Swedish rock band Ghost have returned with a whole lot in store for fans. First of all, what many have been waiting for… Papa V Perpetua has been revealed! The new anti-pope makes a brief (but grand) appearance in the music video for the group’s new single “Satanized.” The track marks the first new music since last year’s “The Future Is A Foreign Land” from the Rite Here Rite Now soundtrack. The band have also announced their forthcoming sixth studio album Skeleta, which is set to arrive on April 25 via Loma Vista Recordings.
To recap, the band had spent the better part of the weekend livestreaming a Las Vegas billboard with the ominous phrase “V Is Coming.” On Monday, a smoke machine attached to the billboard started to spout out purple smoke, mimicking the Roman Catholic tradition of using white smoke to signal a new pope has been appointed. The timing of the announcement couldn’t be any more biblically perfect as Wednesday, March 5 marks the onset of lent which pairs well with the religious-themed video for “Satanized.”
Speaking of the video, it is exactly what one would expect of the band, from the overarching themes right down to the humor and theatrics. The visual follows a religious figure who is plagued with sinful urges, at one point even staring down a nun as she lifts up her habit, before being dragged away for a comical exorcism. The video’s religious commentary is just as biting as one would expect from the Tobias Forge-led rock outfit, cementing the fact that Papas and ghouls may phase in and out but the band’s lyrical focus will remain as powerful as ever.
Lore-wise, the band also released a companion visual to introduce the music video marking the 19th chapter of their webisode series. In it, Copia, (also known as Papa IV and now, Frater Imperator), is seen speaking with his ghostly mother and father about the same door issue revealed in the 18th chapter video, audibly frustrated at the delay in meeting Papa V Perpetua in the flesh. Sister Imperator, who is the subject of the band’s forthcoming comic book series, hands him the keys to the Ministry and urges him to “make it work.” Papa Nihil then remarks that Copia must introduce the “Satanized” music video to which he skeptically bows and murmurs “ta-da.”
Ghost is headed on a world tour next month, kicking off with a show on April 15 at Manchester’s AO Arena before heading on a full-blown UK and European leg. They will be landing in North America on July 9th following their appearance at the stacked Black Sabbath: Back To The Beginning show on July 5 which features Slayer, Guns N Roses, Tool, Metallica, Pantera, Gojira, Mastodon, Lamb Of God and Anthrax to name a few. The last scheduled show of the tour is set to take place in Mexico City’s Palacio De Los Deportes on September 25.
Skeleta Tracklist
1. Peacefield
2. Lachryma
3. Satanized
4. Guiding Lights
5. De Profundis Borealis
6. Cenotaph
7. Missilia Amori
8. Marks Of The Evil One
9. Umbra
10. Excelsis
Photo credit: Ekaterina Gorbacheva
