In Ghosted, Italy’s champions of happy power metal, Trick Or Treat, tear open a portal into a haunted carnival of sound—where blistering speed meets blood-curdling fun. It’s not just an album, it’s a full-on power metal haunted house ride, guided by the ever-theatrical Alessandro Conti (Twilight Force, ex-Rhapsody), whose voice swings from heroic highs to ghostly growls with delicious ease.

While Trick Or Treat has always flirted with fantasy and humor, Ghosted raises the stakes—and the corpses. Each track dives headfirst into beloved horror, comic, and video game mythos. Whether it’s chainsaw-wielding insanity in “Evil Dead Never Sleeps,” the nightmare-fueled riffs of “Bitter Dreams,” or the slasher-mania of “The 13th,” the band balances tongue-in-cheek theatrics with genuine compositional skill. There’s a sense of joy in the darkness—an embrace of nostalgia and nightmare that’s as musically sharp as it is thematically entertaining.

Adding spice to the cauldron are guest vocalists Chris Bowes (Alestorm) and Adrienne Cowan (Avantasia, Seven Spires), whose performances inject variety and flair into an already colorful record. Cowan’s haunting power perfectly complements the band’s gothic energy, while Bowes brings his piratey chaos like a barrel of cursed rum rolling into a vampire rave.

Production by Simone Mularoni ensures the album punches hard, while the mix preserves every theatrical synth, galloping riff, and anthemic chorus. The artwork, handled by Alle Conti himself, encapsulates the album’s dual nature: spooky yet absurd, heavy yet playful.

From the cinematic opener to the campy closer, Ghosted is a high-voltage homage to the cult classics of horror, gaming, and comics. It’s power metal with a pulse—and a sense of humor—delivered by a band that knows how to have fun without sacrificing musical integrity.

Final Verdict: 9/10 A horror-themed power metal party that’s part DragonForce, part Scooby-Doo, and all Trick Or Treat. Ghosted proves that even the undead can shred.