

Ghost’s fourth consecutive #1 at Active Rock Radio “Hunter’s Moon” recently moved Guitar World to note that “juxtaposition between subject matter and composition is something that the Swedish rock outfit have always nailed, and they do it to superior effect on this new single.” The track’s origins and its appearance in the box office phenomenon Halloween Kills can be traced back to the band’s 2018 headlining show at the Forum in Los Angeles. Ryan Turek, Vice President of Feature Film Development at Blumhouse Productions (Get Out, Insidious, The Purge, Us, Whiplash) attended the sold-out show, striking up an instant rapport with Ghost’s Tobias Forge — one that ultimately led to a visit with co-writer / director David Gordon Green on the North Carolina set of Halloween Kills. Three years nearly to the day after that first fateful exchange, “Hunter’s Moon” would be released on DSPs, would play as the Halloween Kills end credits rolled, and will be released January 21, 2022 as a collectible 7-inch single by Loma Vista Recordings (featuring the exclusive B-side “Halloween Kills (Main Title),” performed, produced and engineered by John Carpenter, Cody Carpenter, and Daniel Davies).

Volbeat’s newest album, Servant of the Mind, which Revolver calls “excellent… the darkest and heaviest Volbeat offering yet,” was released on December 3rd via Republic Records. For Servant of the Mind, the band, which consists of Michael Poulsen (guitars/vocals), Jon Larsen (drums), Rob Caggiano (guitars) and Kaspar Boye Larsen (bass) took their signature heavy metal, psychobilly and punk ‘n’ roll sound up a notch while showcasing Poulsen’s keen ability for songwriting and storytelling. “Rarely has such a successful band sounded so ravenous,” says Kerrang! Magazine of the album. Upon release the album hit the top of many international sales charts, reaching #1 in Germany, Denmark, and Austria, #2 in Switzerland, #4 in Finland, #5 in the Netherlands, #6 in Sweden and was number one and number two respectively on the Billboard Current Hard Rock Music Albums chart and Current Rock Albums chart. The new album, which features the number one Billboard Modern Rock singles “Shotgun Blues” and “Wait A Minute My Girl,” is now available in standard CD, deluxe 2LP vinyl (in various limited-edition variants, full info below) and a deluxe digital edition here. Volbeat’s Michael Poulsen recently sat Consequence of Sound’s Kyle Merideth to discuss Servant of the Mind, contributing to The Metallica Blacklist, and their upcoming tour with Ghost. Listen to the full interview here.

GHOST & VOLBEAT COHEADLINE TOUR DATES:

Tue, Jan 25, 2022 – Reno, NV – Reno Events Center
Thu, Jan 27, 2022 – Seattle, WA – Climate Pledge Arena
Fri, Jan 28, 2022 – Nampa, ID – Ford Idaho Center Arena
Sat, Jan 29, 2022 – Portland, OR – Veterans Memorial Coliseum
Mon, Jan 31, 2022 – West Valley City, UT – Maverik Center
Wed, Feb 02, 2022 – Denver, CO – Ball Arena
Fri, Feb 04, 2022 – Lincoln, NE – Pinnacle Bank Arena
Sat, Feb 05, 2022 – Minneapolis, MN – Target Center
Mon, Feb 07, 2022 – Columbus, OH – Nationwide Arena
Tue, Feb 08, 2022 – Hershey, PA – GIANT Center
Thu, Feb 10, 2022 – Newark, NJ – Prudential Center
Fri, Feb 11, 2022 – Worcester, MA – DCU Center
Sat, Feb 12, 2022 – Camden, NJ – BB&T Pavilion
Mon, Feb 14, 2022 – Pittsburgh, PA – Petersen Events Center
Tue, Feb 15, 2022 – Toledo, OH – Huntington Center
Wed, Feb 16, 2022 – Grand Rapids, MI – Van Andel Arena
Fri, Feb 18, 2022 – Chicago, IL – Allstate Arena
Sat, Feb 19, 2022 – Cincinnati, OH – Heritage Bank Center
Sun, Feb 20, 2022 – Milwaukee, WI – Fiserv Forum
Mon, Feb 21, 2022 – St. Louis, MO – Chaifetz Arena
Wed, Feb 23, 2022 – Independence, MO – Cable Dahmer Arena
Fri, Feb 25, 2022 – Houston, TX – Smart Financial Centre at Sugar Land
Sat, Feb 26, 2022 – Dallas, TX – Fair Park Coliseum
Mon, Feb 28, 2022 – El Paso, TX – Don Haskins Center
Tue, Mar 01, 2022 – Phoenix, AZ – Footprint Center
Thu, Mar 03, 2022 – Anaheim, CA – Honda Center

About Ghost:

GRAMMY Award winning Swedish Rock band Ghost have elevated themselves to one of the most esteemed and celebrated rock bands in the world today. Four consecutive #1 Active Rock radio singles, debuting at #1 (Rock) + #3 (Top 200) on the Billboard album charts, accumulating well over a Billion streams, headlining arena tours (including sold out shows at The Forum in Los Angeles + Barclays Center in New York), opening stadium shows for Metallica, and gracing magazine covers and television screens the world over are just part of their story. The band’s passionate fan base and critical praise also stems from their ability to constantly be pushing their creative boundaries. Their most recent album, 2018’s Prequelle, is loosely based on The Black Plague of 14th century Europe, a metaphor that sadly became a premonition that applies to the societal ills of our times. Though the band’s music at times has dark lyrical content, it never loses its infectious melodic edge. Ghost’s massively received recent single, the Active Rock #1 charting “Hunter’s Moon,” as heard over the end credits of the #1 horror smash Halloween Kills, combined with this upcoming nationwide arena tour are sure indicators that 2022 will be Ghost’s biggest year yet!

