In the morning of 30 September I woke up to a really nice [MESSAGE FROM THE CLERGY]. After days with Ghost surprise single Hunter’s Moon on repeat I have some reflections, except that it is a really good surprise, on my mind that wants to be written down.
First, the video:
Then, the lyrics by Max Grahn and A Ghoul Writer (Tobias) :
It’s been a long time coming
I’m coming back for you, my friend
where we’d hide as children
I’m coming back for you, my friend
Though my memories have faded
They come back to haunt me once again
And though my mind is somewhat jaded now
It’s time for me to strike again
Tonight, it’s a Hunter’s Moon
Under a headstone, sister
I’m dying to see you, my friend (Ah)
Back in the old cemetery
I’m dying to see you, my friend
Though my memories have faded
They come back to haunt me once again
And though my mind is somewhat jaded now
It’s time for me to strike again
Tonight, it’s a Hunter’s Moon
Ooh, I’m comin
I’m dying
To see you one last time, together
Though my memories have faded
They come back to haunt me once again
And though my mind is somewhat jaded now
It’s time for me to strike again
I’m coming back for you, my friend
Tonight, it’s a Hunter’s Moon
Hunter´s Moon is a song from the soundtrack of the upcoming movie HALLOWEEN KILLS. I have seen two horror movies, The Ring and The Blair Witch Project, over my 34 years of life. Although, I think that Signs is a horror movie because I saw that one in the cinema, and omg what I screamed when I wasn’t hiding behind my popcorn. I don’t intend to extend my list of horror movies. Ever.
But hey, I’m a very big Ghost fan and I haven’t seen the movies in the franchise of HALLOWEEN but I understand the concept. Reading about it isn’t the same thing as watching.
My first reflection of Hunters Moon is regarding a very small and interesting detail. And it’s a detail I’m most impressed about in the song.
That very small and interesting detail sets the moment from when Hunter´s Moon becomes very, very creepy in just how Papa IV (Tobias Forge) sings the end of one word: Friend.
As you can see in the lyrics above the word “friend” is mentioned five times during the song. The two first ones comes 7 seconds and 15 seconds in. If you just ignore all other lyrics the two first “friend” sound open and friendly.
The third one comes after 48 seconds and the fourth 55 seconds in. Now the word is sung with a very slight but notable change that differs from the two first ones. And now it is not so friendly anymore. Now you can taste the psychopath in there with a tiny tension in Papa IV (Tobias Forge) voice. Now the song flips over to be totally creepy.
I’m impressed because it doesn’t have to be big stuff that sets the mood of a song.
I have read some reviews of Hunter´s Moon and watched a bunch of reactions on Youtube. In several of these Hunter´s Moon are linked to ABBA. And yes, ABBA is indeed another super-band from Sweden (where I live). But as a big power metal fan ABBA is not my first go-to regarding Hunter´s Moon musically, although I sense a bit of pop in there which is not uncommon in Ghost´s songs. In Square Hammer and Dance Macabre for example, pop is among the ingredients in the recipe.
If you look after other musical ingredients in Ghost hints of power metal can be found. I have always thought that the guitar-solo in Rats has a power metal touch.
In my first impression of Hunter´s Moon my mind led straight to Avantasia. I don’t know why but specifically to “Lost in Space”.
Then to Avantasias “Mystery of a Blood Red Rose”, that Tobias Sammet wrote with Meat Loaf in mind, which you really can’t miss.
And with Meat Loaf in mind you have a male vocalist that also can set the mood for a song like “I´d Do Anything For Love” with just some simple but very great vocal impressions, like Tobias Forge in Hunter´s Moon.
Hunter’s Moon is built up to be grandiose and wicked. The tone is almost cheerful, besides the line “It’s A hunter’s moon”. And that cheerful sound with a key change that fits in a Eurovision Song Contest is making the song even more wicked than if the song would have been totally dark. The lyrics are concrete, it leaves much to the imaginary.
Tobias Forge himself tells a bit of how he came up with the song in this video.
OPETH´s Fredrik Åkesson on guitar and Martin Hederos on piano is amazing.
Worth mentioning is that Klas Åhlund is back with Ghost as the producer of Hunter´s Moon. Åhlund was the producer of the album Meliora in 2015, including the Grammy Award winning Cirice in 2016. Klas Åhlund and Ghost are a winning combination.
In the end of the video we get to meet Papa IV for real, and I’m excited about his next step. I mean, two years since Ghost released something has passed. Give me more!
