Cirice
{{for|the town|Saint-Cirice}}
{{Infobox song
| name = Cirice
| cover = Cirice_(Ghost).jpg
| alt =
| border = yes
| type = single
| artist = Ghost
| album = Meliora
| B-side = "Absolution"
| released = May 30, 2015
| format =
| recorded = January 2015
| studio =
| venue =
| genre =
| length = 6:02
| label = Loma Vista
| writer =
| producer = Klas Åhlund
| prev_title = Year zero
| prev_year = 2013
| next_title = From the Pinnacle to the Pit
| next_year = 2015
}}
"Cirice" ({{IPAc-en|s|ə|ˈ|r|iː|s}} {{respell|sə|REES}},{{cite AV media |date=16 February 2018 |title=Nameless Ghoul of Ghost at the 2016 Carolina Rebellion |medium= |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9XqqNXwGQQM?t=1020 |access-date=29 July 2019 |format=YouTube video |time=17.00 |location= |publisher=WXQR-FM |quote=The proper pronunciation within the Ghost realm is {{IPA|/səˈriːs/}}, but that is not even […] going to a dictionary, it's actually {{IPA|/ˈtʃɛrɪtʃ/}}, I think. […] It's an Old English word}} {{IPA|ang|ˈtʃiritʃe|lang}}; 'church') is a song by the Swedish rock band Ghost. The track was released as the lead single from the group's third studio album Meliora. The song peaked at number 4 on the Mainstream Rock Songs chart, and won the Grammy Award for Best Metal Performance in 2016.
"Cirice" is featured in the video game Rock Band VR's setlist.{{cite web|last1=Devore|first1=Jordan|title=See how Rock Band VR's set list is shaping up|url=https://www.destructoid.com/see-how-rock-band-vr-s-set-list-is-shaping-up-422010.phtml|website=Destructoid|accessdate=2017-03-16}}
Background and release
"Cirice" was originally conceived together with "Devil Church", which was its opening, as a very dark and doomy nine-minute instrumental without a chorus. With the assistance of producer Klas Åhlund, a chorus materialized and the two parts were split.{{cite news|url=http://www.musicradar.com/news/guitars/ghosts-nameless-ghoul-talks-picking-papas-playing-gibson-rd-guitars-and-new-album-meliora-624883 |title=Ghost's Nameless Ghoul talks picking Papas, playing Gibson RD guitars and new album Meliora |publisher=MusicRadar |date=2015-07-15 |accessdate=2015-12-14}}
"Cirice" was released as a free download from the band's official website on May 30, 2015. It was first performed live at their June 3, 2015 concert in their hometown of Linköping.{{cite news|url=http://www.blabbermouth.net/news/video-ghost-performs-new-songs-at-swedish-warm-up-concert/ |title=Video: GHOST Performs New Songs At Swedish 'Warm-Up' Concert |work=Blabbermouth |date=2015-06-03 |accessdate=2015-12-21}} A CD-single coupled with the B-side "Absolution" was released on July 31, 2015 exclusively in independent record stores in the United States.{{cite news|url=http://www.theprp.com/2015/07/31/news/ghost-release-cd-single-for-cirice-absolution-also-featured/ |title=Ghost Release CD-Single For "Cirice", "Absolution" Also Featured |publisher=theprp.com |date=2015-07-21 |accessdate=2015-12-21}} Chad Childers of Loudwire noted the track as "building in tension and heaviness as it progresses."{{cite magazine|magazine=Loudwire|last=Childers|first=Peter|url=http://loudwire.com/ghost-cirice/|title=Ghost Unveil Heavy New Song 'Cirice'|date=May 31, 2015|accessdate=November 25, 2015}} The song was performed live on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert on October 31, 2015, marking the band's first appearance on American television.{{cite web|publisher=Stereogum|last=Helman|first=Peter|url=http://www.stereogum.com/1841197/watch-ghost-perform-cirice-on-colbert/video/|title=Watch Ghost Perform "Cirice" On Colbert|date=October 31, 2015|accessdate=November 25, 2015}}{{cite news|work=Metal Injection|url=http://www.metalinjection.net/video/watch-ghost-perform-cirice-on-the-late-show-with-stephen-colbert|title=Watch GHOST Perform "Cirice" on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert|date=October 31, 2015|accessdate=November 25, 2015}} The single's artwork is a reference to Silence of the Lambs.
