I once saw someone comment on a Ghost video on YouTube saying that one thing that they love about Tobias Forge's voice is that it's rather soft and soothing for a voice that fronts a metal band, seeing as how many metal bands are fronted by vocalists with aggressive voices, and I couldn't agree more. That is, in fact, one of the aspects of Ghost that initially attracted me to them when I first heard them, and Forge's voice reminded me somewhat of that of Michael Stipe of R.E.M. That does not mean, however, that Forge isn't capable of taking on a more gruff voice. He pretty much always did so in former band Repugnant, and he occasionally takes on a - shall we say sinister? - tone with Ghost, as well, with "Secular Haze" being an example. "Secular Haze" is one of my favorite Ghost songs, and the term secular haze was actually first used in a song by Subvision, one of Forge's former bands before the genesis of Ghost. (In Subvision's song "Son of May," Forge sings in the song's second verse, "In times of trouble and the enemies to face, go find your shelter in our secular haze.") "Secular Haze" prominently features organ, which is one of several aspects of it that I love, but my favorite part is in the chorus when Papa eerily whispers the title of the song. (As I said, he is definitely capable of enacting different moods with his voice.) The song is lyrically an example of how there is more than one way to be a Ghost fan - three ways of which I can think, in fact. (1) You listen to the songs and just enjoy them for what they are. Perhaps some - maybe even most - of the lyrics resonate with you and you take something away from them, but maybe you're mostly listening for melody and rhythm and that sort of thing and not really going out of you way to do research to make sure that you understand. (2) At the opposite end of that, you do go out of your way to do that research. You look up the translations of song titles and lyrics that are not in English. You research obscure religious and cultural references. You research historical references. (3) Lastly, neither the first option nor the second option applies to you because you're already familiar with most, if not all, of the references made in Ghost's music. I fall most accurately into the second option. Since becoming a Ghost fan, I have done quite a bit of research - primarily via Genius - into what their music means in relation to the obscure religious references that are made. I find that I am usually better able to appreciate the music that way.
The word secular, of course, as I already knew, relates to a nonreligious lifestyle. Holy Christmas music, for example, would include songs like "Oh Holy Night," "Silent Night," "God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen," and so forth, while secular Christmas music would include songs like "Frosty the Snowman," "Jingle Bells," "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer," and so on. A haze is a mist or a visual obstruction. A lot of fog low to the ground, for example, would cause a haze. It would therefore seem as if the song is about people being ignorantly blind to religious truth while living secularly, but it's actually more complicated than that. Papa opens the first verse of the song with, "You know that the fog is here omnipresent..." In order for something to be omnipresent (which means that it exists everywhere), the implication is that it is godlike, indicating that, ironically, secularism could be a religion of its own. In the chorus, Papa pleads wistfully, "Weave us a mist, fog weaver. Hide us in shadows unfathomable, wallless maze, a secular haze." The request for the "fog weaver" to create the "secular haze" indicates that the speaker of the song welcomes it and even wants it. Why would a Satanic band want secularism, though? Don't they worship Satan? That is where I think that it gets interesting because something that Tobias Forge has discussed in interviews before is the fact that you can be Satanic and secular at the same time. Satanism means different things to different people. For some Satanists, yes, it does involve worship of the actual Biblical figure, and followers do sometimes regard him as evil and commit evil acts - such as ritualistic killings - in Satan's name. Far more often, however, modern day Satanists are actually quite peaceful and might not even believe that Satan actually exists. They simply worship what he represents to them, which is freedom and independence, rebellion against oppressive institutions. That is, after all, what the Biblical character did. He was an angel but rebelled against God due to differences in opinion and was consequently cast out of heaven, which is why he is often regarded as a fallen angel. Satanists therefore look to him as a source of intellectual and personal freedom, and even though I am not a Satanist myself, I totally understand that. I identify as Wiccan, and even though Wicca really doesn't have anything to do with Satanism, the Wiccan Rede is as follows: "An' it harm none, do what ye will." This essentially means that you're at liberty to do whatever you want as long as it doesn't harm anyone. It's a somewhat similar philosophy.