About Volbeat:

Since forming in 2001, Volbeat has gone from the clubs of Copenhagen to headlining stages around the world, including the famed Telia Parken stadium in Denmark (becoming the only domestic artist to ever sell out the venue with over 48,250 people in attendance). Over the course of seven record-breaking albums the band has picked up number one songs (including ten #1s on the US Mainstream Rock chart and counting, the most of any band based outside of North America), multi-platinum certifications, awards, a GRAMMY nomination and accolades all over the planet. Their latest album, Servant of the Mind, was released on December 3rd and has spawned the hit singles “Wait A Minute My Girl” and “Shotgun Blues.”

About The Metallica Blacklist:

Much more than a mere tribute album, The Metallica Blacklist celebrates the enduring influence of the musical milestone that is Metallica (a.k.a. “The Black Album”) with one of the most ambitious projects ever conceived: An unprecedented 50+ artists spanning an unbelievably vast range of genres, generations, cultures, continents and more, each contributing a unique interpretation of their favorite Black Album cut. The Metallica Blacklist offers up new dimensions of the record whose gravitational pull first drew the mainstream to Metallica—and provides new insights into the universal and timeless appeal that kept it there: the boundary-smashing influence these 12 songs have had on fans and musicians of all stripes. The Metallica Blacklist’s 53 tracks find singer songwriters, country artists, electronic and hip hop artists sharing their love of these songs alongside punk rockers, indie darlings, icons of rock, metal, world music and many, many more… and for 50+ good causes: Profits will be divided evenly between charities of the artist’s choice and Metallica’s All Within My Hands Foundation. The Metallica Blacklist is available everywhere now.

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Filed Under: Music, Music Headlines Tagged With: 7, coheadlining, commemorate, double, edition, ghost, ...

VOLBEAT CONFIRM 2022 COHEADLINING ARENA TOUR WITH GHOST

Today, multi-platinum Danish band Volbeat announce their 26-date coheadlining arena tour with Ghost and special guests Twin Temple, coming to cities including Seattle, Denver, Chicago, Houston, and Phoenix (full dates below).

Said the band: “We are so incredibly excited to get back to these cities with a Volbeat headline show, but getting to do it alongside a headline show from our goulish friends in Ghost AND bringing the incomparable Twin Temple with us? How soon will it be January already!? Start getting ready, the thunder and lightning is coming to your town in 2022.”

Tickets for the tour, co-Produced by Live Nation and Frank Productions, are available here on Friday, September 24 at 10am local time. Limited VIP packages will also be available starting at Tuesday, September 21st at 10am ET. Details at volbeat.dk.

Later this week, Volbeat will embark on their first headlining shows in nearly two years. The ten date “Wait A Minute… Let’s Tour” headline run will see the band coming to cities including Atlanta, San Diego, and Los Angeles (full dates below). Special guests The Hu, Twin Temple, and Municipal Waste will be joining them for select dates. The band will also be appearing at Rebel Rock Fest in Orlando, FL, Louder Than Life in Louisville, KY and Aftershock in Sacramento, CA. Tickets for these dates are on sale now here.

Since forming in 2001, Volbeat has gone from the clubs of Copenhagen to headlining stages around the world, including the famed Telia Parken stadium in Denmark (becoming the only domestic artist to ever sell out the venue). Over the course of seven record-breaking albums the band has picked up number one songs (including nine #1s on the US Mainstream Rock chart and counting, the most of any band based outside of North America), multi-platinum certifications, awards and accolades (including a Grammy nomination) all over the planet. Their latest album, Rewind, Replay, Rebound, was released on August 2nd, 2019 and has spawned the hit singles “Last Day Under The Sun,” “Die To Live (feat. Neil Fallon)” and “Leviathan.” A live album featuring songs recorded during the subsequent world tour, Rewind, Replay, Rebound: Live in Deutschland, was released digitally on November 27th, 2020. Most recently, the band shared a “double blast” of brand new songs for the Summer: “Dagen Før (feat. Stine Bramsen)” and “Wait A Minute My Girl.” They also contributed a cover of “Don’t Tread on Me” to The Metallica Blacklist, with all proceeds from the track benefiting the All Within My Hands Foundation and the Børne Cancer Fonden of Denmark.

GHOST/VOLBEAT COHEADLINE TOUR DATES:
Tue, Jan 25, 2022 – Reno, NV – Reno Events Center
Thu, Jan 27, 2022 – Seattle, WA – Climate Pledge Arena
Fri, Jan 28, 2022 – Nampa, ID – Ford Idaho Center Arena
Sat, Jan 29, 2022 – Portland, OR – Veterans Memorial Coliseum
Mon, Jan 31, 2022 – West Valley City, UT – Maverik Center
Wed, Feb 02, 2022 – Denver, CO – Ball Arena
Fri, Feb 04, 2022 – Lincoln, NE – Pinnacle Bank Arena
Sat, Feb 05, 2022 – Minneapolis, MN – Target Center
Mon, Feb 07, 2022 – Columbus, OH – Nationwide Arena
Tue, Feb 08, 2022 – Hershey, PA – GIANT Center
Thu, Feb 10, 2022 – Newark, NJ – Prudential Center
Fri, Feb 11, 2022 – Worcester, MA – DCU Center
Sat, Feb 12, 2022 – Camden, NJ – BB&T Pavilion
Mon, Feb 14, 2022 – Pittsburgh, PA – Petersen Events Center
Tue, Feb 15, 2022 – Toledo, OH – Huntington Center
Wed, Feb 16, 2022 – Grand Rapids, MI – Van Andel Arena
Fri, Feb 18, 2022 – Chicago, IL – Allstate Arena
Sat, Feb 19, 2022 – Cincinnati, OH – Heritage Bank Center
Sun, Feb 20, 2022 – Milwaukee, WI – Fiserv Forum
Mon, Feb 21, 2022 – St. Louis, MO – Chaifetz Arena
Wed, Feb 23, 2022 – Independence, MO – Cable Dahmer Arena
Fri, Feb 25, 2022 – Houston, TX – Smart Financial Centre at Sugar Land
Sat, Feb 26, 2022 – Dallas, TX – Fair Park Coliseum
Mon, Feb 28, 2022 – El Paso, TX – Don Haskins Center
Tue, Mar 01, 2022 – Phoenix, AZ – Footprint Center
Thu, Mar 03, 2022 – Anaheim, CA – Honda Center

