New GIF: "Ghost - If You Have GIFs"

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- Mick

Ghost - Meliora

When previously unknown and enticingly anonymous Ghost debuted in 2010 with the critically lauded Opus Eponymous, the heady idea of artistic progression was evident from the word Satan. The rhythmic hooks, confidently creepy vocals and firm reimagining of vintage hard rock blended seamlessly with the on-the-nose satire evident in each verse and chorus. The incorporation of keys, organs and subtle choral elements smoothed the edges. It was the feeling of it all, however, that made Opus the most confounding hit of that calendar year. Nobody could figure it out, and yet the joke was an inclusive one. It was the artistic equivalent of diverting the attention of your judgmental grandparents, who sort of once listened to Blue Oyster Cult and Jimi Hendrix, away from your black t-shirt with an upside down crucifix by telling them you understood the 70s better than them.

Fast forward five years. Ghost have released their third full-length Meliora, and now, for the first time, the joke of infernal comedy is on us, and it is wonderful.

Mick's Top 15 Albums of 2013

2013 has been one heck of a year for all of us...mainly because we relaunched Brutalitopia earlier in the spring and are now back in full force with a renewed sense of purpose. Thanks to everyone who's made that possible by supporting us in their respective ways.

And now time for everyone's favorite time of year...the end of it. Check out what albums I thought were awesome enough to recognize after the break!

Angela's Top What-ever of 2013

2013 was kind of ridiculous. Between all the weird shit that took place to some truly stellar music releases, I think this year is definitely one for the books. I'll be weighing in with my non-metal picks sometime next week, because fuck Christmas. ON TO LE LIST...

Durf's Top 15 Albums of 2013

 

Hard to believe it's already December and time to look back on the past year, reflecting on the changes we've made, the adventures we've had, and most importantly, the albums we've listened to and really, really enjoyed.  Below are my Top 15 Albums of 2013; if you correctly guess which album is Number One before looking, I will mail you a cookie.  And don't forget to agree/disagree/tell me how full of shit I am in the comment section!

Halloween Havoc: Durf's Playlist

Happy Halloween week boos and ghouls!  Durf here with my own personal spooktacular five song list, perfect for celebrating the second most metal of holidays (you will never convince me that anything is more metal than Thanksgiving; millions of people sacrifice a turkey to the ravenous god of gluttony).  I definitely advise you to go check out Mick's very solid list as well; between the both of us, you've got some fantastic songs to use as a soundtrack to your trick or treating, bestial sacrifice to most unholy Beelzebub, or your necrophiliac tendencies... however you're celebrating, these songs will help you do it right.

Ghost Announces New EP: If You Have Ghost

Ghost has announced a new EP that will be released next month.

Kuma's Corner Features New Burger Named After Ghost: Controversy Ensues

I’m sure from the picture above, it wouldn’t be much of a surprise to anyone that Sweden’s own Ghost has offended devoutly religious types a time or two before. Now thanks to Chicago’s staple metal burger place, Kuma’s Corner, they can add another offensive item to the list.

Ulcerate - Vermis

Even as a metal fan, I typically prefer to be ear-wooed than ear-fucked.  Let me explain.  I’d rather be caressed gently by the shoegaze melodies of Alcest than get into a fist fight with Slayer.  I’d rather take a pensive walk through a Pacific forest with Agalloch than be tormented by Anaal Nathrakh.  I’d rather make goofy jokes about the devil with Ghost than worry about Watain actually sacrificing me to said-Devil.  That said, sometimes there are exceptions.  Sometimes I just want to plug in my headphones, drop the needle on a record, and get ear-fucked, HARD, non-stop for forty-five minutes, until I’m ear-screaming in ecstasy and ear-begging for more.  Not just any heavy album is up for such a marathon of ear-fucking, but Ulcerate’s new tech death masterpiece Vermis not only lives up to the challenge, but it made me ear-cum.  Six times.

We'll Do It Live Fridays: Chillin At Coachella

Fridays here at Brutalitopia mean only one thing.....We'll Do It Live!  For the uninitiated, We'll Do It Live Fridays (or WDILF for short) is a celebration of live performances.  It's one thing if a band sounds good in the studio but the true test is whether or not they can deliver the goods live.  WDILF tries to bring to light specific bands and/or specific performances that truly shine through in the live setting.

See who made the cut this week after the break. 

Ghost - Infestissumam

It's not every day that you come across a band that can be classified as "the complete package."  You'd be even more hard pressed to find a band that's rightfully deserved the following that Sweden's Ghost has accumulated since their 2010 debut Opus Eponymous.  The live performances...the music...the mythos...Ghost's identity is dependent on them all.  They're a band that the metal community not only deserved, but also one that it needed.  To say that the release of their sophomore effort, Infestissumam, is highly anticipated would be a gross understatement.  Even with the bar set so high, Ghost proves with their latest release that not only are they able to meet expectations, but they can also go above and beyond.

