More unchristian parody than unchained melody

Something wicked this way comes, and its name is Ghost BC.

Appropriately named, the group creates music that is as creepy as it is haunting. Hailing from Sweden, Ghost made waves as a heavy metal band when they formed in 2008, and they have since gathered a massive cult appreciation for their sound as well as their stage presence. No show is without smoke machines and mystery.

Their sound is hauntingly spiritual with a dark metal twist. Take, for example, the group’s cover of The Beatles classic ‘Here Comes the Sun’. The original evokes hope and happiness, but Ghost BC have converted it into something melancholic and bizarre. The juxtaposed lyrics and thick guitar and drums create an almost uncomfortable sound that you don’t know what to do with. It’s jarring, but you can’t help being intrigued.

And Ghost BC do their best to stay intriguing. Most notably, the group don full robes and hoods to prevent anyone from knowing their real identity. Five of the six members wear dark, obscuring robes, while the lead vocalist comes on-stage with a skull painted on his face, in a cardinal’s hat and dress.

Rumours abound about the members of Ghost BC. The real names of the members are completely unknown, but the five instrumentalists in black go by the collective ‘Nameless Ghouls’, and the frontman is known by the pseudonym ‘Papa Emeritus II’, formerly known as simply ‘Papa Emeritus’.

If you hadn’t deduced it thus far, Ghost BC’s music is highly religious in its content. Their first album, released in 2010, is named Opus Eponymous, and the opening track is ‘Deus Culpa’, Latin for ‘God’s fault’. The obvious reference to the papacy in the lead vocalist’s moniker is on the verge of being ridiculous.

In the recent Vatican elections, the group took their religiosity and turned it into a gimmick for their fans. Urging them to “vote Papa Emeritus for pope” online, the band promised a stream of a new song off their soon-to-be-released album Infestissumam (which means ‘hostile’ in Latin) in return.

The group have yet another bonus for fans: Dave Grohl, of Foo Fighters and Nirvana fame, has teamed up with Ghost BC, and together they covered one of ABBA’s creepier and more dramatic tracks, ‘I’m a Marionette’. The effect is wholly unexpected in just how well the sound meshes. It’s darker and edgier, and Grohl’s drum skills take the song to the next level.

While they’ve been − predictably − compared to the likes of Black Sabbath and Blue Öyster Cult, Ghost BC bring a sound wholly their own. They may be all about the doom and gloom, but don’t be misled into thinking they are just another metal band to come out of Sweden. They’re sure to put you in a ghostly trance at Amager Bio.

Ghost BC  
Amager Bio, Øresundsvej 6, Cph S
Tue 20:00
Tickets: 242kr
www.billetnet.dk

 




  • The internationals who created an app to make friends in Denmark  

    The internationals who created an app to make friends in Denmark  

    A team of young internationals has created an app that is helping their peers connect and build friendships in Denmark, addressing the challenges of social integration.

  • New documentary stirs debate in Denmark and Greenland 

    New documentary stirs debate in Denmark and Greenland 

    The documentary Greenland’s White Gold, reveals the worth of cryolite mining in Greenland to be in the billions. Over the years its value has been undermined, despite it acting like a gold mine for the Danish state. 

  • Today is 10 years from Copenhagen terrorist attack

    Today is 10 years from Copenhagen terrorist attack

    On February 14 and 15, the last terrorist attack took place in Denmark. Another episode occurred in 2022, but in that case, there was no political motive behind it

  • Enter Christiania: how the Freetown works

    Enter Christiania: how the Freetown works

    We all know Christiania and have been there at least once. But how does the Freetown work? How are decisions made? Can a person move there? Is there rent or bills to pay? British journalist Dave Wood wrote a reportage on Christiania for The Copenhagen Post.

  • The struggles of Asian women in Denmark’s labour market

    The struggles of Asian women in Denmark’s labour market

    Isha Thapa unfolds her research “An Analysis on the Inclusivity and Integration of South Asian Women in High-Skilled Jobs within the Danish Labor Market”. Thapa describes the systemic and social challenges these women face, ranging from barriers in social capital to cultural integration.

  • Parents in Denmark reject social media monitoring 

    Parents in Denmark reject social media monitoring 

    Most parents in Denmark reject using social media parental controls despite knowing about them. A new study questions the effectiveness of these tools in ensuring children’s online safety.