Tobias Forge says most Ghost songs aren't about the Devil
Tobias Forge claims that, despite appearances, a lot of Ghost's music isn't actually about the Devil.
Since debuting with 2010's Opus Eponymous, the Swedish hard rock/heavy metal outfit have presented themselves as a subversive church with a skeletal 'pope' singer, portrayed by Forge, and an ensemble of druid-like backing musicians called 'nameless ghouls'. Their back-catalogue also includes such songs as Devil Church, Depth Of Satan's Eyes and the new single Satanized.
However, Forge says in a new interview with Metal Hammer that that seeming fascination with The Great Horned One is only skin-deep. 'With most of the things I've written, including parts of the first record, there's this misconception that they're about the Devil, and they aren't really,' he insists.
So what do Ghost's songs actually discuss? 'They've always been about mankind's relationship with the concept of life and death,' Forge continues, 'and God and divine presence or absence. Some songs are expressed with more specificity at a certain individual or a certain aspect of society. I just felt that I wanted this new record to be… about being human. Being alive.'
Elsewhere in the interview, Forge talks about Ghost's 'new' frontman Papa V Perpetua, who replaces the outgoing character Papa Emeritus IV (even though it's still the same man beneath the mask and mitre). He admits that he doesn't know much about the new singer's personality yet and that it will reveal itself once he starts playing live.
'I've always felt that it was a scary thing,' he adds. 'On one hand, I'm trying to make the 'product' that is Ghost an entertaining thing for our fans. On the other, I try to do that as pleasantly as is possible for myself as well.
'When I decided to introduce Cardinal Copia into the mix [for 2018 album Prequelle], it felt very uncomfortable because he was going to be thrown out there as someone who hadn't become [a Papa Emeritus] yet: 'Wow, this is going to be a little different.' But what I did know was that I didn't have to go through the process of introducing a new character for the next album. Now, I do!'
Ghost release their new album, Skeletá, on April 25 via Loma Vista. The band will start the six-month Skeletour world tour to promote the release in Manchester, UK, on April 15. See dates and details of the shows below.
Ghost are the cover stars on the new issue of Hammer. As well as an in-depth interview with Forge, the magazine comes with two Ghost-inspired patches and an art print, plus conversations with Cradle Of Filth, Wardruna, Lamb Of God, Atreyu, Harper and many more. Order your copy now and get it delivered directly to your door!
UK:Apr 15: Manchester AO ArenaApr 16: Glasgow OVO HydroApr 19: London The O2Apr 20: Birmingham Utilita Arena
Europe:Apr 22: Antwerp Sportpaleis, BelgiumApr 23: Frankfurt Festhalle, GermanyApr 24: Munich Olympiahalle, GermanyApr 26: Lyon LDLC Arena, FranceApr 27: Toulouse Zenith Metropole, FranceApr 29: Lisbon MEO Arena, PortugalApr 30: Madrid Palacio Vistalegre, SpainMay 03: Zurich AG Hallenstadion, SwitzerlandMay 04: Milan Unipol Forum, ItalyMay 07: Berlin Uber Arena, GermanyMay 08: Amsterdam Ziggo Dome, NetherlandsMay 10: Lodz Atlas Arena, PolandMay 11: Prague O2 Arena, Czech RepublicMay 13: Paris Accor Arena, FranceMay 14: Oberhausen Rudolph Weber Arena, GermanyMay 15: Hannover ZAG Arena, GermanyMay 17: Copenhagen Royal Arena, DenmarkMay 20: Tampere Nokia Arena, FinlandMay 22: Linköping Saab Arena, SwedenMay 23: Sandviken Göransson Arena, SwedenMay 24: Oslo Spektrum, Norway
USA: Jul 09: Baltimore CFG Bank Arena, MDJul 11: Atlanta State Farm Arena, GAJul 12: Tampa Amalie Arena, FLJul 13: Miami Kaseya Center, FLJul 15: Raleigh PNC Arena, NCJul 17: Cleveland Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse, OHJul 18: Pittsburgh PPG Paints Arena, PAJul 19: Philadelphia Wells Fargo Center, PAJul 21: Boston TD Garden, MAJul 22: New York Madison Square Garden, NYJul 24: Detroit Little Caesars Arena, MIJul 25: Louisville KFC Yum! Center, KYJul 26: Nashville Bridgestone Arena, TNJul 28: Grand Rapids Van Andel Arena, MIJul 29: Milwaukee Fiserv Forum, WIJul 30: St Louis Enterprise Center, MOAug 01: Rosemont Allstate Arena, ILAug 02: Saint Paul Xcel Energy Center, MNAug 03: Omaha CHI Health Center, NEAug 05: Kansas City T-Mobile Center, MOAug 07: Denver Ball Arena, COAug 09: Las Vegas MGM Grand Garden Arena, NVAug 10: San Diego Viejas Arena, CAAug 11: Phoenix Footprint Center, AZAug 14: Austin Moody Center ATX, TXAug 15: Fort Worth Dickies Arena, TXAug 16: Houston Toyota Center, TX
Mexico:Sep 24: Mexico City Palacio De Los Deportes
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