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Let none say again that Dwarves are grasping and ungracious Judas is harsh and unforgiving and that he doesn't give bands a chance over and over again.

But man, do I like this project of Tobias less and less with each passing year, with each following release.

First of all, this is not even rock anymore, it sounds as if Imagine Dragons did a Duran Duran tribute, most of the time.
Second of all, please let literally anyone else sing. I can tolerate Mustaine more than this beta helium goblin.

The songwriting isn't exactly bad, once I overcame the first shock, but for something as outwardly poppy, I'd expect... well... more pop, more memorability, but that may come yet. It's true that I don't remember a single song off Infestisumam and while I may remember the songs here for all the wrong reasons, it's still something.

But still, there were songs that I actually liked (Elizabeth, Cirice) and I was hoping their frequency would rise over time, with Ghost becoming this King Diamond for more mainstream audience, but no.

(and just to be clear, I don't care about the image, or at least wouldn't care about it if I liked the music, although I'd appreciate if the Catholicism parody wasn't this shallow. Pre-conversion, I have actually seen them live and the entire concert of Tobias walking around calmly as the "Satanic Pope", beating himself in the chest from time to time and literally nothing else was really underwhelming)
 
Let none say again that Dwarves are grasping and ungracious Judas is harsh and unforgiving and that he doesn't give bands a chance over and over again.

But man, do I like this project of Tobias less and less with each passing year, with each following release.

First of all, this is not even rock anymore, it sounds as if Imagine Dragons did a Duran Duran tribute, most of the time.
Second of all, please let literally anyone else sing. I can tolerate Mustaine more than this beta helium goblin.

The songwriting isn't exactly bad, once I overcame the first shock, but for something as outwardly poppy, I'd expect... well... more pop, more memorability, but that may come yet. It's true that I don't remember a single song off Infestisumam and while I may remember the songs here for all the wrong reasons, it's still something.

But still, there were songs that I actually liked (Elizabeth, Cirice) and I was hoping their frequency would rise over time, with Ghost becoming this King Diamond for more mainstream audience, but no.

(and just to be clear, I don't care about the image, or at least wouldn't care about it if I liked the music, although I'd appreciate if the Catholicism parody wasn't this shallow. Pre-conversion, I have actually seen them live and the entire concert of Tobias walking around calmly as the "Satanic Pope", beating himself in the chest from time to time and literally nothing else was really underwhelming)

I'm the total opposite — I honestly don't care much for the early Ghost albums. For me, things really started getting good with Square Hammer, Meliora, and then the fantastic Prequelle and now the excellent Skeleta. I want Tobias to keep going in this direction. Call it pop, call it selling out — to me, this is what he does best: crafting commercially accessible, melodic rock music.

Now that I’ve relistened to the whole album, I’ve got to say — it feels incredibly uplifting. (As a foreigner, I’m mostly drawn to the melodies and music rather than the lyrics.) And I realized something... nearly the entire album rocks. It’s fast-paced or at least moves with that steady, cruising rhythm. And that’s exactly what I’ve been missing from Maiden lately. I want that energy — that sense of motion, of flying through musical landscapes. I’m honestly sick and tired of all the doom and gloom, of the worn-out formula of dragging intros and outros. Just kick some ass, for fuck’s sake — even if you’re in your 70s! (Yes, I know that’s my problem.)

But Tobias delivers on that front, at least to my ears. This album feels like a breath of fresh air.

And I totally disagree with the idea that Ghost isn’t metal or rock. They absolutely are — they’re just more accessible, and they lean into that side of things. To my ears, some Iron Maiden albums aren’t much heavier, honestly. And right now? Ghost sounds pretty damn great to me.

Edit: As for Ghost's shtick — their cartoonish satanism or jabs at Catholicism are more of a minus to me than a plus. I’m neutral on that front. What draws me in are the great melodies and top-notch production. :)
 
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Dirkschneider & The Old Gang - Time To Listen

Another pretty solid song from this project. :) The overall melodic approach and the anthemic chorus are again better than some of Udo or Accept's recent stuff, at least for me. Cool solo from Mathias, as usual.

 
It’s fast-paced or at least moves with that steady, cruising rhythm. And that’s exactly what I’ve been missing from Maiden lately. I want that energy — that sense of motion, of flying through musical landscapes. I’m honestly sick and tired of all the doom and gloom, of the worn-out formula of dragging intros and outros. Just kick some ass, for fuck’s sake — even if you’re in your 70s! (Yes, I know that’s my problem.)
Like the early Reunion era (even TBOS) or the last Priest albums, I want some of that again too (although I'm usually a fan of the long songs formula), I admit it, and a lot. Steady rhythm is achievable. And guitar harmonies, what happened to them? More fast-paced in general. Is that possible with Nicko now? Or even with Simon, Steve or Bruce's way of writing. But I think the production also holds the material back in a way. I'm just hoping for a much better balance on the next potential album, especially compared to the latest album.
 
Like the early Reunion era (even TBOS) or the last Priest albums, I want some of that again too (although I'm usually a fan of the long songs formula), I admit it, and a lot. Steady rhythm is achievable. And guitar harmonies, what happened to them? More fast-paced in general. Is that possible with Nicko now? Or even with Simon, Steve or Bruce's way of writing. But I think the production also holds the material back in a way. I'm just hoping for a much better balance on the next potential album, especially compared to the latest album.
When it comes to guitar harmonies, I'm just speechless. How can anyone abandon something that made the songs sound so great and glorious in the first place? How do you just ignore that? Guitar harmonies elevate even the lesser-known tracks. Take 'The Duellists'—that middle section with harmonized guitars lifts the whole song and turns it into a hidden gem.
I agree a hundred thousand percent that the production holds the material back. That's an undeniable truth. Playing 'live' in the studio is a whole different beast compared to recording each instrument separately and refining your part until you nail the best possible take.
 
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