Ghost’s rise to the top of the charts: How the rock band’s phantom persona took over – Rolling Stone UK

nown for transcending its gimmicky roots, nestled in amongst the legions of musicians keen to espouse horned helmets and leather pants. Ghost’s reputation is as durable as it is elastic, pivoting to mark the anniversaries of Iron Maiden and Motley Crue concerts and glitzing haunted halls and theatres in equal measure.

Now taking his most clandestine of personas, Papa emerges as the new iteration of Tobias Forge. By embarking on ‘Skeletá’, he has fearlessly transformed in an extended stance of being — synonymous to a palate cleanser stripping away the last link to his early Catholic-era act. To embark on this odyssey of self-exploration, he had to deliberately distance from the demonical apocalypse core favouring instead a lighter, more diverse exploration of Eagekorian synthesizers, tender piano and propulsive, high-energy pop.

Forge’s transformation involves exercising audacious transitions between the unofficially disowned black-metal-psychotronic pop he once helped sculpt to the polar opposite manifested in ‘Skeletá’. Forge intertwines his heavy metal career with penning chart-topping pop songs for others. He decided to fuse the jovial pop sensibilities from Sting and Paul Simon and the destruction-packed lyricism of vintage Ghost.

The album encapsulates songs that exhibit immaculate balance, offsetting heartbreak-laden ballads with rejuvenation tracks interspersed with contemplative instrumentals. The record unleashes a paradox seldom associable with Ghost projects while remaining authentically inclined towards artistry. The central thematic compass of ‘Skeletá’ could easily be claimed as redemption.

The movement of Forge into the pop spectrum marks an evolution in his musical pursuits. By possessing crafted chart-toppers for other musicians, the manifestation of self-analysis as well as material synthesis grasps his artistic pursuit impeccably. The drive propelling him is more purposeful and stands in stark contrast to his unhinged, holistic expression in bands like Subvision, Repugnant, and Magna Carta Cartel.

The chart-topping trajectory manifested in ‘Skeletá’ garners attention by transcending the boundaries of established music structures and forms. For Forge, this is a clear vindication, marking a prestigious chapter in his life as a composer and musician. The enigmatic ascension from myth to lore solidifies the sway he consumes over music enthusiasts, branding his music as an inimitable pop departement of its own awaiting exploration.