How Ghost is spearheading a new metal movement
Explaining Ghost to an unfamiliar audience is a difficult task. If not a blank expression, it’s met with a maelstrom of questions – who’s behind the mask? Why do they look so scary? Do they sound like Slipknot?
Mostly it all just results in ‘I don’t get it’. Ghost, the brainchild of Swedish musician Tobias Forge, is a mesmerising genre-defying band that skyrocketed to fame virtually overnight. Forge’s shrewd move of uploading three tracks from their debut album to MySpace in 2010 yielded instant fruitful results as it caught the attention of multiple record labels. Blending rock, classic metal, and pop influences, Ghost masterfully craft a sonic landscape that resonates with the most discerning music enthusiasts. Notably, Forge’s eclectic range of musical inspirations, spanning from the likes of Iron Maiden, Metallica, and Black Sabbath to ABBA and Tina Turner, speaks volumes about his artistic vision. With unabashed honesty, Forge affirms that Ghost is a labour of love designed to captivate devoted music lovers.
The band is fronted by Forge, appearing under various personas, including ‘Papa Emeritus’ and ‘Cardinal Copia’. The Ghost lore is a deep trove of histories and characteristics surrounding these characters, which can be experienced in the band’s YouTube series. Each frontman takes on a new look, as do the accompanying members, also known collectively as “Nameless Ghouls”. Fans have become so fond of the members that they’ve even gone so far as to give them their own names – such as ‘Terzo’ for the third Papa, and ‘Aether’, ‘Mountain’, ‘Swiss’, and ‘Rain’ for the Ghouls. Have I lost you yet?
In forming Ghost’s visuals, Forge draws inspiration from Catholic Church ideology, deftly weaving together contrasting themes to create a striking vision. By challenging the oppressive nature often associated with religious institutions, he constructs a counterpoint that champions liberation and individuality. The band embrace Satanic imagery and explores the allure of the occult, interweaving lyrics that confront the contradictions inherent in mainstream religious adherence. But that’s not Ghost’s main message.
Despite first impressions garnered from their physical appearance, Ghost is largely about accessibility. Its fusion of rock and pop makes for some delightfully catchy riffing and melodies, whilst Forge’s own vocals make for something that’s as fun as it is admirable. “I love the band,” Metallica’s James Hetfield told SVT, “I heard the music first, and I thought it was very great, very unique, very melodic and a breath of fresh air for metal. It reminded me a bit of ’70s kind of rock that I liked as well.”
Perhaps something that explains their mainstream listening appeal is the fact that hardcore metal fans hate them. This is for various reasons, but mainly because the band claim spaces in the metal community whilst being unapologetically and distinctively un-metal. Sure, some of their music sounds heavy, but more so, they’re formulaic and melodic in a way that earns repeated listens, and most often from music fans who would never ever go anywhere near metal.
On top of that, their live performances take this energy to new heights. Known for their theatricality and stunning pyrotechnics, Ghost has established a well-deserved reputation for delivering an impressive spectacle. With meticulously crafted and elaborate costumes, their stage presence exudes an endearing aura that is further heightened by Forge’s unique sense of humour. I became an immediate fan of Ghost last year when I went to one of their gigs in Malmö, Sweden. I vaguely knew of them and heard a couple of their songs, but it wasn’t until I saw them live that I instantly got it.
Ghost’s appeal isn’t limited to their live performances, but it certainly gets your blood pumping. Their set included some of their biggest hits like ‘Mary On A Cross’, ‘Rats’, ‘Square Hammer’, ‘Dance Macabre’, Kiss The Go-Goat’, and so on. Their music has the ability to excite, enthral, and delight – I’d be surprised if anybody got to the end of ‘Griftwood’ and didn’t immediately want to hit the repeat button.
If the band’s extensive fictional universe appears daunting, the music alone is enough to effortlessly captivate and achieve irresistible magnetism. With Ghost, there’s always an air of intrigue, ensuring that the allure never wanes and leaving you perpetually intrigued about what remarkable sonic wonders await on the horizon.