Music video
The song's music video, directed by Roboshobo,{{cite web|publisher=VEVO|url=http://www.vevo.com/watch/ghost-bc/cirice-%28official-music-video%29/USC4R1500741|title=Cirice (Official Music Video) – Ghost B.C.|accessdate=November 25, 2015}} was inspired by the 1976 film Carrie.{{cite magazine|magazine=Consequence of Sound|last=Geslani|first=Michelle|url=http://consequenceofsound.net/2015/06/ghost-shares-scary-carrie-inspired-video-for-cirice-watch/|title=Ghost shares scary Carrie-inspired video for "Cirice"|date=June 8, 2015|accessdate=November 25, 2015}} The video shows the band as schoolchildren performing the song at a school talent show, with a boy playing Papa Emeritus III (with Papa Emeritus II facepaint). As he sings the song, he is focused on a girl in the crowd with the two sharing a psychic connection of some kind. As the song climaxes, the principal tries to remove the boy from stage. The girl angrily rises to her feet and reveals "Carrie-like" psychic powers by mentally forcing the principal to release the boy, and then using her powers at random on the rest of the crowd. People run from the auditorium screaming, while the girl continues to smile. Eventually the principal manages to unplug the band's amplifier and puts an end to the madness. After the song ends, a man and a woman, presumably the boy's parents, stand up and cheer for the band with glee.
Reception
"Cirice" peaked at number 4 on Billboard's Mainstream Rock Songs chart.{{Cite web|url=http://www.billboard.com/artist/302801/ghost/chart?f=376 |title=Ghost – Chart history |website=Billboard}} Loudwire ranked the song second on their list of the 20 Best Metal Songs of 2015.{{cite magazine|url=http://loudwire.com/20-best-metal-songs-2015/ |title=20 Best Metal Songs of 2015 |magazine=Loudwire |accessdate=2015-12-14}} "Cirice" and its music video were nominated for Best Metal Song and Best Metal Video in the 2015 Loudwire Music Awards.{{cite web|title=5th Annual Loudwire Music Awards: Complete Winners List|url=http://loudwire.com/5th-annual-loudwire-music-awards-complete-winners-list/|work=Loudwire|accessdate=February 17, 2016}}
The song won the Grammy Award for Best Metal Performance in 2016.{{cite magazine|url=http://loudwire.com/ghost-2016-best-metal-performance-grammy/ |title=Ghost Win 2016 Best Metal Performance Grammy for 'Cirice' |magazine=Loudwire |date=February 15, 2016 |accessdate=February 15, 2016}} A member of the band said that when he got the text message informing him of the nomination, he assumed it was for a Grammis, which are considered the Swedish equivalent to the American awards and which Ghost has won in the past.{{cite news|url=http://www.grammy.com/videos/my-first-grammy-nomination-ghost |title=My First GRAMMY Nomination: Ghost |publisher=Grammy.com |date=February 1, 2016 |accessdate=February 15, 2016}}
Track listing
{{track listing
| title1 = Cirice
| length1 = 6:02
| title2 = Absolution
| note2 = US CD version only
| length2 = 4:51
}}
Charts
| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" |
| scope="col"| Chart (2015)
! scope="col"| Peak |
|---|
| {{single chart|Billboardmainstreamrock|4|artist=Ghost|accessdate=December 13, 2015|rowheader=true}} |
| scope="row"| US Rock Airplay (Billboard){{cite web|title=Chart Search|url=http://www.billboard.com/biz/search/charts?f%5b0%5d=ts_chart_artistname%3AGhost&f%5b1%5d=itm_field_chart_id%3A1228&f%5b2%5d=ss_bb_type%3Achart_item&type=2&artist=Ghost|publisher=Billboard Rock Airplay for Ghost|accessdate=13 December 2015}}
| style="text-align:center;"| 27 |
Certifications
{{Certification Table Top}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=Canada|type=single|artist=Ghost|title=Cirice|award=Gold|relyear=2015|certyear=2023|access-date=14 December 2023}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=Sweden|type=single|artist=Ghost|title=Cirice|award=Gold|relyear=2015|certyear=2017|certref={{cite web|url=http://sys2.grammotex.se/netdata/grp006.mbr/artdata?sart=5918938|title=Ghost – Cirice|language=sv|publisher=Grammotex|access-date=21 April 2025}}}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=United States|type=single|artist=Ghost|title=Cirice|award=Gold|relyear=2015|certyear=2022|access-date=8 June 2022}}
{{Certification Table Bottom|noshipments=true|nosales=true|streaming=true}}
Personnel
- Papa Emeritus III − vocals
- Nameless Ghouls – all instrumentalists: lead guitarist, bassist, keyboardist, drummer, rhythm guitarist
- David M. Brinley − single artwork
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{YouTube|-0Ao4t_fe0I|Music Video}}
{{Ghost}}
{{Grammy Award for Best Metal Performance}}
{{authority control}}
Category:Ghost (Swedish band) songs
Category:Grammy Award for Best Metal Performance