Ghost

All Music Guide:

A band rife with contradictions, Sweden's Ghost preach extreme Satanic viewpoints over surprisingly lightweight heavy metal, and its members maintain a strict vow of anonymity, both on record and on-stage, where they obscure themselves under monks' cowls, except for their lead singer, whose skull-faced makeup, cardinal robes, miter and thurible reflect an anti-Pope, instead. As a result, the band's rare concerts come across like an occult ritual, and their 2010 debut album, Opus Eponymous, totally defied expectations with its surprisingly accessible melodic rock sound, reminiscent of '60s psychedelia, ‘70s doom, and ‘80s New Wave of British Heavy Metal. Just how long Ghost's musicians will manage to keep their identities secret as their notoriety grows remains to be seen, but that only touches the surface of the band's multi-layered enigma.

Wikipedia:

Ghost is a heavy metal band formed in Stockholm, Sweden in 2008. In 2010 they released a 3-track demo, followed by the a 7" vinyl titled "Elizabeth", and eventually their debut full length album Opus Eponymous. The album has received mostly positive reviews and has since increased their popularity significantly.

Ghost are easily recognizable due to their eccentric on-stage presence (five of the group's six members wear dark hooded robes, while the vocalist appears in a skull mask and a cardinal outfit), heavily satanic-based lyrics, and highly secretive nature of their identities, with the members being referred to as "Nameless Ghouls". Musically, the band is often compared to groups such as Black Sabbath, Blue Öyster Cult, Mercyful Fate, and Witchfinder General.

On April 2011 Ghost supported goth metal band Paradise Lost on their Draconian Times 25th Anniversary tour.

On June 11, 2011, the band played at the annual Download Festival in the United Kingdom on the Pepsi Max Stage. Following their performance, Phil Anselmo, lead singer of the band Down, performed wearing a Ghost t-shirt and invited three of Ghost's members to join him on the main stage. Down closed their set with both guitars and drums being played by members of Ghost. Phil changed the song title "Bury Me in Smoke" to "Bury Me in Ghost", prior to Ghost taking the stage.

Ghost took part in the Defenders of The Faith III tour with Trivium, In Flames and Rise to Remain for a string of UK and Europe dates. The band then embarked on their first ever United States tour, from January 18, 2012 in New York to February 2 in Los Angeles.

Ghost is currently joining Mastodon and Opeth as an opening act on the Heritage Hunter Tour throughout North America during April and May 2012. In an interview, a Nameless Ghoul announced that the band is done writing their second album, stating it will be released in late 2012. In March, a cover of ABBA's song "I'm a Marionette" was stated to be included on the new album.

Members

Identities

The Swedish Performing Rights Society is rumored to have Tobias Forge, vocalist of Swedish bands Subvision and Repugnant and former guitarist for Crashdïet (using the alias Mary Goore in the latter two), credited with songs as "A Ghoul Writer". All songwriting on Opus Eponymous is credited to "A Ghoul Writer", causing people to believe Forge is Papa Emeritus. Ghost has stated they will not comment on any rumors of their identities.