Back to reviewing Infestissumam, however, "Jigolo Har Megiddo" is another one that Ghost seems to like to perform live. It has a certain danceable groove to it, and it, as do many of Ghost's songs, features organ as well as elements of late '60s and early '70s rock. It also subtly incorporates elements of punk rock music, as did Forge's aforementioned band Subvision, and it makes sense because even though Forge grew up inspired by hard rock and metal bands, he was also exposed to and enjoyed punk rock bands such as Ramones and Sex Pistols, and you can definitely hear that punk influence on some of Ghost's records, especially on the first two albums. As Genius explains, the title of the song translates roughly to "Male Prostitute of Megiddo" (Megiddo being in reference to the Israeli city Har Megiddo, although, as good old Genius also points out, the word armageddon is derived from this city, so it could also very well be translated to "Male Prostitute of Armageddon"). The song is lyrically a celebration of lust and sex, and there are so many sexual innuendos in the song's lyrics. In the first verse, Papa boasts that he "comes richly endowed, harvesting crops of fields that others have plowed." Being richly endowed, of course, is in reference to his large penis size, and the word comes is most likely intended to have a double meaning, but I won't go there specifically. Having sexual intercourse for pleasure and not to produce offspring being forbidden is one of the many aspects of Christianity that make it oppressive; it's one reason why members of the LGBTQ+ population are targeted by many Christians. It is also why Satanists rebel by engaging in pleasurable acts, so this song is very likely a rebellion against Christianity in its aforementioned celebration of sexual intercourse. It could also be interpreted as being from the perspective of Satan himself, looking to impregnate a mortal woman to bring about the birth of the Antichrist. "Ghuleh / Zombie Queen" runs at seven and a half minutes, making it the longest track on the album. It is a power ballad driven by piano, with a light and vintage atmosphere to it, sounding almost like a song that the Beatles might have done late in their career. About halfway through the song, however, the atmosphere suddenly changes; the song becomes a tad heavier and brings in organ and guitar. An unnamed member of the band (since all members other than Papa are referred to as nameless ghouls) stated that the song is about the dichotomy of pain and pleasure that come with nostalgia and how nostalgia can sometimes cloud our memories by making us see people and things differently than as they actually were.
"Year Zero" is definitely a good example of what I was talking about earlier when I said that Infestissumam is more theatrical than Opus Eponymous. The song begins with a very loud choir reciting different names that have been used throughout time to refer to Satan: "Belial, Behemoth, Beelzebub," the choir chants rhythmically, "Asmodeus, Satanas, Lucifer." This chant is repeated several times throughout the song as Papa melodically celebrates the birth of the Antichrist (something that is done many times in Ghost's music, and this won't be the last time on Infestissumam). When we look at historical dates, we measure time based on the birth of Jesus Christ. (The current year is 2020, for example, because it has been 2,020 years since Christ was born.) Year Zero is therefore in reference to time "resetting" once again when the Antichrist is born. "Body and Blood" is my second favorite song on the album (I will reveal which one is my favorite once I get to discussing it). It begins with eerie plucking (of what could be a harp, but I am honestly not entirely sure) which is eventually broken by heavy guitar and Papa's voice ushering in the first verse. As could probably be easily grasped by the title of the song, body and blood is in reference to the Catholic Communion ritual of eating bread to signify Christ's body and drinking wine to signify his blood. If you really stop and think about it, the imagery is very vulgar and, well, disgusting. In reality, of course, the bread is just that - bread, and the wine is just that - wine, but why would you imagine that you're eating Christ's flesh and drinking his blood? Is the idea that you are absorbing some of his holiness and washing yourself of some of your sins by consuming him? I don't know, but it seems kind of blasphemous which is deliciously (no pun intended) ironic. Ghost even points out the blasphemy and obscenity of the ritual when Papa whispers the process: "Receive, consume, digest, defecate." As I have pointed out before, I think that a lot of Ghost's music is intended to point out the hypocrisy and the oppressiveness of organized religion such as Catholicism and maybe even Christianity in general than it is to actually worship the Biblical figure that is Satan. "Body and Blood" has a very infectious groove to its verses, and the poppy and catchy chorus makes it one of the most memorable tracks on the album. It is a shame that, as Forge once said in an interview, there was a music video planned for this song but that it unfortunately never materialized. This is also true of the Opus Eponymous track "Elizabeth," and both songs are highlights on their respective albums.
"Idolatrine" is next on the Infestissumam tracklisting. This is another one that definitely has a bit of a punk flavor to it and is also another one that has a groovy rhythm to it, especially in its verses. One thing that I had not given any thought until reading up about the song on Genius is the fact that the song title is meant to be a combination of the word idol and the word latrine (meaning toilet). Leave it to Tobias Forge to play with words like that. There are very likely multiple ways to interpret the song (some of which are not mutually exclusive), but I read it as yet another critical jab at Christianity: "Idolatrine for the imbeciles," Papa declares in the song's chorus. In the first verse, he comes in with his soft and somewhat nasally voice with, "Profaner of the vices, a simple charlatan, inflaming puerile minds with the guilt of sin. Imaginations fed to children..." This is where, as I said, there might be more than one way to read the song, although I don't think, as I also said, that these two particular ways are necessarily mutually exclusive. There is the rather obvious way of reading this verse (which I point especial attention to because I believe that it sums up the song rather well) - which is that religious fanatics (perhaps parents, priests, teachers in religious schools, nuns, and so forth) corrupt young minds by teaching them that they are born with sinful souls and that they will go to hell when they die if they don't turn to God for forgiveness and redemption. I think that this is a totally valid way of reading it, and it is even something to which I can strongly relate. Growing up, my father was deeply religious and embedded such type of thinking in me which, as I got older, I was fortunately able to reverse by forming my own opinions on such things, but as a child, I remember being in fourth grade and spending day in and day out in school feeling rather afraid, afraid that I would burn for eternity when I died if I didn't sufficiently make God happy. (Is it healthy to teach a child such a horror story?) The other way of reading the verse, however, is that such religious fanatics could also be corrupting children in a different way - teaching them about sin by actually enacting it on them, if you catch my drift. This is potentially supported in the song's catchy post-chorus in which Papa sings, "Suffer little children to come unto me." I strongly believe that this is meant to be innuendo, to have multiple meanings, but that's as far as I will go with that because I am sure that you get the point. While it definitely does not even begin to apply to all priests, it is a systemic problem that is overlooked even though homosexuality and same-sex marriage are deeply disdained.
