Review by Adam M on December 7, 2018.

Ghost performs a very fun take on metal music.  In fact it reminds me of video game music to a large extent.  There are a variety of catchy moments on the disc.  It sounds very upbeat and like the band are having a great deal of fun.  Right from the onset of Rats the band establishes their catchy sound.  The songs are very accessible and almost gothic sounding at times.  This is certainly the most mainstream the band has sounded, yet I believe they have perfected their sound to a certain extent on the album. 

It certainly isn’t as amazing as some publications might be making it out to be, but this is a very addictive and fun album.  The fact that they are able to change the mood for subtle tracks like Life Eternal shows their diversity.  It’s also pretty unique music as the band has moved away from their Mercyful Fate influences.  They are now a very commercial sounding outfit that still has the ability to put hooks into their songs to make them different enough from other bands.  This is music that is cheesy enough to be looked down upon and it is this aspect of the album that prevents it from being excellent.  The music is merely very good because it is a bit too silly to be anything else.  Still the songs are anthemic enough to have an impact upon the listener. 

I wish they would try even more of the softer tracks like Life Eternal because that is what I liked the most from Prequelle.  Those moments are finely crafted and show a band maturing and coming into its own.  Some of the more heavy moments are also addictive.  It all adds up to a fun album that is very good, despite not being the masterpiece some are making it out to be. 

Rating: 7.8 out of 10