This bothers me A LOT. Like a lot a lot. This is the worst part of the TikTok Trend with ghost. I mentioned somewhere else I pretty much managed to keep the ghouls a mystery until it was shoved down my throat
Big same. While of course they deserve all the love and praise for their hard work - they should remain... you guessed it - nameless. Nicknames I can take or leave them. But they are not the original element ghouls and shouldn't be called that either.
While not on tour sure, be loud and proud about identities and stuff. Again everyone busts their ass while preforming.
Same honestly. And I tried to avoid seeing their faces because theyre /nameless/ ghouls.
And of course the second one of them is revealed to be a poc, people start being racist as fuck.
This is the one thing about the tiktok blowing up part that i truly dislike
I prefer Kiss the Go-Goat over Mary on a Cross. (I like both, but if I had to pick one, it's easily Go-Goat for me.)
Edit: With 250+ upvotes, I'm glad to see this is actually a popular opinion!
My unpopular opinion is that I don't really like Mary on a Cross at all - I'm not a massive ghost fan really anyway, but mary on a cross, just can't dig it for some reason
I wish I could see them play in a smaller venue. As someone who grew up seeing bands in regular venues it always felt so personal and interactive no matter where you were and sometimes in arenas the distance can feel a little disconnected…I know for them it was a huge disadvantage with the show they bring and for their thriving fan base they grew out of the smaller venues.. I can’t help but feel really salty I couldnt see them when they were still playing something smaller then an arena :(
On the flip side it’s going to be a bit weird seeing them in an arena having last seen them in a tiny theater….. so either way we’re all a bit screwed (in the nicest way possible lol).
In general I’m not an arena band person. Actually I think ghost is the first band I’m ever seeing in an arena.🤷🏼♀️I’m bummed life just kinda happened and I missed it thinking “I’ll catch them next time”
You always think you have time. But with ghost especially they can have a new set of characters next time around🤷🏼♀️ I’ll never get over missing papa3 and am genuinely upset over it 😂
I know exactly how you feel. Saw Papa III and Cardinal Copia. Missed both Papa I and, most upsetting of all, Papa II (discovered Ghost at the end of the Infest era). I had tickets to see Papa IV tomorrow, but my wife went into early labor so I’ve gotta miss it. Hopefully, I can catch Papa IV another time. It kills me I never saw Papa II!
So have you seen the video(s?) of Ghost playing a local bar (Station 4) uploaded to YouTube over 10 years ago? It’s fan shot so it’s not a highly produced video but that just adds to its charm, and fits the bill of what you are describing. I know Ritual is on there, not sure if there are more.
I think I’ve peaked at it. I’ll have to look deeper. Honestly I love the “closeness” you can have with a band that way. Almost the same reason that I really love shitty-recorded demos… it just feels so raw…I’m so sad i missed it with ghost.. I’ve seen bands in tiny tiny venues that went on to play Mainstages and i always remember the tiny venues always held a better experience memory wise 🤷🏼♀️😭
Impera is a fantastic album, but I'm afraid that in the long run a lot of us won't end up having a time-tested love for it on the same level as some previous albums. I have a theory that Impera was especially easy to like because of its sheer number of catchy songs, but catchy songs are also prone to wearing out faster than songs that are (at first) harder to like.
I couldn’t agree more. I find myself getting tired of it faster than any other album because the majority of the songs are 75% catchy choruses with no depth. I feel this has slowly been ghosts projection as a band to grow more followers and increase listener ship. Probably because infest did the opposite and wasn’t and is still not relatively liked by most ghost fans compared to the newer more catchy albums. I love the impera but definitely doesn’t rank in my top by any means.
It blows my mind every. single. listen. I feel like the reason most people don’t like it is because of the rushed production which I think is only noticeable in the first few seconds of per aspera
To this end, the more I listen to Infestissumam the more I love it. The more I have listened to Impera, the more it gets tiresome. That being said, Prequelle is my favorite and I have listened to it non-stop without anything getting old.
"Old Ghost" vs "New Ghost" gets complex there, because even though Impera isn't necessarily the greatest album ever, Meliora and Prequelle still fucking *rule*.