Concert Review: Ghost (Chicago, IL - Bottom Lounge - January 24, 2012)

Full disclosure:  I have wanted to see Ghost live since I first listened to their debut Opus Eponymous last February.  I thought I would get that chance when it was announced they were touring with Alcest and Enslaved; unfortunately they had to drop off that tour due to visa issues.  I still went, seeing as Alcest is incredible and Enslaved is, you know, Enslaved.  I enjoyed the show for the most part, but still found myself disappointed I didn't get to see the spectacle that is Ghost.  So you can imagine my excitement when Mick informed me that Ghost was returning to the States, for sure, no visa issues, for another tour.  That tour hit the Bottom Lounge here in Chicago this past Tuesday, so Mick, my roommate Zack and I ventured forth to celebrate a Black Mass with the Nameless Ghouls in Ghost.

Find out if they lived up to my anticipation after the jump...

We'll Do It Live Fridays: Preparing For 13 Dates Of Doom (Ghost)

All of us here at Brutalitopia would be straight up lying if we said we weren't totally stoked for the upcoming Ghost North American Tour, appropriately entitled "13 Dates Of Doom."  We'd also be lying if we said we didn't hop on the Ghost-wagon as it took off with their release of Opus Eponymous last spring.  However, the real hook with this band is the mystery that surrounds their live show.  I won't go into full detail about all of it, but there's an awesome article about them from Invisible Oranges.  Entitled "Why Ghost Matters," the article explains just that.  Read it.  Love it.  Accept that Ghost rules.

Read after the break to view a FULL Ghost concert (in awesome quality no less).   

Trivium vs. Ghost (It's Not What You Think)

Trivium just posted this along with a few other pictures from a recent photo-shoot they did with Ghost on their Facebook page.  I thought this one would be worth a few good laughs.

- Mick

Exclusive Interview - Devin Townsend

Yeah this pretty much sums up how awesome Devy is live.

It's been a while since we've had an exclusive interview, but we've sure come back with one in style.  Two nights ago I wandered on down to the House of Blues in Chicago to catch Devin Townsend since he was coming through on his tour with Children of Bodom, Obscura, and Septicflesh (weird lineup for him right?).  With his new albums, Deconstruction and Ghost, having been recently released, there were plenty of things to talk about.  Needless to say, Devin is a really fun guy to chat with.  His live performance was also really awesome.  If you've never seen him live, the picture above should be your indicator that you need to. His stage presence can only be described as purely energetic and fun.

Be sure to check out his new ablums, Deconstruction and Ghost, if you haven't already.  They are pretty incredible.   





-Mick        

New Devin Townsend Tracks? Yes, Please.

With Devin Townsend's albums Deconstruction and Ghost dropping on June 21st (June 20th in Europe) there's still plenty of reason to be excited for what this year still has in store for us.  On a somewhat related sidenote, can you remember a year where so much good material has come out in such a short amount of time (and there's still a crap load left)?  I certainly can't.  But back to the task at hand.  Hevy Devy has released two tracks for free download here.  One track, "Feather," comes from the extremely chill Ghost record while the other, "Juular (featuring Ihsahn),"  comes from the extremely heavy Deconstruction.  It should go without saying that both tracks are ridiculously awesome.  Check them both out after the break.

Review: Ghost - Opus Eponymous

Bears shit in the woods. Water evaporates. Metal is diverse. These are obvious statements, especially the last. Heavy music has rarely occurred in a vacuum, which is precisely why we can refer to bands as dissimilar as Priest and Suffocation as metal in the same breathe. Certainly, the generation of immediacy and technological availability has overloaded the genre with various abominations and imitations, but metal will always be diverse no matter the era.

Which is precisely what makes the anonymous Swedish phantoms of Ghost all the more perplexing. Self-described as a "devil worshiping ministry" attempting to "trick mankind that the end is ultimately a good thing", the publicized message of this diabolical enigma instantly casts reactions similar to those elicited by the likes of Gorgoroth or Marduk. The similarities abruptly end there.

Read the rest of my review after the break.

Devin Townsend Releases New Album Artwork

Above is the new slipcase artwork for our good friend Devin Townsend's upcoming album Ghost.  And me let me just say that I absolutely love it.  It's very simple but still awesome at the same time.  Devin released this new artwork this last Saturday saying that it was inspired by some pictures he was shown by someone on Twitter.  More news to come on Hevy Devy's upcoming albums Ghost and Deconstruction!

-Mick