Ghost - Square Hammer
Ghost are easily recognizable because of their eccentric on-stage presence. Five of the group's six members wear virtually identical, face-concealing costumes. The most distinguishable member is the vocalist, who wears a prosthetic face with skull face paint, appearing as what can be described as a "demonic anti-Pope". For a better understanding of "Square Hammer," we need to go back because previous Ghost's albums established a story-line about the Anti-Christ. In the first album "Opus Eponymous" songs refer to the advent of the Anti-Christ. The birth and the arrival of the Anti-Christ on Earth is the main theme of the second album "Infestissumam". The third album "Meliora" describes establishing Anti-Christ's reign on Earth. "Square Hammer" extends the idea behind the third album. The song is proposing people to swear to the devil instead of god. This sets the notion that the devil is no longer an abstract idea, but rather is an established entity. It also introduces the idea that the devil occupies the spirit of people. Right before the release of "Popestar" band promoted the song with a "Summoning" video, which declared the idea, that the band shouldn't be overwhelmed with their success and must remember their main mission. The camera flies through a green-lit city showing the arrival of the dark entity. Papa Emeritus III takes a newspaper from a paperboy. Papa looks through the news about the Mysterious Spectre who has seized power. He also checks the press release about his role as in the first ever moving picture. The movie "Square Hammer" will be premiered at the Meliora Grand that very night. He comes out of the limo and waves to his fans. He and Nameless Ghouls enter the theater. They salute their fans and take their seats in the front row. The movie starts with a man holding a torch amidst a gloomy and cold landscape. He discovers a secret entrance. A portcullis raises, revealing Papa Emeritus III in a role of the Mysterious Spectre. He conveys the man inside, showing him a stone sarcophagus, which starts to open. Papa Emeritus III looks surprised about this part. The projector begins to spark. A squared hammer, surrounded by electric arcs is revealed. The intertitle indicates it to be the "Square Hammer." The man picks it up as the Mysterious Spectre makes mystic passes, taking control of the Hammer's power. The Hammer glows and emits lightning. Suddenly, the Mysterious Spectre puts his hand through the screen. mes through the screen and chase everyone except Papa Emeritus III and the ghouls outside the theater. A phantom image of the Mysterious Spectre glows blue on the screen. Outside, the bats ascend into the midnight sky and assemble into a giant spectre, which gets the full power. Inside the theater, the projector breaks and the film melts. Papa Emeritus III is disappointed and finally leaves. Outside, the giant figure of the Mysterious Spectre glows against the sky. A spotlight moves over it and its left eye glows. Papa Emeritus III's left eye begins to glow in answer before the end.