VOLBEAT WAIT A MINUTE… LET’S TOUR DATES
Thu, Sept 23, 2021 – Orlando, FL at Rebel Rock Fest
Fri, Sept 24, 2021 – Atlanta, GA at Tabernacle*
Sat, Sept 25, 2021 – Louisville, KY at Louder Than Life
Mon, Sept 27, 2021 – Oklahoma City, OK at The Criterion*
Tue, Sept 28, 2021 – San Antonio, TX at Sunken Garden Amphitheater^
Wed, Sept 29, 2021 – Lubbock, TX at Lonestar Amphitheater^
Sat, Oct 2, 2021 – San Diego, CA at The Observatory North Park # – SOLD OUT
Sun, Oct 3, 2021 – San Diego, CA at The Observatory North Park
Wed, Oct 6, 2021 – Los Angeles, CA at Hollywood Palladium %
Fri, Oct 7, 2021 – Sacramento, CA – Aftershock
Sat, Oct 9, 2021 – Paso Robles, CA at Vina Robles Amphitheatre*
Sun, Oct 10, 2021 – Oakland, CA at The Fox Theater*

* Twin Temple
^ The Hu & Twin Temple
# Municipal Waste & Twin Temple
% Municipal Waste
Itallics denotes festival appearance

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Filed Under: Music, Music Headlines Tagged With: 2022, arena, coheadlining, confirm, ghost, tour, ...

LAMB OF GOD Premieres Video for “Ghost Shaped People” from Deluxe Version of Critically Acclaimed Self-Titled

Lamb Of God (Deluxe Version), Available March 26 via Epic, to Include Bonus Tracks, Live Album and Live DVD
Pre-Orders Available Now

LAMB OF GOD has premiered a video for the single “Ghost Shape People,” a track from the upcoming Lamb Of God (Deluxe Version). 

The video for “Ghost Shaped People” is available today on YouTube and the band’s website at http://lamb-of-god.com.  

Directed by Truman Kewley and Eddie Perez, “Ghost Shaped People,” hauntingly shows a man’s journey into the afterlife juxtaposed with a crushing live performance. 

The three-disc deluxe edition of last year’s critically acclaimed self-titled album will feature the full critically- acclaimed Lamb Of God record with two bonus tracks and a live version of the album, along with a DVD performance of Lamb Of God on March 26 via Epic Records. 

“This album, and in particular, this deluxe edition is something I’m incredibly proud of,” guitarist Willie Adler previously said. “Throughout the process of writing, recording, and the subsequent filming of the live stream, I knew we were creating much more than a collection of songs. Much more than a simple streamed performance. This was focused energy. Energy that, to me, is very tangible. And now, more than ever, in an era where human interaction is so limited, art…..be it music, visual, or otherwise, is a human connection point. And we need as much of that as possible! I hope everyone enjoys this deluxe edition as much as we enjoyed creating it. Thank you.” 

Pre-orders for the set are available now. The live CD and DVD portion of the deluxe version features the first of LAMB OF GOD‘s two ultra-successful live stream events from September 2020, in which the band performed their critically acclaimed, self-titled album Lamb Of God in full, plus an encore of four songs including “Ruin,” “Contractor,” “512,” and the debut live performance of “The Death Of Us,” a new song the band wrote and recorded in quarantine for the Bill & Ted Face The Music movie and soundtrack. The DVD includes a new director’s cut with bonus material. Watch the trailer for the deluxe package now at https://youtu.be/ihoFtYAfgEc. Digital copies will contain only Disc 1 and Disc 2. A separate vinyl edition of Lamb Of God – Live From Richmond, VA will also be available. 

Originally, released June 19 of last year, LAMB OF GOD’s first new album in five years was met with universal acclaim – not only among major rock journalists, but with all strata of metal fans around the world.  

But critics, media and the industry aside, perhaps the most telling statistic is the year-end US Metal Radio chart, where the new album dominated at #1 by a massive margin (over 2,000 more spins than the album at #2). Lamb Of God spent nine weeks in the #1 spot and never left the top 10 since debuting on the chart in February. Metal Radio is the lifeblood of the US metal world, largely staffed by college students and regional tastemakers, playing the music that they know their local metal fans want to hear.  

LAMB OF GOD’s self- titled album reached the coveted #1 spot on Consequence of Sound’s Top 30 Metal + Hard Rock Albums of 2020, stating, “Along with bringing in the New Wave of American Heavy Metal, LAMB OF GOD have been one of music’s most important acts over the past 20 years. From their phenomenal instrumentation to the potency of their sociopolitical lyricism, LAMB OF GOD remain titans of the genre, continuing to craft remarkable works of thrilling and captivating adrenaline… also proves to be a profound work of heavy metal… perhaps the most important metal album of 2020. It’s not only the album of LAMB OF GOD’s career, but the heavy album of the year.” 

