10 Best Hard Rock & Heavy Metal Songs Of 2018

9. Ghost – “Dance Macabre”

Between their 2010 debut, Opus Eponymous, and their third album, Meliora, Ghost gradually transformed from an ominous and Satanic doom metal troupe to elaborate arena rockers. Their choruses became more ‘80s pop-inspired, while lyrics once concerning Elizabeth Báthory and bloody rituals were replaced with more romantic and accessible themes.

With such catchy anthems as “Rats” and “Pro Memoria”, their 2018 album, Prequelle, affirmed Ghost’s new, stadium-sized tendencies. And while some may roll their eyes at its pop inclinations, there’s no denying Prequelle has given fans a cavalcade of extremely fun songs, of which “Dance Macabre” is perhaps the greatest.

The melodic rock single is best described as a union of Kiss, Blue Öyster Cult and even Abba. Its musicianship is remarkably simple, yet toe-tapping at every turn. Every second is dominated by a newly infectious harmony. Glam rock-esque lines like “How can it end like this? / There’s a sting in the way you kiss me” are among the many that frontman Cardinal Copia sings in his bombastic tone.

Yes, “Dance Macabre” is not exactly an unpredictable entity. But through its pure dedication to making rock ‘n’ roll as kitsch and camp as humanly possible, it’s a very charming slice of nostalgic fun.

 
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