The Art Of Darkness: OPUS EPONYMOUS

In the eclectic landscape of rock and metal, few bands have managed to create a footprint as distinctive and mysterious as Ghost. Formed in 2006 in Linköping, Sweden, Ghost quickly became synonymous with a unique blend of rock, heavy metal, doom, and a plethora of other musical styles (too many), along with occult imagery, captivating a global audience. Under the leadership of their charismatic leader, known as Papa Emeritus, and accompanied by the Nameless Ghouls, each album marks the replacement of Papa Emeritus with a new incarnation, a tradition that adds a layer of reinvention and freshness to each musical cycle. This staging, inspired by a fascination with occultism, criticism of institutional religiosity, and a dose of dark humor, has helped Ghost forge a deep connection with its fans, while sparking debate and curiosity among critics and new listeners.

In this first article, we will focus on their debut studio album, 'Opus Eponymous,' released in 2010, which is a cornerstone that laid the foundations of the band's complex universe. With its title evoking a masterful work and its music intertwining memorable guitar riffs, catchy melodies, and lyrics loaded with esotericism, this album not only defined Ghost's distinctive sound but also heralded the arrival of a new force in the metal world. Its influence extends beyond music, inspiring almost cult-like devotion among fans, while establishing the band as a major player capable of revitalizing and reinterpreting genre traditions with dramatic flair and undeniable originality. Thought you knew everything about your favorite band’s debut album? Well, by revisiting 'Opus Eponymous,' we explore how this album laid the foundations of a musical legend, a journey that continues to fascinate and captivate the hearts and minds of listeners around the world. We will begin by quickly exploring the origins and then a track-by-track analysis of the album’s main songs.

Act One: The Birth Of Darkness

"Much has been said about their image overshadowing the music, but the fact is when they recorded their first album, I hadn't even seen what they looked like, I just thought the songs were really great. It was extremely melodic but also heavy. They had a totally fresh approach to what was being done in metal at the time the album was recorded," said Lee Dorian (manager of the label that recorded Opus Eponymous) for Radio Metal.

These powerful words underscore that "Opus Eponymous," released in October 2010, truly marked the beginning of a new era in metal, combining elements of doom, classic heavy metal, and a theatrical aesthetic with deeply rooted lyrical themes in occultism and criticism of religion. From the start, "Opus Eponymous" stands out for its audacity. It opens with "Deus Culpa," an ecclesiastical organ intro that sets the tone for the auditory adventure to come, a perfect fusion of the sacred and the profane. Through tracks like "Con Clavi Con Dio," "Ritual," and "Elizabeth," Ghost explores themes of conjuration, occult ceremonies, and a fascination with the macabre, all while delivering melodies that stick in the listener's mind.

The album's recording was wrapped in the same veil of mystery that characterizes the band. Produced with crystal-clear clarity that contrasts with the dark theme of the songs, "Opus Eponymous" was made with an attention to detail that reflects Forge's total commitment to his artistic vision. The musical arrangements, mixing heavy guitars with choirs and organs, create an atmosphere that is both majestic and unsettling, capturing the essence of the band. The release of "Opus Eponymous" not only solidified Ghost's place in the metal world but also raised provocative questions about the nature of faith, power, and the beyond. This album didn't just introduce a new sound; it heralded a new way of thinking about metal, incorporating theatrical and narrative elements to create an immersive experience that engages the listener on a deeply emotional and intellectual level.

With "Opus Eponymous," Ghost didn't just launch their career; they started a musical crusade, inviting listeners to join them in an exploration of shadow and light, the sacred and the profane, and everything in between.

Act Two: The Analysis Of Darkness

Here is the original tracklist of the album:

- Deus Culpa

- Con Clavi Con Dio

- Elizabeth

- Stand By Him

- Satan Prayer

- Death Knell

- Genesis

We exclude "Here Comes The Sun," a bonus track in the Japanese versions.

Diving into "Opus Eponymous" track by track is to explore a labyrinth of enchanting melodies and lyrics that flirt with the occult and the divine. Although compact, this album offers a rich tapestry of sounds and meanings, where each song contributes to building the singular universe of Ghost. Here is an exploration of the key tracks that define this opus.

