Artist Ghost (Sweden)

With its nameless members decked out in identity-shrouding robes and its frontman, Papa Emeritus, dressed up like a Catholic cardinal in corpse paint, it’s apparent that Sweden’s Ghost is what you’d call “theatrical.” The band’s debut LP, 2010’s Opus Eponymous, mixed riff-heavy doom metal with driving, prog rock-ish organ lines. The album played like a 35-minute black mass, making up in ceremony and eerie, occult gravity what it lacked in heaviness. But it’s on stage where Ghost really comes alive; the stage show’s conceived as totalizing experiences designed to bring the audience into the devil-worshipping fold. Call it “gimmicky” if you want. We’ll call it awesome.

Updated 01/09/2012