Released September 16, 2016 Label Loma Vista Recordings Producer(s) Tom Dalgety | Length 3:59 Writer(s) A Ghoul Writer | |
Genre Doom metal, heavy metal | ||
Square Hammer is a song by the Swedish heavy metal band Ghost, The track was released as the lead single from the group's second studio EP Popestar. The song peaked at #1 on the Billboard Mainstream Rock chart in January 2017, making the band the first Swedish band to top the chart."Square Hammer" is one of the official theme songs for NXT TakeOver: San Antonio.
Contents
Music video
The camera travels through a green-lit city. Papa Emeritus III takes a paper from a hawker.("heavens torn asunder") He reads about a Mysterious Spectre who has seized power. He also reads about his role as in the first ever moving picture. The picture, "Square Hammer" is set to premiere at the Meliora Grand that very night. He exits the limo and waves to his fans. He and his Nameless Ghouls enter the theatre. They greet fans and take their seats in the front row.
The (silent) film starts with a man holding a torch amidst a dark and stormy landscape. He finds a tunnel. A portcullis raises, revealing Papa Emeritus III as a mysterious spectre.("entrance to the shrine") He conducts the man inside, showing him a stone coffin, which starts to open. (Papa Emeritus III appears surprised about this part. The projector starts to spark.) A squared hammer, surrounded by electric arcs is revealed. The intertitle refers to it as the "Square Hammer". The man picks it up as the mysterious spectre makes mystic passes. The Hammer glows and emits lightning.
Suddenly, the mysterious spectre puts his hand through the screen. It arcs with power. Papa Emeritus III sees it but the others appear unconcerned. Then the mysterious spectre bows and becomes a cloud of bats, which chase everyone except Papa Emeritus III and the ghouls outside the theatre. An afterimage of the mysterious spectre glows blue on the screen.
Outside, the bats ascend into the night sky and congeal into a giant spectre, silhouetted against the full moon. Inside the theatre, the projector sparks even more violently and the film melts. Papa Emeritus III has had enough and leaves. Outside, the blue image of the specter glows against the sky. A spotlight passes over it and its left eye glows. Papa Emeritus III's left eye begins to glow before the cut.
Production
The "Square Hammer" footage was shot on location in Transylvania using Kodak super 8 film.
Vinyl
An expensive limited edition Square Shaped 7" vinyl picture disc record was released as well. It will be available only at the merchandise table exclusively for the Popestar Tour.
Reception
MetalSucks gave the video a positive review. Metal Injection gave the song a positive review.
Loudwire named "Square Hammer" the best metal song of 2016 and awarded the video as Best Metal Video in their 6th Annual Loudwire Music Awards in 2017, leading the vote with 39.27% over videos such as Avenged Sevenfold's The Stage and Slayer's You Against You.