DEUS CULPA

This introductory piece (although unpopular among fans) is arguably the first melodies Forge wanted his fans, listeners, faithful? to hear, literally translated as "The Fault of God." You might know the Latin phrase "Deus In Absentia, Deus Culpa" meaning "In the absence of God, blame God" (although for Latin purists the translation of Deus Culpa is erroneous and it should be "Culpa Dei"). If you still needed proof of Forge's intelligence, you would have to wait for Meliora, five years later, to complete the phrase with the song "Deus In Absentia." It's clear we won't be able to detail the analysis of the music in several paragraphs, but if you want a little "fun-fact": the strange sounds of the organ piece have led some to the idea of listening to it in reverse. They thus discovered that in reverse, it's a Swedish Christmas song, "Betlehems Stjärna (Gläns Över Sjö och Strand)," which talks about the star of Bethlehem that guided the Magi to Jesus's birthplace... Played backwards, the piece thus becomes the harbinger of the birth of the Antichrist.

CON CLAVI CON DIO

It's always very difficult to make a second track because for many fans it holds a very important place, particularly in the metal milieu (Metallica, notably, always places its eponymous titles second). And one can say that Forge chose well. “Con Clavi Con Dio” is undoubtedly one of the most popular tracks of “Opus Eponymous” (and indeed the only one along with “Ritual" from this album that is still played live). "Con" means "with" and "Dio," "God" in Latin, the translation of "Clavi" is a bit more mysterious and could be translated by "nails." This could give as translation "With Nails, With God." A bit strange, we don't really know if Forge chose this after a few beers or if he was asleep when studying Latin. The first word pronounced is "Lucifer" in a tone not very melodic and more resembling a praise? This piece is powerful and sets the foundation of Ghost: an unusual rhythm, a second riff in response to the first, and a sort of "choir" in the chorus giving a religious aspect. As for the second part (yeah, you see, “Satanas, We Are One, Out Of Three, Trinity”) is haunting, all marked by a tempo far from Master Of Puppets.

RITUAL

“Ritual” is arguably the most well-known track of “Opus Eponymous”. The meaning behind this title is a bit vague, to be honest. The Bible is a complex bookthat requires some time before being fully read and especially understood. This track somewhat describes a passage from the Bible. Indeed, if we look at the lyrics: "Our fallen angel vexed was banished from the sky." This recounts the descent of Lucifer. Initially, Lucifer was an angel, and this passage in “Ritual” describes the moment God banished Lucifer from heaven (it's a very interesting passage from the Bible and even if you don't believe in all this, we invite you to do some research on the internet to learn more about this passage of the Bible, you will see that it may clarify a bit more your vision on the tracks of Ghost and in particular on “Ritual”). The sound also describes a bit of Hell, that is, the kingdom of Lucifer. Finally, you may know the Christian chant "Our Father," the most important prayer chant because it is the one, according to the New Testament, that was taught by Jesus himself to his apostles. I invite you to go look at the chant on the internet then compare it with the lyrics of “Ritual" (from "Our father, who art in Hell").

ELIZABETH

The unique single from “Opus Eponymous” (if we exclude the songs like “Stand By Him” that were published on MySpace by Forge), the track was destined to become the unmissable track of Ghost but is now in the "under-rated" category of Ghost tracks. This track talks about Erzsébet Báthory (who transformed into Elizabeth in the United States, because why not?). The story of this woman is a bit complex to summarize so we will go straight to the point, although you are free to do your own research to deepen this story. This Hungarian of royal blood who lived between 1560 and 1614 and who according to some people, had the particularity of taking "blood baths with virgins to stay eternally young." Well, well, well...You understand now why "forever young, Elizabeth," "her acts of cruelty and her lust for blood." All this story of murder and blood, does it remind you of something? Come on, dig deep into your memory. Dracul, yes! Vlad Dracul III who is at the origin of Dracula and Erzsébet are in some ways the two pillars at the origin of the vampire myth. Well then since Ghost like to finish the loops years later, will Tobias give us a track on Dracula in the future (unlikely)? If you dig you will see that apparently this woman was the victim of a conspiracy, refuted a few years later. Who to believe finally? In "pop-culture" and mainly in music (we won't talk about cinema because that's not really our thing) many groups have been inspired by this story. Slayer (not very Catholic either huh) in "beauty though order". A female metal band (Butcher Babies) also dedicated a track to her, "Lillith" (it's not the best but go listen to this band). Kamelot was inspired by her too (and it was so fascinating that they proposed three tracks about it). And many others...

