Ghost
's ascension to the mainstream reached full tilt with the release of 2022's
Impera
, an infernal collection of immaculate pop-metal bangers that brought the glitz and glam of the Sunset Strip to Mass. What began in anonymity (a secretive inverted papacy with Satan on high) has blossomed into an arena rock spectacle replete with
Kiss
-style merchandising, behemoth set-pieces, pyrotechnics, and choreographed dancing skeletons, all led by a grifter Pontiff whose multiple incarnations allow him to reign in perpetuity.
Rite Here Rite Now
, both the film and the soundtrack, is a coronation of sorts, with
Tobias Forge
and his Nameless Ghouls and Ghoulettes delivering a Ritual for the ages. Recorded during the final two North American Re-Imperatour dates in Los Angeles, the eighteen-song set leans hard into the band's last three albums, with the film version allowing for a smattering of early works as well. The additions of an electrifying "Twenties" and a lovely chamber quartet-assisted rendition of
Roky Erickson
's "If You Have Ghosts," both making their live debuts, should please the fandom.
Frater Imperator
(the band's fourth frontman) delivers his final performance with gusto, striking the perfect balance between kitsch and gravitas while commanding his brethren with hip-shaking thespian swagger. The band, swathed in steampunk regalia, provides plenty of muscle, with the backing vocalists enjoying a more robust presence than on the original recordings. Concluding with a new studio single, the
Papa Emeritus Nihil
-fronted "The Future Is Foreign Land," a retro-pop gem in the vein of "Kiss The Go-Goat" and "Mary On A Cross,"
captures
at peak power and their adoring fan base in complete thrall. While it remains to be seen where the crown will land next, a steady stream of black smoke emanates from the Sistine Chapel's chimney. ~ James Christopher Monger