Infestissumam then gives listeners "Depth of Satan's Eyes." The opening guitar riff reminds me a bit of the opening guitar riff heard in the Prequelle song "Dance Macabre." According to Genius (and I absolutely agree with its analysis), the song is speaking to people who feel lost because they have lost their faith in Christianity, encouraging them to turn to Satanism. (This theme will be further explored to some degree on Ghost's third album, Meliora.) As I have previously discussed when I discussed and reviewed "Secular Haze," it is definitely possible (although somewhat perplexing) to be secular and also Satanist, as Satanism does not necessarily mean literally worshipping the literal Biblical character, and this song is definitely one that I believe makes that clear. In the song's melodic chorus, for example, Papa sings, "Into the source of wisdom, beyond the Bible lies, into the endless depth of Satan's eyes." I believe that the word lies is meant to have a double meaning, saying not only that wisdom lies beyond the narrow scope of where the Bible lies (as in where it is located) but also that there is wisdom found beyond the lies (as in deception) found in the Bible. If the Bible lies, then does that not mean that it also lies about the existence of Satan? In order to truly believe in the existence of Satan, you have to believe the stories in the Bible, do you not? As I said, this is further evidence that, as Tobias himself has said in many interviews, the Satanic imagery in Ghost's music is not intended to be taken literally. This song is not literally trying to convert people to a set of ideals that literally worships the Devil. What I believe that it is doing is encouraging people to discover themselves, to find their own path and become free, intellectual thinkers. My favorite part of the song is when a chorus of female voices chants a little less than halfway through the song before the song's powerful guitar riff kicks back in. Infestissumam then closes with my favorite song on the album, "Monstrance Clock." This is where, in my opinion, the album is the most creative, the most artsy, and the most theatrical, and it not only closes Infestissumam, but Ghost used it to close shows for a long time before "Square Hammer" eventually took on the role of closing sets. It definitely works as a closer because of its aforementioned dramatic and theatrical nature, and considering the fact that, as I said, Ghost closed so many shows with it, it would seem to be not only a favorite of mine but also a favorite of the band's and maybe even a lot of other fans. (The music video - which features mostly live footage - even opens with fans discussing their love for the band and why they love them.)
As I was first exposing myself to Ghost's music by perusing their entire discography, I remember "Monstrance Clock" being one of the first tracks from Infestissumam that caught my attention, and it remains my favorite from this album. There is a certain anthemic quality to it because of how the chorus is eventually repeated over and over again by a choir over the beautiful sound of an organ. (Have I mentioned that the organ is one of my favorite instruments?) The organ also reminds me a great deal of one of my favorite HIM songs, "Love You Like I Do." The song has been confirmed by Papa Emeritus III (the frontman of the band during the Meliora era) to be a celebration of "the female orgasm in the name of Satan." There are lyrics that clearly corroborate this, as the lyrics seem to be describing the setting of a Satanic ritual: "To the sound of the monstrance clock," Papa gently whispers at the very opening of the song, "air is cleansed, assembled flock. Black candles burn, all minds aligned." He then implies that the chorus of the song is a chant recited by the people present at this ritual when, before the chorus kicks in, he sings, "To the haunting sound of the monstrance clock, singing..." The chorus is as follows: "Come together, together as a one. Come together for Lucifer's son." Forge seems to enjoy using the word come in a cheeky way, implying more than one meaning, and I definitely think that that is what he is doing here, especially given his aforementioned confirmation that the song is about sex. This song supports some of the narrative found on Opus Eponymous - a narrative about engaging in sexual intercourse with Satan in order to bring about the birth of the Antichrist (who would, of course, be Lucifer's son and who would, according to belief, be born of mortal woman, as narratively explored in seasons 1 and 8 of American Horror Story). "Monstrance Clock" is such a sonically powerful way to close the album, although the deluxe edition does feature a bonus track titled "La Mantra Mori" ("The Death Mantra"), a lyrically repetitive rock track (which makes sense because mantras are repetitive) that repeats the same two lines - "We focus on your death" and "You share not the blood of our-our-ours" over and over again. It isn't all that compelling to me, and I am honestly glad that it was relegated to the deluxe edition. Ghost also released a reissue of the album titled Infestissumam Redux which contains "La Mantra Mori" as well as four covers and a live version of "Secular Haze." However, the covers and the live version of "Secular Haze" were also released as an EP titled If You Have Ghost, and I plan to review that EP.
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