Are you fascinated by the ascent of Ghost? Are you intrigued by this young group that is taking off unusually? Who is behind this masked group, and why all this cinema in the clips? Is Ghost the most famous swedish death metal band?
Ghost is a band from the city of Linköping in Sweden. It formed in 2006 with a musical style close to hard rock, which started to tend towards black metal. The bands use masks to preserve their anonymity. A cinematographic universe inspires them based on the horror of the catholic liturgy.
Welcome to you on Skull Action, dear friend, Today; We are going to discover together some great truths about this group so unique; we will see :
- The rise of the ghost group
- Who hides behind the mask of the frontman?
- Why was Ghost accused of Satanism?
The Controversial Swedish Rockers
During the last ten years, the Ghost group has made a rise that few groups have managed to make; their main asset is ‘“intrigue.” Indeed, many questions are to be asked about the members’ identity, the style of the video clips, and borderline satanic makeup.
The media has been instrumental in pushing Ghost to the top; it’s normal to talk about such a band on TV and in magazines; the audience for this unusual band is massive, especially since he has collaborated with big names like Iron Maiden.
Some old school metalheads think that Ghost doesn’t have their place in the big league; it may be because of the way they sing, or maybe the fact that the videos are not dark or brutal enough; they are not even 100% satanic like the ones of Gorgoroth or Behemoth for example.
The point that bothers old school metalheads is the band's strategy to make people talk about them. Indeed, Ghost is an excellent advertising machine that has understood how to make a place for itself in the media. Their offbeat actions and provocative styles attract attention. They address the media and denounce them to appear as rebels, but the final strategy is to draw attention! A unique advertising performance!
How Ghost exploded like a volcano
The band Ghost first appeared around the year 2010; they performed with three doom metal tracks, they added horror clips with a gothic atmosphere. The first album Opus Eponymous was released on both European and American continents.
Indeed, Rise Above (Europe) and Metal Blade (USA) are two metal music labels that allowed Ghost’s rapid rise. The band’s image comprises the main character in satanic pope "Papa Emeritus" and "Nameless Ghouls" in black outfits with diabolic masks that looks like morbid angels.
The band’s musical style has evolved, and several singles have been performed with heavy metal music that can remind us of the ‘80s. The most recent track is "Rats" the video clip is quite intriguing and presents the new frontman of the band dancing in a decor of urban desolation; it may remind us of the medieval plague carried by rats.
Why did Ghost become "Ghost B.C"?
The frontman of the group has embodied several characters for each album. All are characters with a religious influence, we quote, Leviathan, Mary Foore, Cardinal Copia, Papa Emeritus I, II, III, and IV. Behind these characters hides Tobias Forge, the frontman of the group.
The mysterious character did his best to preserve his anonymity. Rob Zombie accidentally unmasked him. He has been forced to share his experience with his new life after being unmasked. For legal reasons, the band was forced to change its name to "Ghost B.C" in 2013. Two years later, they abandoned this new name.
Ghost, the self-advertising machine
Have you watched the Meta Gala in the year 2018? The theme was directly related to the Catholic religion "Catholic fashion and imagination.” Rihanna, the famous pop star, appeared in a traditional papal dress with a mitre on her head.
The advertising experts Ghost reacted by tweeting, "We would like to inform you that imitation is the most sincere form of flattery. Thank you, Rihanna".
This response shows how well this band knows the social and globalized strings these days; they take advantage of a singer like Rihanna to say that she is one of their fans, just like a metalhead wearing a Metallica T-Shirt 😄.
Ghost Band Wanted, accused of being satanic.
Since the 70s, rock and metal have been associated with rebellion 💪 and even Satanism, as is heavy metal. Some heavy bands have imposed themselves in the past as masters in the fusion of music, religion, and Satanism, and we quote the famous Black Sabbath.
Ghost uses much more the image than the music or the lyrics; on the lives, they transform the atmosphere into a church, with a satanic priest and cardinals under the name of "Nameless Ghouls" to support him. It can be said that the group sought the accusation by presenting themselves in this way.
This show style can be part of Ghost's strategy to make people talk about them, don't forget that they are masters in the art of advertising. Some pastors in the U.S. like Larry Long at Macedonia baptist church in Tennessee have warned against such groups and their power of spiritual influence.
As always, Ghost's response is very relevant; here’s what was said: "I think it's sad that people waste their time thinking that we are bad for others, when in fact what we are trying to do is make people happy and make them feel good about themselves when they come to our concerts and have fun.‘’
It's not the first time that metal bands have made such accusations; it’s been the case for Ozzy Osbourne, AC/DC, Slipknot, Judas Priest, Slayer, Megadeth, Pantera, Cannibal Corpse, Lamb of god, Children of bodom, Amon Amarth, Motorhead, Ledzeppling etc...The list of heavy metal bands goes on and on..
When we talk about metal, gothic music, rock or death metal, people usually have the same reaction; it’s dark music that invites violence, suicide, homicide, and many other bad things. But rock fans just listen to music that makes them vibrate and have fun doing it.
"There are certainly rock fans who over the years have done negative things to each other or themselves, but I don't think it's because of the music. It's because they were going through a bad patch in their lives," he says. "Maybe it's even the music that kept them alive for so long, kept them going. Hard rock, in general, doesn't promote that you have to hurt someone."
He continues: "I think there are other styles of music that encourage a much worse lifestyle that could be considered more negative," says Forge. Music that promotes a lifestyle that their fans will never have. One that consists of wearing bling-bling and surrounding yourself with lots of girls. Affirming the idea that without these things, you're nothing. That's a negative influence in my opinion. At least in most gothic or hard rock music, it's about feeling good about yourself."
Become a rocker like the Nameless Ghouls
Here we are at the long-awaited conclusion; we could see how the journalists made accusations about Ghost and how the group defended itself through interviews. The most incredible thing is that the group used these journalists as a lever for their rise.
We conclude that Ghost is not a satanist group; the dark side of life just attracts the members, and they are right :D. Be honest, what intrigues you more? Heaven and angels or hell and its demonic mysteries (6)?
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