At iTunes, LAMB OF GOD has landed at number one on the Overall, Rock and Metal iTunes album chart upon release. LAMB OF GOD eagerly awaits their return to the road to support Lamb of God. Their North American co-headline tour with Megadeth and support from Trivium and In Flames has been rescheduled to begin in July 2021 and their headline tour in the UK and co-headline tour with Kreator in Europe will take place in November and December 2021. Tickets for both tours are on-sale at lamb-of-god.com/tour.  

“LAMB OF GOD deliver the album of their career with self-titled effort…This album isn’t just an awesome release from LAMB OF GOD, but a perfect record to unite metalheads as one.” – Consequence of Sound 

“There is a world-weary pessimism that permeates right to the bones of LAMB OF GOD’s breathtaking eight LP.” – Kerrang! 

“The band has been vocal about the good place it’s in right now, and it shows in these songs.” – Metal Injection “

LAMB OF GOD know, after all, that their true essence is a brutish machismo and that they are a vehicle for total catharsis.” – Rolling Stone 

“This is a record that’s the most authentic version of the band LAMB OF GOD want to be.” – NME  

“The Virginian metal stalwarts’ self-titled album – their first release with Adler’s full-time replacement Art Cruz – boasts all the neck-snapping technical riffage and burly roars we’ve come to love,” -Revolver’s 25 Best Albums of 2020. 

LAMB OF GOD is:

D. Randall Blythe – Vocals 

Mark Morton – Guitar 

Willie Adler – Guitar 

John Campbell – Bass 

Art Cruz – Drums 

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Filed Under: Music, Music Headlines Tagged With: acclaimed, critically, deluxe, ghost, god, lamb, ...

ANDY BLACK RELEASES “THE PROMISE” NEW ALBUM “THE GHOST OF OHIO” ARRIVES APRIL 12

NORTH AMERICAN HEADLINING TOUR KICKS OFF APRIL 7th IN SACRAMENTO

With two weeks to go before the arrival of much-anticipated album THE GHOST OF OHIO (Lava/Republic), singer-songwriter Andy Black has released new track “The Promise” – click HERE to listen and HERE for the lyric video.

“’The Promise’ was inspired by my days spent driving from my neighborhood on the west side of Cincinnati and heading towards the city and into northern Kentucky where I spent almost all of my teenage years in bands, working on a dream,” says Black. “Every day I would use that drive as a chance to plan and think and hope and wish that one day I would be able to make music and tour the world. Over the years that dream has remained, but like all of us as we grow up, often our interests and methods change over time. This song is about trying to remain true to what you wanted the most when you had nothing and keeping that very same passion and drive close to your heart.”

“The Promise” is the third song Black’s released over the course of the past several weeks following lead single “Westwood Road” (which has amassed over 1.5 million YouTube views) and title track “The Ghost Of Ohio” and all three songs are available as instant downloads by clicking HERE to pre-order The Ghost Of Ohio ahead of its April 12th release date.

The Ghost Of Ohio sees Black re-teaming with Grammy nominated producer John Feldmann (Blink-182, Panic! at the Disco), who helmed 2016’s acclaimed debut The Shadow Side.

Black discussed the album during a recent interview with Build – click HERE to watch.

Black, who’s always had a reverence for the magical convergence of sight and sound, created the diverse album to also serve as a soundtrack for its graphic novel counterpart, marrying melancholy themes with upbeat rock and pop to tell the tale of someone who died young and whose spirit inhabits an area for a hundred years looking for ways to connect. The album’s artwork was painted by Eliran Kantor (Iced Earth, Testament).

Black will support the new album with The Ghost of North America Tour, a headlining run that will kick off April 7th at Ace of Spades in Sacramento, CA (see itinerary below).

Don’t miss your chance to experience Andy Black’s The Ghost of North America Tour.

Dates are as follows:

Apr. 07: Sacramento, CA – Ace of Spades
Apr. 09: Seattle, WA – El Corazon
Apr. 10: Portland, OR – Hawthorne
Apr. 12: Las Vegas, NV – Vinyl
Apr. 13: Los Angeles, CA – El Rey Theatre 
Apr. 14: Phoenix, AZ – The Nile Theatre
Apr. 16: Salt Lake City, UT – The Depot
Apr. 17: Denver, CO – The Gothic
Apr. 19: Dallas, TX – Gas Monkey
Apr. 20: San Antonio, TX – The Rock Box
Apr. 22: Atlanta, GA – The Masquerade
Apr. 23: Orlando, FL – Plaza Live
Apr. 25: Cincinnati, OH – Bogarts 
Apr. 26: Greensboro, NC – The Blind Tiger
Apr. 29: Pittsburgh, PA – Mr. Smalls
Apr. 30: Baltimore, MD – Baltimore Soundstage
May 01: New York, NY – Gramercy Theatre
May 03: Worcester, MA – The Palladium 
May 04: Asbury Park, NJ – Asbury Lanes
May 06: Grand Rapids, MI – Elevation
May 07: Chicago, IL – Metro
May 08: Minneapolis, MN – Varsity Theater 
May 10: Cleveland, OH – Phantasy Nightclub
May 11: Detroit, MI – The Majestic 
May 13: Toronto, ON – The Opera House 
May 15: Montreal, QC – L’Astral 
May 16: Philadelphia, PA – Underground Arts 
May 17: Virginia Beach, VA – Elevation 27

 

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Universal Classic Monsters: Complete 30-Film Collection First Time Ever on Blu-ray!

FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER, A LANDMARK COLLECTION SHOWCASING THE LEGENDARY MONSTERS IN MOTION PICTURE HISTORY

UNIVERSAL CLASSIC MONSTERS: COMPLETE 30-FILM COLLECTION AVAILABLE ON BLU-RAY™ ON AUGUST 28, 2018 FROM UNIVERSAL PICTURES HOME ENTERTAINMENT

Universal City, California, August 22, 2018 – Thirty of the most iconic cinematic masterpieces starring the most famous monsters of horror movie history come together on Blu-ray™ for the first time ever in the Universal Classic Monsters: Complete 30-Film Collection on August 28, 2018, from Universal Pictures Home Entertainment. Featuring unforgettable make-up, ground-breaking special effects and outstanding performances, the Universal Classic Monsters: Complete 30-Film Collection includes all Universal Pictures’ legendary monsters from the studio that pioneered the horror genre with imaginative and technically groundbreaking tales of terror in unforgettable films from the 1930s to late-1950s.

From the era of silent movies through present day, Universal Pictures has been regarded as the home of the monsters. The Universal Classic Monsters: Complete 30-Film Collection showcases all the original films featuring the most iconic monsters in motion picture history including Dracula, Frankenstein, The Mummy, The Invisible Man, The Bride of Frankenstein, The Wolf Man, Phantom of the Opera and Creature from the Black Lagoon. Starring some of the most legendary actors including Bela Lugosi, Boris Karloff, Lon Chaney Jr., Claude Rains and Elsa Lanchester in the roles that they made famous, these films set the standard for a new horror genre and showcase why these landmark movies that defined the horror genre are regarded as some of the most unforgettable ever to be filmed.

Universal Classic Monsters: Complete 30-Film Collection includes a 48-page collectible book filled with behind-the-scenes stories and rare production photographs and is accompanied by an array of bonus features including behind-the-scenes documentaries, the 1931 Spanish version of Dracula, Featurettes on Bela Lugosi, Boris Karloff, Lon Chaney Jr., and Jack Pierce, 13 expert feature commentaries, archival footage, production photographs, theatrical trailers and more. The perfect gift for any scary movie fan, the collection offers an opportunity to experience some of the most memorable horror films of our time.

The Universal Classic Monsters: Complete 30-Film Collection includes Dracula(1931), Frankenstein (1931), The Mummy (1932), The Invisible Man (1933), The Bride of Frankenstein (1935), Werewolf of London (1935), Dracula’s Daughter (1936), Son of Frankenstein (1939), The Invisible Man Returns (1940), The Invisible Woman (1940), The Mummy’s Hand (1940), The Wolf Man (1941), The Ghost of Frankenstein (1942), The Mummy’s Ghost (1942), The Mummy’s Tomb (1942),Invisible Agent (1942), Phantom of the Opera (1943), Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man (1943), Son of Dracula (1943), House of Frankenstein (1944), The Mummy’s Curse (1944), The Invisible Man’s Revenge (1944), House of Dracula (1945), She-Wolf of London (1946), Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein (1948), Abbott and Costello Meet the Invisible Man (1951), Creature from the Black Lagoon (1954, and includes a 3D version), Abbott and Costello Meet the Mummy (1955), Revenge of the Creature (1955 and includes a 3D version) and The Creature Walks Among Us (1956).

 

BONUS FEATURES:

  • Behind-the-Scenes Documentaries
  • 3D Versions of Creature from the Black Lagoon and Revenge of the Creature
  • 1931 Spanish Version of Dracula
  • Featurettes on Bela Lugosi, Boris Karloff, Lon Chaney Jr., and Jack Pierce
  • 13 Expert Feature Commentaries
  • Archival Footage
  • Production Photographs
  • Theatrical Trailers

 

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Filed Under: Film Headlines Tagged With: 13, 1930s, 1931, 1932, 1933, 1935, ...

Concert Review: Ghost “Rats! on the Road”, Syracuse, NY

“Rats! on the Road”
Ghost
Wednesday, May 16th, 2018
Crouse-Hinds Theater, Syracuse, NY

Our Score: 5 out of 5 stars

Grammy award winners Ghost brought their love of theatrics and Lucifer to the city of Syracuse, NY on May 16th as part of their current “Rats! on the Road” tour. The tour which features Ghost with no opening act is an intimate fan pleasing experience that needs to be seen in-person to truly understand the bands power of performance.

The evening was filled with spectacular moments featuring several new songs from the bands upcoming release “Prequelle” including “Rats”, “Spirit “and, “Dance Macabre”. Fan favorite Papa Nihil made an appearance on the song “Miasma” providing a smooth saxophone solo that would have brought Kenny G to tears. The nameless ghouls shined throughout the night, each interacting with one another for some great moments including a stellar and a good ole fashion acoustic sing along to “Jigolo Har Megiddo”. All of the hits were present in the extended 24 song set which was nicely split into two acts complete with an intermission.

Despite all of the drama that unfolded within the band last year, Ghost is still steamrolling forward and staying very true to themselves. The band continues to up their game each time they embark on. If “Rats! On the Road” comes to your town we suggest clearing your schedule and grabbing some tickets.

