Ghost: The Art Of Subversion, Enigma In The Internet Age & Revival Of Satanic Panic
Swedish rock band Ghost has mastered the art of subverting expectations — from “killing off” and “resurrecting” different iterations of their frontmen to the anonymity of the instrumentalists, the universality of their melodic sound and playful lyrics juxtaposed by their intense/gothic imagery, philanthropic causes, the intricacy of their lore…the list goes on.
While the band has been around since 2006 and gained a cult following, (known as the Congregation, more on that late) they recently gained more mainstream traction from a clip of their single “Mary On A Cross” going viral on TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube being used in shorts, often pitch-shifted or slowed and reverbed depending on the videos’ contexts. In all honesty, that’s how I found them and actually began digging into their full body of work, though I’d had brief knowledge of them prior due to their enigmatic stage personas/presence.
I checked out their most recent live performance of “Mary On A Cross,” and I was blown away…not just by lead singer Tobias Forge’s incredible vocal performance, but the instrumentation, the theatrics, the demographic of the fans, the cheeky humor of the lyrics. With the intense visual aesthetic, I’d expected a hardcore sound reminiscent of Iron Maiden or Slipknot, and while that’s present in some of their earlier work, Ghost seamlessly incorporates the glamorous theatrics of ABBA, Styx, and Alice Cooper with the classic metal elements spurred by the likes of Judas Priest, Metallica, and Black Sabbath. To top it off, the band has inimitable production sensibilities. It’s equally nostalgic as fresh, haunting and healing, enigmatic and inviting. I was instantly hooked.
WATCH “Mary On A Cross” LIVE HERE:
Aesthetically and sonically, Ghost pulls a lot of their influences from Catholicism and 70s-80s era Satanism. The band is referred to as “The Clergy,” and lead singer Papa Emeritus IV (the fifth iteration of their frontman, following I, II, III, and Nihil) represents a sort of “demonic anti-Pope,” donning everything from a bejeweled black version of the cassock and Mitre Pretiosa (papal headdress) to steampunk suits, cross necklaces, mismatched green and white contacts and a full face of signature skull makeup.
The name is also a pun hinting at the “anti-Pope” status — Emeritus being a distinction for a “retired” but honorary holder of office, and the papacy being held until death — one of Ghost’s many tongue-in-cheek references to/rebellion of religion. Before being “anointed” as Emeritus IV, the character was called Cardinal Copia. Every iteration of the character except for Nihil has been played by Forge, who wears full prosthetics while on stage and in promotional visuals for the band.
The anonymous instrumentalists, referred to as “The Nameless Ghouls,” wear identical face-concealing masks, spanning from masquerade-style opera masks to WWII-era gas masks depending on the album era. The band also often teases new albums through short films on YouTube, with reoccurring characters including each iteration of the Papas, Sister Imperator (one of the leaders of the Clergy, former lover of Papa Nihil, and alleged mother of Copia/Emeritus IV), and Forge’s actual children making a cameo as clergy members as well.
The shorts are visually stunning and well-written but don’t take themselves too seriously, often incorporating comedic elements like Cardinal Copia riding a tricycle or the Ghouls playing UNO instead of poker, you know, for obvious reasons…
Forge said of Ghost’s desire for anonymity in a 2011 interview with Hellbound:
“We [the band] realized that we needed to leave stuff up to the imagination. We want to leave things to the listeners and fantasy. We want people to think, feel something, let go.”
There’s something fascinating about a band able to maintain that level of anonymity in the internet age. The Ghouls have conducted masked interviews and tell people the key to maintaining the mystery is to be off the grid regarding social media. Forge even stated that members were nearly kicked out of their venues or mistaken for roadies and that “forgetting our backstage pass is a big problem.”
Fittingly, the band’s fans are known as The Congregation. Concertgoers are often seen sporting Emeritus-inspired skull makeup, nuns’ habits, crosses, etc. Many fans have credited Ghost with being integral to healing from religious trauma, a notion I can honestly second and appreciate myself. There’s something so inviting about their presence, like they’re the antagonist to anyone who hasabused or twisted the core meaning of religion to exclude, patronize or bring harm unto others for merely existing or living a way they deem “other,” and a refuge for anyone who fell prey to such mistreatment.
Additionally, Ghost has been involved in numerous humanitarian causes. After fan Jeff Fortune’s untimely death at one of their 2018 shows, Ghost crowdfunded for the family’s expenses, designed a one-of-a-kind poster depicting Papa Emeritus and the late Fortune in costume, and returned later that year to finish the set as a tribute. This year, Forge also recorded a cover of Metallica’s “Enter Sandman” to support Camp Arunu’tiq, a sleepaway camp for transgender children.
What is truly incredible about Ghost, or honestly about rock and metal in general, is how their act has revived and recycled controversy cornerstone “Satanic panic.”
In 2012, while trying to record the backing vocals for their sophomore album in Nashville, Tennessee, Ghost couldn’t find choral singers who would agree to sing their lyrics, which forced them to record parts of the album in Hollywood instead. Their sophomore album Infestissumam had a delayed U.S. release after a CD manufacturer refused to print artwork featuring nudity (the HORROR!), calling it “blasphemous and sacrilegious.”
It truly amazes me how the Satanic angle still riles up people, especially since controversy and taboo topics will only ever draw more people to check out and embrace the work of the respective artist…and, in Ghost’s case, like Kiss, Black Sabbath and many rock forefathers before, they manage to completely subvert listeners’ expectations with elements of glamor, theater, humor topped off by unbelievably catchy melodies/lyrics. Their ability to be unapologetic is something to behold.
Ghost has a new covers EP, Phantomime, due for release in May, including Genesis (“Jesus He Knows Me” is out now!), Iron Maiden and Tina Turner, just in time for summer, and I couldn’t be more excited.
LISTEN to Ghost’s 2022 compilation album ‘MESSAGE FROM THE CLERGY’ and 2019’s “50th Anniversary Re-Release” ‘Seven Inches Of Satanic Panic’ HERE:
Writer’s note: Thank you to all the writers and editors at The Riff for all of your insightful work and for allowing me to be a part of this community of all things music, literature & pop culture. Write on!
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