The Swedish metal band Ghost has released a new single, featuring two new songs – Kiss the Goat, and Mary on a Cross.
True to form, they’re marketing their new single with a generous helping of tongue-in-cheek, although whose tongue is in whose cheek is up for debate, knowing Papa Nihil – the fictional character who released these songs during the summer of love back in 1969, and who now tries to stay relevant by re-releasing the Seven Inches of Satanic Panic single at it’s 50th anniversary.
Of course, Ghost never existed back then and the songs are brand new, but they’ve got that late ’60s sound, and so this was a natural marketing gimmick, for a band where the front figure is routinely killed off and replaced with a successor for every new record.
Each front-figure has it’s own distinct style, both visually and vocally, and the albums are all very different from one another, while still being tied together by this fictional satanic cult hell-bent (get it? heh..) on bringing forth the antichrist.
After the album Meliora, the band members had a falling out, over what essentially amounts to a contract dispute. It’s my understanding that the lead singer – Tobias Forge – was managing the finances for the band, and the other members wanted a larger cut, but Tobias saw Ghost as a solo project, where they were hired musicians, and since he won out in court, I believe this to be reflected in their contracts. It’s a shame it went down the way it did, but due to the way the brand is set up, Ghost could survive such a monumental change to it’s lineup with relative ease.
One hitch in all of this is that – if the sources I’ve read are to be believed – guitarist Martin Persner was the one who had brought the character of Papa Emeritus to the table, as it had been created by a friend of his. So with Martins departure, Ghost itself had to depart from the Papa Emeritus line of characters – by killing them off, of course.
Enter Cardinal Copia
Ghost frontman solved this problem by assuming the persona of Cardinal Copia, a clumsy and somewhat incompetent cardinal of the satanic church. Seemingly the sole reason for his rise to frontman status is that he’s the lovechild of Papa Nihil and Sister Imperator, whose origin stories are depicted in the music video for the song Dance Macabre of the Prequelle album.
So, fast forwarding a few years after the events of Dance Macabre, we find ourselves in 1969 – time doesn’t seem entirely linear here but alright – where a young Papa Nihil is fronting the band, and releasing the original Seven Inches of Satanic Panic single, which we’re seeing re-released for it’s 50th anniversary now.
…is it any wonder I love this band?