STAND BY HIM

A bit sentimental, hmm it's the first track composed by Forge for Ghost. Imagine, in 2006, Forge in his small studio writing these lyrics. The legend wants that he wrote the lyrics in his native language first then decided to translate everything into English (we all have impulses right?). The music would be in reference to the Malleus Maleficarum published by two Germans at the end of the XVth (15 if you don't speak Roman) century. This treatise used in Europe with the goal of... Go question for $10,000:

A. Chase the miscreants

B. Chase the infidels to the King

C.Chase the Christians

D.Chase the witches

The answer D is correct... We will summarize quickly this treatise which doesn't have too many qualities. A bit misogynistic, lack of knowledge... in short, everything to make a disastrous thing. According to these two Germans, women too weak and intellectually inferior (we warned you, we're not too much on an ode to women here) would be "pre-disposed" to give in to the temptations of the Devil. And then because it wasn't misogynistic enough, the two authors (in addition to being excellent writers, able to read the future, to pass through walls, and as quality of having no flaws) are also literary gold. Since very humbly they affirm that the word "femina" is a derivative of "fe + minus", which means "lesser faith". Bingo, the stars align, so all this is therefore logical. Well, we reassure you, the authors say anything and everything is false, but let's move on. We won't detail more this infamous treatise but we let you go of your own free will to do that. Let's go back to the track, from what we can deduce Stand By Him talks about a woman raped for her demonic attributes and who ends up being killed (by being burned at the stake). But, and yes there is a "but", this last one will have her revenge. Thanks to who do you think? Thanks to the star of this article: Satan! Indeed by supporting the latter she will have her revenge: "In fact, in the song, it is mostly about superstitious men and witch trials. Men who exercise their power over women to enslave them. The way society is structured in relation to the distribution of roles by sex throughout history is a very interesting study on how man functions."

SATAN PRAYER

Well, at this point we are used to Satan.The music talks about the 'anti symbol of Nicaea’. But then what is the symbol of Nicaea? In short, it is a Christian confession of faith that aims to promulgate the fundamental points. So what should Forge do with this symbol of Nicaea, describe it favorably or mock it? We start to know him so the second option is preferable. Since we think that most readers don't know the symbol of Nicaea by heart, we'll do a little reminder. Here is what one can read in these texts: "We believe in one God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth, of the visible and invisible universe./ We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, born of the Father before all ages: He is God, born of God, light, born of light, true God, born of true God/ Begotten not made, of the same nature as the Father; and by him all was made. For us men, and for our salvation, he descended from heaven...". I suppose you know a little bit of Satan Prayer then try to compare with the lyrics of the music and it will be a little clearer for you. As a comparison here is the symbol of Nicaea but in short you reverse everything (so the lyrics of Satan Prayer): “Believe in one god do we/ Satan almighty/ The uncreator of heaven and soil/ And the unvisable and the visable/ And in his son/ Begotten of father/ By whom all things will be unmade/ Who for man and his damnation/ Incarnated/ Rise up from hell…” Here we go. This is in fact what is behind this beautiful song showing once more that Ghost’s text aren't written like this: “okay let’s do another song proclaiming Satan with random lyrics cause who cares finally huh?”. But everything is pre calculated.

Act Three: The Conclusion Of Darkness

Finally, before concluding this article and whetting your appetite for next month, let's talk a bit about the aesthetics surrounding the album. The cover art is inspired by "Salem’s Lot," a spooky series by the director of a few horror films, including "Texas Chainsaw Massacre." Which itself is inspired (it's all a chain, isn't it?) by the novel by the famous Stephen King, "Salem." « Salem » tells the story of a man who returns to his hometown, but what a surprise it was when he learns that a vampire has taken up residence there. But what will this man do? Perish, flee, or fight it? It would be too good to tell you, so read this excellent novel. To compare a bit the poster of the show and the album cover, we notice some differences: the vampire has been replaced by Primo and instead of the man's house, we find a church, which will be familiar if you have ever been to Linköping (where Tobias is from) since it resembles it a lot. Finally, it would be a bit delicate to explore the "before Opus Eponymous" as we have planned in a few months to dedicate a complete article to the origins of Ghost, and we don't really want to repeat ourselves, so stay hungry and we promise that we will detail this "before Opus Eponymous" soon. This is the first time we are doing this and we are open to any form of criticism, so if you find any errors or have constructive comments for the future, please feel free to share them with us by email at: contact@gonstofficial.com. Thank you for reading this article which required a lot of work.