Attention all fans of headbanging mayhem: Papa Emeritus II and the Nameless Ghouls, collectively known as Ghost BC, will be coming to 9:30 Club next month, on Monday, May 13--and you could go see them for free, courtesy of your friends at RVA Magazine! Touring behind their brand new second album, Infestissumam (Latin for "hostile," though Ghost BC translates it as "the biggest threat," a reference to the Antichrist), this mysterious Swedish sextet is bringing their memorable stage show and melodic, prog-influenced metal riffing to the United States this spring.
Even though their new album was only released a couple of weeks ago, it's already been making waves domestically--before it was ever released, the band was turned down by several CD manufacturing plants that they approached to release the deluxe edition of Infestissumam. It turns out that the image they wanted to use for the disc art, inspired by a Gustave Dore illustration of a 16th century orgy, was too much for domestic manufacturing plants, and the band eventually had to surrender and replace the disc art with the same art that was printed on the regular editions of Infestissumam.
It might surprise listeners new to Ghost BC's brand of metal that a group willing to use such flagrantly anti-religious imagery is not actually that brutal or heavy at all. But it's true--rather than a blazing slab of brutal death metal, Infestissumam is actually quite melodic, integrating undistorted lead guitar lines, 70s-style organ, and melodic vocals into driving rock tunes whose lyrical references to Satan's eyes and zombie queens mix with the music to create a sound that should appeal to fans of early Blue Oyster Cult, Machine Head-era Deep Purple, or even those who explore the works of more obscure 70s prog-rock groups like White Witch or Comus. Add in modern production techniques and riffing and you definitely end up with elements of Mercyful Fate showing through as well (though Papa Emeritus II never comes close to reaching King Diamond's falsetto vocal heights). So even without any extreme brutality, Ghost BC are definitely awesome.
Their 9:30 Club date will also feature a set from Ides Of Gemini, who count Decibel Magazine scribe J. Bennett amongst their membership. Ides Of Gemini's strange and unique mix of ethereal, gothic ambience and slow, mournful dirges have led them to be tagged with the genre descriptor "dream doom," and it's surprisingly accurate. On the whole, this bill offers an evening of diverse, fascinating progressive sound and imagery, and should be a must for any metal fan.
WHAT:Ghost BC Haunt 9:30 Club!
WHO:Ghost BC, Ides Of Gemini
WHERE:9:30 Club, 815 V St NW, Washington DC
WHEN: Monday, May 13, Doors open at 7 PM
ADMISSION: $20--advance tickets available HERE
Best of all, you could see this show for free! Just plug your info into the widget below in order to be entered to win two tickets to see Ghost BC at 9:30 Club on May 13. You've got until Friday at 5 PM to get your entry in, but don't delay--sign up now! And keep an eye out for extra chances to win!
Before we go, here's an amazing video that any of you unfamiliar with the Ghost BC live experience must check out. This is Ghost BC performing their song "Secular Haze," off Infestissumam, last year in Ghost BC's hometown of Linkoeping, Sweden. The video actually starts with Papa Emeritus I, the singer for Ghost's first album, passing the microphone to current vocalist Papa Emeritus II, who then took over the throne and has reigned ever since. Of couse, the question is, did they really switch singers between the two albums, or was this just a guest vocalist who hasn't appeared with them since? It's difficult to say, but regardless, the video is fascinating, and with its high-quality audio and visual presentation, it gives a great idea both of what Ghost BC's music sounds like and what you can expect from their live performances. Obviously, it's quite a sight to see, so get stoked!