 

Set List:
1.) Ashes
2.) Rats
3.) Absolution
4.) Ritual
5.) Con Clavi Con Dio
6.) Per Aspera ad Inferi
7.) Devil Church
8.) Cirice
9.) Stand by Him
10.) Miasma
11.) Jigolo Har Megiddo
12.) Pro Memoria
13.) Dues in Absentia
14.) Spirit
15.) From the Pinnacle to the Pit
16.) Faith
17.) Year Zero
18.) He Is
19.) Prime Mover
20.) Mummy Dust
21.) If You Have Ghosts
22.) Dance Macabre
23.) Square Hammer
24.) Monstrance Clock

 

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Enter to Win Free Run-of-Engagement Passes and Soundtrack for “A Ghost Story”

To celebrate the release of A24’s latest film “A Ghost Story”, Media Mikes would like to give three of our fans a chance to win run of engagement passes to see “A Ghost Story” at AMC Theaters in Orlando, FL and also CD’s of the film’s soundtrack as well as a Vinyl LP. If you want to win these great prizes, please leave a comment below or use the contact us page above with your favorite ghost story. This giveaway will remain open until August 6th, Eastern Time. This is open to our readers in US only and obviously the tickets are only good in Orlando. One entry per person, per household. All other entries will be considered invalid. Media Mikes will randomly select winners. Winners will be alerted via email.

WEBSITE: https://aghost.store/

FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/GhostStoryMovie

TWITTER: https://twitter.com/ghoststorymovie

INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/ghoststorymovie/

HASHTAG: #AGhostStory

 

A GHOST STORY

Fantasy/Drama

Release:                    July 28, 2017

Starring:                   Casey Affleck and Rooney Mara

Directed By:            David Lowery

Written By:             David Lowery

Produced By:         Toby Halbrooks, James M. Johnston, Adam Donaghey

SYNOPSIS

With A Ghost Story, acclaimed director David Lowery (Ain’t Them Bodies Saints, Pete’s Dragon) returns with a singular exploration of legacy, loss, and the essential human longing for meaning and connection. Recently deceased, a white-sheeted ghost(Academy Award-winner Casey Affleck) returns to his suburban home to console his bereft wife (Academy Award-nominee Rooney Mara), only to find that in his spectral state he has become unstuck in time, forced to watch passively as the life he knew and the woman he loves slowly slip away. Increasingly unmoored, the ghost embarks on a cosmic journey through memory and history, confronting life’s ineffable questions and the enormity of existence. An unforgettable meditation on love and grief, A Ghost Story emerges ecstatic and surreal—a wholly-unique experience that lingers long after the credits roll.

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Film Review “A Ghost Story”

Starring: Casey Affleck, Rooney Mara
Director: David Lowery
Distributed by: A24
Rating: Not Rated
Runtime: 92 minutes

Our Score: 2.5 out of 5 stars

A24 has been releasing some very interesting films recently including this year alone with “Free Fire” and “It Comes At Night”. With a title like “A Ghost Story”, it definitely grabbed my interested…unfortunately not for long. Don’t get me wrong this is definitely a film that will stay with you for a bit. I can’t say that I hated it overall but damn was I bored at some points. I have a feeling this might be a film to benefit from multiple viewings but I don’t think that I could make it through a second time here. I mean there is a pie eating scene that lasts five minutes and I understand why its there but it is painful to get through….pretty much like the whole film.

Official Premise: Recently deceased, a white-sheeted ghost (Casey Affleck) returns to his suburban home to console his bereft wife (Rooney Mara), only to find that in his spectral state he has become unstuck in time, forced to watch passively as the life he knew and the woman he loves slowly slip away. Increasingly unmoored, the ghost embarks on a cosmic journey through memory and history, confronting life’s ineffable questions and the enormity of existence. [A24]

The cast for “A Ghost Story” includes recent Oscar Winner Casey Affleck and Rooney Mara. Funnily enough reuniting together again along with the director of this film after all working together on 2013’s “Ain’t Them Bodies Saints”. Performances are good from Mara and the loss is definitely depicted well, almost too well. Please make sure you realize though, this is not a scary horror film at all. I see the aspect of horror but it is not the same. Deep is a word, I would use to describe the message in this film, much deeper than I usually like. So if you are interested in a different kind of ghost movie that has few words, very long scenes with sometimes little happening but leaves you thinking a bit afterwards you might then be interested in this.

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Filed Under: Film Reviews Tagged With: film, ghost, review, story

Free Advance Screening for “Ghost in the Shell” in Orlando, FL

Calling Florida moviegoers, below please find the codes for the screenings of “Ghost in the Shell”. If you want to see this film before ANYONE else! Hurry fast and grab tickets below and spread the word to your friends as well! They will go VERY fast! Enjoy and be sure to leave comments below after the film!

MIAMI- March 29 AMC SUNSET PLACE 7:30PM http://www.gofobo.com/GITSMMMia

TAMPA- March 29 AMC VETERANS 7:30PM http://www.gofobo.com/GITSMMTampa

WEST PALM BEACH- March 29 AMC City Place 7:30PM http://www.gofobo.com/GITSMMWPB

ORLANDO- March 30 AMC ALTAMONTE 7:30PM  http://www.gofobo.com/GITSMMOrl

In the near future, Major is the first of her kind: A human saved from a terrible crash, who is cyber-enhanced to be a perfect soldier devoted to stopping the world’s most dangerous criminals.

Director: Rupert Sanders
Writers: Masamune Shirow (based on the comic ‘The Ghost in the Shell’ by), Jamie Moss (screenplay)
Stars: Scarlett Johansson, Pilou Asbæk, Takeshi Kitano

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GHOST IN THE SHELL Limited Steelbook Packaging with Exclusive Mondo artwork coming to Blu-ray + Digital HD March 14, 2017

BEVERLY HILLS, CA – (December 13, 2016) The groundbreaking anime film Ghost in the Shellarrives on Blu-ray™ + Digital HD with limited-edition Mondo key art in collectible Steelbook packaging from Anchor Bay Entertainment on March 14, 2017. The groundbreaking anime celebrated the 25thanniversary of the original Manga in 2014. Directed by legendary anime director Mamoru Oshii, Ghost in the Shell questions human existence in the fast-paced world of the information age, this award-winning, cyber-tech thriller has established itself as one of the leading Japanese animation films of all time.

