Fear, Emptiness, Decibel: September Issue Haunted by Ghost

Before there were blogs there were these things called magazines, and the only metal magazine we still get excited about reading every month is Decibel. Here’s managing editor Andrew Bonazelli…

Three Ghost albums, three Decibel covers. They must be pretty popular, huh? Except when we first interviewed a Nameless Ghoul and shot the Swedish occult rockers in London’s allegedly haunted St. Bartholomew the Great church in 2011, it was Ghost’s first cover story anywhere. Papa Emeritus II would later disgrace the cover of our sold-out 100th issue. While we don’t agree with James Hetfield, Phil Anselmo, Fenriz and Nergal on everything (you know, in our monthly state-of-metal Skype summits), they’re right on the money about this: Ghost fucking rule.

That said, plenty of both nonbelievers and the converted felt that 2013 sophomore effort Infestissumam lacked the hellacious hooks of debut Opus Eponymous. Well, all should be silenced by third-time charmer Meliora, due just less than a month from now on Loma Vista. The title translates to “better,” and first single “Cirice” (with its accompanying, darkly charming preteen talent show video) is just that. In the brand-new September Decibel, J. Bennett breaks bread with one of the collective’s many Nameless Ghouls to discuss the hypocrisy of religious authority, the band’s entertaining new stage apparel, and the ascent of mysterious new frontman Papa Emeritus III.

Still not sold? The rest of the issue is stacked. Autopsy earns their second Hall of Fame feature for the classic Severed Survival, we provide the first hint of what the new Baroness album will sound like, and Saviours and Wino tag-team the Flexi Series to further pervert Blue Öyster Cult’s “Hot Rails to Hell.”

The September 2015 issue of Decibel can be purchased here. But if you don’t just get a full subscription, Papa Emeritus III will opus your eponymous.