EP Review: Ghost – He Is (Loma Vista Recordings)

Definitely one for the hardcore Ghost fans, this 4-track EP is all about the song He Is from the excellent Meliora album. A fantastic gothic ballad, it has become a firm favourite for the both the fans & the band to play live. You can read our review of Meliora here.

4 songs, 4 different versions of He Is. The first is a live showing recorded in San Francisco & confirms just how amazing Papa Emeritus III’s voice is.

We then get a version that features additional vocals by Alison Mosshart of the indie rock band, The Kills & bluesy rock band The Dead Weather. Her voice is excellent & lends itself perfectly to the song.

The final two versions are remixes, HEALTH & The Haxon Cloak. The former has a late 90’s alternative vibe to it. Think Nine Inch Nails but nowhere as good. While the latter is unnecessarily long beginning with silence before slowly…and I mean slowly, increasing in volume to reveal the track. What starts as subtle orchestration descends in a horrific blend of effects & pointless noise. Utterly horrible, almost un-listenable & a complete dis-service to a quality track.

Looking at this EP, it screams money grab & after listening to it those fears are proven right. A poor attempt to squeeze the final drops of money out of a fairly old album. Best to avoid this one unless you’re a huge Alison Mosshart fan.

Ghost – He Is EP Full Track Listing:

1. He Is (Live in San Francisco)
2. He Is (featuring Alison Mosshart)
3. He Is (HEALTH Remix)
4. He Is (The Haxon Cloak Remix)

Check out the EP for yourself via most major streaming services including Apple Music below.