As seems to have become their modus operandi after releasing new album Prequelle last year Swedish goth-black-pop-rockers Ghost are back with a new EP, Seven Inches Of Satanic Panic.

It is, according to their own increasingly convoluted, self-created back story, a throw back to the ‘original incarnation’ of the band led by Papa Nihil (Tobias Forge once again back under the corpse paint) in the late 1960s.

Ok, so the whole Ghost-mythos thing heads ever closer to jumping the shark, but largely it remains a fun side show as long as they keep making good music and, thankfully, that’s what they’ve done here. Though once again it’s likely going to side swipe a few who preferred the band’s earlier style as we take yet another step away from the Mercyful Fate inspired proto-black metal of old.

What we get on the two tracks here instead is something that feels like Prequelle but with the conceptual theatrical side turned down and the psychedelic rock dialled up.

Both tracks are laden with 60s style organ sounds that I’ll admit I’m always a sucker for, while the whole thing (down to the tracks run times) has a far poppier vibe.

That said, lyrically things haven’t changed that much as the band’s anti-authority and ‘satanic’ message remains intact.

Kiss The Go-Goat even has passages reminiscent of Infestissumam’s Year Zero while Mary On A Cross is, from the title on down, clearly prodding at religious sensitivities (the sort that decried them as full on dangerous Satanists on their most recent US tour).

Within all of this their sense of humour is once again more pronounced making it a fun and upbeat listening experience despite the serious overtones and the video for Kiss The Go-Goat epitomises this too complete with an older Papa Nihil reminiscing and a flash back to the Whisky A Go Go in the late 60s.

Once again with Seven Inches Of Satanic Panic Ghost have returned looking to, if not exactly confound expectations anymore, then continue on their own clear path regardless of what others may think they should be doing.

To my mind they’re all the better for this and its a big part of what makes them one of the most interesting bands in rock and metal today while giving us a couple more tracks that sound great on record and will no doubt join their raft of live favourites over their upcoming world tour.