EP Review: Ghost – Popestar (Loma Vista Recordings)

Getting new Ghost material so soon after their last phenomenal album, Meliora feels like the ultimate treat. This must have been what Eve felt like when she took a bite out of that apple in the Garden of Eden. Purveyors of temptation, sleazy yet sexy, Ghost are every bit the snake beckoning us to join them & give into the need.

By now they are a band that need no introduction, they have made an incredible name for themselves within the rock world. Their mix of gothic, satanic themes with killer riffs & a bluesy pop vocal style has made them one of the most exciting bands to emerge in the last few years.

Chances are that if you’re not a fan by now, you’re not likely to ever be & this EP isn’t going to change any minds.

Ghost love a good cover song & this 5 track EP is mostly made up of them. An EP filled with covers… covers like the plodding version of Nocturnal Me by Echo & the Bunnymen does little to excite while I Believe by Simian Mobile Disco is more of a showcase for Papa’s stunning vocals, it’s not a bad song but it pales in comparison to their own material.

Thankfully any ill-will harboured by these covers won’t last thanks to Square Hammer, the new Ghost song. A song that doesn’t disappoint, getting better the more you listen to it. It’s utterly fantastic, catchy & filled with the odd intricacies that make them stand out as a band. Papa III’s voice really is a sound to behold, just incredible.

Elsewhere, Missionary Man by Eurythmics might seem like an odd song to cover but considering Ghost have played Abba it really shouldn’t be. It’s a well done cover with the usual Ghost spin helping it rise above being more than a pop song.

The final track on the EP is a 6 and a half minute cover called Bible by a band very few people will have heard of. Imperiet’s Bible is one of the most spectacular songs they’ve ever covered. Hauntingly beautiful, emotion dripping in every lyric, what Ghost can do to a track…it’s almost supernatural.

Square Hammer makes Popestar worth getting hold of but it’s the cover of Bible you’ll remember long afterwards. It’s not going to get hundreds of plays like Meliora did but Square Hammer & Bible will be getting the repeat button pushed a fair few times before the EP is forgotten about.

Overall Track List:

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)