A female cybernetic government agent, Major Motoko Kusanagi, and the Internal Bureau of Investigations are hot on the trail of “The Puppet Master,” a mysterious and threatening computer virus capable of infiltrating human hosts. Together, with her fellow agents from Section 9, they embark on a high-tech race against time to capture the omnipresent entity.  Ghost in the Shell took the world by storm in the mid-90’s, exhibiting a new dimension of anime with unprecedented, mesmerizing cinematic expression. Seamlessly merging traditional animation with the latest computer graphic imagery, this stunning sci-fi spectacle challenged the boundaries of mainstream animation with detailed artistic expression and a uniquely intelligent story line. Veteran director Mamoru Oshii skillfully creates the ultimate anime experience in this futuristic masterpiece based on the groundbreaking comic book by Masamune Shirow.

Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex Season 1 and Season 2 previously only available on DVD will be arriving on Blu-ray™ for the first time on February 21, 2017. Ghost in the Shell  will be available on Blu-ray™  from Anchor Bay Entertainment on March 14, 2017 for the suggested retail price of $34.99.

To learn more about the film, please visit www.anchorbayentertainment.com.

ABOUT ANCHOR BAY ENTERTAINMENT
Anchor Bay Entertainment, a Lionsgate company, is a leading independent home entertainment company that acquires and releases a wide array of theatrical and home entertainment content, including STARZ Original series, children’s programming, fitness (Anchor Bay Fitness), sports and specialty films on Blu-ray™ and DVD formats. The company has long-term distribution agreements in place for select programming with The Weinstein Company, AMC Networks and RADiUS, among others.

GHOST IN THE SHELL Blu-ray™ + Digital HD
Street Date: March 14, 2017
Pre-book: February 8, 2017
Catalog #: BD64909
UPC: 013132649092
Run Time: 82 Minutes
Rating: Not Rated
SRP: $34.99
Format: English: Dolby 5.1 DTS-HD
Aspect Ratio: Anamorphic Widescreen 1:78:1g
Audio: Subtitles: English, Japanese

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CD Review: Ghost “Popestar”

“Popestar’
Ghost
Loma Vista Recordings
Tom Dalgety

Our Score: 4 out of 5 Stars

Ghost continues to thumb its nose at metal purists with their latest EP. If you’re hoping for a return to the heavy doom metal that was “Opus Eponymous” you’re going to continue to be severely disappointed in Ghost’s current direction. “Popestar” drops the same day as they begin their new North American tour. The EP may come as a reaction to the newfound attention the gimmicky Satanic band from Sweden got after nabbing a Grammy earlier this year for the single “Cirice”. An appearance on the Late Show with Stephen Colbert before Halloween doesn’t hurt either.

Unlike their last EP, “If You Have Ghost,” “Popestar” comes with a fresh song that’s a suitable follow-up to the mellow progressive rock/metal album “Meliora”. The new song, “Square Hammer,” blasts out of the gate with a cheesy horror organ tune with rock drumming underneath. Once the guitars kick in, there’s an infectious catchiness to all the instruments firing off seamlessly. At no point does “Square Hammer” feel like a chart topping metal song, but a catchy rock tune that could easily sneak into the Top 40 of any pop station. That is if it wasn’t for the allusions to Satan.

The chorus of “Square Hammer” is something that’ll have fans singing and chanting along like they’re at an arena rock concert. The hokeyness of the song, Blue Oyster Cult-like guitar solos, almost mask that this song is about fully submitting to the Dark Lord instead of passively giving the thumbs up to Satan. The band has even dropped a music video to accompany the song, featuring an homage to 1920’s Dracula and the inherent cheesiness that the band has been from day one. Asking listeners to give in to Satan has never been so poppy or catchy.

The EP then gives us a breather by sliding into the simplistic, but head bobbing “Nocturnal Me,” originally by Echo & the Bunnymen. The post punk guitars for this song are tuned heavier and make it a moodier. The post-punk music is an easy mold for Ghost to fit into. It’s a song that allows for atmospheric evil to permeate and eat up five minutes very quickly. I can see Trent Reznor hearing this song and kicking himself in the head for never covering it.

The oddest choice for this EP comes next on “I Believe,” originally by Simian Mobile Disco, which is like a contemporary Pet Shop Boys, but without the 80’s charm. “I Believe” may grow on me, but it only features heavy synthesizers, R&B guitar plucking and light drumming. It may serve as a brief segue between the two halves of this EP. The four minutes doesn’t go by fast enough, but on a solid play through of this EP, it feels more like an unnecessary break between the two halves of this EP.

The heaviest the band gets on this EP is covering a Eurythmics song on the next song. They take British pop band’s soul single, “Missionary Man” and crank the guitars and drums to 11. Vocalist Papa Emeritus III keeps the soul vocals intact and the band does their best to turn the blues riffs into breakdowns that melt in between the rhythmic metal chugs. Hearing Papa Emeritus III with a southern twang to his voice is enough to check out this song.

The EP ends on an oddly inspirational sounding track, “Bible” originally by Imperiet, a short-lived Swedish post-punk band that I’ve never heard of and you probably haven’t either. The gospel chorus, sweeping drums, toned down guitars, soft acoustic guitar, and heavenly organs are incredibly misleading. Once you get down to the lyrics of this sucker, you’ll realize how critical it is religion, power, government and humanity’s hypocrisy. It’s a beautiful song that’s haunting and deserves repeated listens with your volume knob all the way to the right on your speakers.

