Glad to hear that you've opened up to Ghost, chuckwagon! I agree with everything you said. It's cool to see them getting more recognition lately, even winning the Grammy for Best Metal Performance.
Their image is was what initially caught my eye. Any theatrical band with masks and a skeletal faced singer is going to make me do a double take. But what kept me around was their musical talent and demeanor. While the lyrics sing of Satan and world doom, there's a vibe of positivity, if that makes sense. Their theme is sort of tongue-in-cheek, but they play it totally straight and never break character.
And despite the seemingly scary looks, they love their fans and seem like good guys. When I saw them in concert, there was plenty of crowd interaction. And Papa Emeritus III even said he was afraid to swear because his mother was in the audience (at which point we all cheered for Papa's mama).
Their music has a unique sound and has become even more rich and polished on their latest album. It's melodic and accessible metal, with a bit of Latin chanting thrown in for good measure. If you have a chance to attend one of their live "rituals" I suggest you take it. It's a fun time, while also feeling like a legitimate spiritual event.
I saw them in September 2015. I posted some of these elsewhere previously, but here are a few of my photos and video clips of the show:
