It's about time someone finally brought heavy metal and sex toys -- a match made in heaven -- together in one package. And Swedish heavy metallers Ghost (also known as Ghost B.C.) was just the band to do it.
Known for their eccentric on-stage presence -- five of the members (known as "Nameless Ghouls") wear hooded robes, while the lead singer dons a skull mask and cardinal outfit -- Ghost just put out its second album, Infestissumam, on April 10. Along with this release, the band also put out 250 limited-edition hardcore-fan collectibles dubbed "Phallos Mortuus" Ritual Box Sets.
The set includes a Papa Emeritus II "Dildo Puppetmaster" T-shirt, a bible box with gold-embossed artwork and a red velvet lining, a divorce paper scroll with a customized Ghost foil emblem, a brushed-metal logo charm, and -- finally -- a handful of sex toys, including a sculpted black dildo.
And since the band members have always kept their identities as secret as possible, it's fitting that the dildo is topped with nothing less than the lead vocalist's head.
Hm. There's nothing quite like picturing a spawn-of-Satan corpse in religious garb during what is known in my house as the only time you lock your bedroom door. Priced at $199.99, it's currently available for pre-order and will start shipping May 3.
Ghost isn't the first heavy band to make sex toys. (You may remember a few years back when Rammstein released quite the dildo-tastic promotion. However none of their faces were ever put onto the toys.)
Ghost B.C. is currently on tour, and while they might not sound as extreme as their get-up and performances would have you believe, they've actually done a great job of evoking a type of vintage "Satanic" heavy rock, with a style that's similar to Mercyful Fate and Blue Oyster Cult.
Their high-profile fans include Dave Grohl (they've even recorded an ABBA cover with him) and James Hetfield, and this second album was produced by Grammy-winning producer Nick Raskulinecz (Foo Fighters, QOTSA, Alice in Chains) in his Nashville studio.
Ghost B.C. basically play occult pop music, showcasing chirpy hooks about things like human sacrifice, Elizabeth Bathory, and the Dark Lord. (For what it's worth, the Japanese edition of their debut album Opus Eponymous included a cover of the Beatles' "Here Comes the Sun.")
If they come through your town and you're a metalhead, you probably shouldn't miss the show. And as luck would have it, they're rumored to be going on tour with Avenged Sevenfold and Deftones.
Now that's one hell of a lineup -- and it just might call for some celebratory sexy time.