The PRP has reported that the creative force behind Ghost, Tobias Forge, has discussed the possibility of the new Ghost frontman Cardinal Copia one day becoming the new Papa Emeritus. Forge, who composes all of the music and created the band’s theatrical live appearance, has hinted that eventually, Copia could become the new satanic Pope: “The Cardinal is not the boss. He’s just the toastmaster. A cardinal is junior to a pope figure. We still have Papa Emeritus [Zero, a.k.a. Papa Nihil] but he’s passing on. He needs to teach the Cardinal to become a pope, to earn his skull paint.”

Forge went on to say that if Copia can continue to prove himself on the concert stage that he might one day earn the right to dawn the robes and facepaint to become the new Papa: “…There was gonna be a moment in time where you have to sort of chew through a little bit of an underdog person that you might not like. So we end up with this character that I’m not even fond of myself. He’s new, and he is an imposter, and he hasn’t proven himself yet. But if he does, he will become Papa IV.”

For the uninformed, every new album cycle a new frontman leads Ghost (all of them have been Forge in makeup) and the band of nameless ghouls who play the rest of the instruments. Up until now, each Ghost leader was a satanic Pope named Papa Emeritus, but the band recently broke with that tradition as Cardinal Copia has been fronting the band on their most recent tour of North America.

The band is currently gearing up for the release of a new album, Prequelle, which will be dropping later this summer. The group has been steadily releasing new songs to the public and performing a couple of others during their recent live shows, building the anticipation even higher for Prequelle‘s release. The band is one of the most electrifying live acts in the metal/rock underground, bringing a theatrical stage show inspired by the likes of Kiss and King Diamond to audiences all around the world.

Photo credit Alyssa K Fried