“Popestar” is another solid outing for the band. Ghost is known for “replacing” their lead singer with a new persona for every new album. This EP is certainly a farewell to Papa Emeritus III, which feels fitting with how much this EP feels like a crisp summarization of what made Ghost a hit on the American scene in the past year with the personification of Papa Emeritus III at the helm. Their fearless tackle of pop music with their traditional doom metal sound is highlighted on “Popestar” It’s a wonderful counterbalance between the stingy headbanger crowd and the passive metalhead who dabbles in other genres. The EP title is a reference to the criticisms by some that they musically “sold out” by going for a more mainstream sound, but also a statement that they’re going to continue to push metal into new boundaries with their newfound fame.

Track Listing
1.) Square Hammer
2.) Nocturnal Me (Echo & the Bunnymen cover)
3.) I Believe (Simian Mobile Disco cover)
4.) Missionary Man (Eurythmics cover)
5.) Bible (Imperiet cover)

 

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Filed Under: CD Reviews, Music Tagged With: echo & the bunnymen, eurythmics, ghost, meliora, popestar, simian mobile disco, ...

CD Review: Ghost “Meliora”

Ghost
“Meliora”
Loma Vista Recordings
Produced by: Klas Ahlund
Tracks: 10

Our Score: 3 out of 5 stars

“Meliora” is the latest release from the Swedish heavy metal band Ghost. The album is being released via Loma Vista Recordings and features 10 brand new tracks produced by Klas Ahlund. “Meliora” is the third release from the costume clad group and is the follow up to the bands 2013 release titled “Infestissumam”.

The latest offering from Ghost is certainly their most edgy release yet however the music still does little to live up to the bands dark imagery. With this being the first album to feature the newly anointed Papa Emeritus III signaling a new chapter for the band I had extremely high hopes. After hearing the album’s first single “Cirice” which features thunderous drums and a cool repeating guitar riff ala “Black Album” era Metallica I thought the band was off to a great start. Sadly much like the bands previous efforts there is a lot to sift through before getting to the albums more promising moments. That’s not to say the other tracks are bad musically as they all feature impressive arrangements however, those wanting a more straight forward metal sound might want to skip this. Along with “Cirice” I found the tracks “From the Pinnacle to the Pit”, “Mummy Dust” and  “Majesty” to be more to my liking as they featured simpler arrangements that were easier to digest while tracks like “He Is” and “Dues in Absenthia” feature church like orchestral sounds that left me reaching for the skip button.

Yes Ghost and their latest album “Meliora” is a decent album. Will it appeal to everyone? Probably not. There just seems to be a lot of droning and weighty productions elements which make the listening experience a bit annoying. Fans of the band unique sound will certainly enjoy the album as it is quite a bit beefier however I don’t see the album being strong enough to elevate the band to the next level and pull in an entirely new group of listeners.

Track Listing:
Spirit
From the Pinnacle to the Pit
Cirice
Spoksonat
He Is
Mummy Dust
Majesty
Devil Church
Absolution
Dues in Absentia

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Filed Under: CD Reviews Tagged With: cd, ghost, meliora, review

Blu-ray Review “Ghost in the Shell: Arise – Borders 1 & 2”

Actors: Christopher R.Sabat, John Swasey, Elizabeth Maxwell
Directors: Zach Bolton
Number of discs: 4
Rated: Unrated
Studio: Funimation
Release Date: October 28, 2014
Run Time: 114 minutes

Series: 4 out of 5 stars
Blu-ray: 4 out of 5 stars
Extras: 3.5 out of 5 stars

“Ghost in the Shell: Arise” is a new four-part OVA series that serves as a re-imagining of Masamune Shirow’s “Ghost in the Shell”. The OVA series features new character designs and new music by Cornelius. The series of OVAs were split into separate episodes called “Borders”. This release includes the first two titled: “Ghost Pain” and “Ghost Whispers”. Being a fan of “Ghost in the Shell” for years, this is another great series in the franchise. I can’t wait to see the second half.

Official Premise: In this highly anticipated prequel set in the year after the fourth World War, cyborg and hacker Motoko Kusanagi finds herself wrapped up in the investigation of a devastating bombing. But she’s not the only one looking for answers—as she delves deeper into the mystery of who is behind the attack, a specialized team unlike any before begins to take shape.

“Ghost in the Shell: Arise” looks stunning on Blu-ray. The 1080p transfers presented in 1.78:1 is outstanding. The animation is breathtaking and even though the characters looks a little different the series still is so sharp. The colors are so sharp and there is a nice mix of CGI elements. Same goes for the language tracks. There are both Japanese and English Dolby TrueHD 5.1, it may upset some people that this does not include original cast but I see it as new character designs, new voices. A few new start.

I was really impressed that this release included some solid special features, which are are great like the series and spanned over two discs. “Ghost in the Shell: Arise at the Anime Expo 2013” features interviews with staff and attendees. There is a feature with the robotic quadrapeds in “Logicoma Beat”. There are also a bunch of promotional videos, New Flash(s) and trailers/teasers and textless openings included.

The second disc includes a U.S. Cast and Crew Audio Commentary. “Decode 501File” gives background on the mysterious group. “Border: 1 Ghost Pain Cyberbrain” includes two Q&A from 2013 with cast and I.G. There are also a bunch more of promotional videos, New Flash(s) and trailers/teasers.spots and textless openings/closings included. Overall a lot of promotional material but still great extras.

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Filed Under: DVD/Blu-Ray Reviews Tagged With: 1, 2, arise, bluray, borders, ghost, ...
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