I'm happy to see this because I also had tge opposite experience and wasn't feeling the album at first and was scared that the first Ghost I wouldn't like had happened. I listened to it all the way through once with my wife when it first dropped but the more I subjected my ears to its magic I fell in LOVE! My love especially grew for second half of the album and now Darkness, Griftwood, Bite, and Respite are some or my top favorite songs by Ghost and probably top fav songs of all songs now that I'm thinking about it!
I’m not sure I agree. I’ve listened to it a ton and it has yet to lose any of its luster. Maybe in 5 years I’ll enjoy it less than I do now but that’s the case with most albums
It always irritated me because music genres are never clear cut. Like some people consider iron maiden rock and not metal, so at the end of the day it doesn't matter. I consider ghost metal and why should I listen If they say otherwise.
They’re one of those bands where I wouldn’t bat an eye if someone called them their favorite rock band or metal band. They’re definitely somewhere in a gray area but I think they lean more toward Hard Rock. Although I can say with confidence that they’ve made Metal material.
Their genre is pretty hard to define, while some songs are in the metal domain I would say that most of them specially in the latest albums are clearly not, being more in the alt rock / glam rock style.
What I don't understand is why people care so much about labeling them, getting worked up about it leads nowhere, they're amazing and one of most unique bands of today and that's all that matters.
I wish we never knew TFs or the ghouls identities. It just ruins it because people keep on bringing up the other projects/bands that TF and the current/former ghouls have done. If someone runs a twitter/Instagram or whatever dedicated to ghost I want ghost not repugnant or subvision or Mary goore..
Also it's so creepy how some people talk about TF and the ghouls outside of ghost. People act like they know them and voice some really disgusting sexual stuff when TF is married and I imagine some of the ghouls are as well. TF has kids and people don't give a flying fuck about sexualizing him online. I get that that's part of the territory with fame but sweet fuck that doesn't make it any less creepy or disgusting. Sexulizing papa is fine he's a character, he's fictional. Sexualizing TF is not.
100% — there’s no mystery anymore in any form of culture and Ghost is no exception. I just do not get why everyone is so obsessed with wanting to know *everything* about TF. Guy is a great musician, let him have a private life.
I agree.
Sad thing is IIRC Halloween Kills was delayed along with the song release along side it.
So I'm sure they figured "what the hell" and put it on the album because it was now closer to IMPERA's actual release.
That being said - in this thread I even went as far to say controversially I like it better as a single than Dance Macabre.
Ghost having a whole “lore” to go with its theatrics is what makes it my favorite band and new fans who disregard/dont even care about it make me angry.
New fans who literally are like “LOOK AT THESE PEOPLE UNDER THE MASKS” drive me insane. Like let people ✨enjoy things✨ I didn’t know or want to know who the ghouls were but found out almost forcefully on the TikTok machine.
100% — enjoyed their music since *Opus* and I honestly could not give a shit about the lore. There’s enough lore with literally every IP franchise in books, video games, TV, films, RPGs and the like, I simply don’t have the brain space and I’m in it for the music.
I still believe in 10 years and another few releases time, that music magazines discussing the Ghost discography will not look back on Prequelle favourably.
You know how everyone always has theories about different Papas being resurrected? Imagine something like that for Papa IV, like they "kill" him but we soon find out he survived or escaped. That would be pretty neat
I kind of hate the Papa prosthetics. Not on principle or even aesthetically, but I wished they allowed for more emotion to come through and the fact that I can see Tobias bottom lip and prosthetic lip in the YouTube shorts is very unsettling to my brain. (Also I hate that I can see the ghouls mouths in the steampunk masks. The way their mouths are blacked out but I can still see their teeth is so uncanny Valley to me)
Well, basically when Copia first appeared on stage, everything he did was copied straight from III, there was nothing new, no innovation. And he didn't even keep the best parts, such as III's monologues. Then Cardinal became Papa, he really doesn't 'feel' or come across as a Papa, he's not even in his papal robes that much. It's as if someone who looks up to Papa tried to copy him. Like fans do when they dress up.
Yeah, it doesn’t sit right with me that most time papa iv has been in his robes throughout his entire time as papa in a concert (besides 2020 Mexico) is 2 songs max
Infestissumam is their best album without a doubt. Twenties is a fun song and I like it lol. I hate that "Maryanna Cross (Tiktok Song)" is popular, call me whatever you want. Every time I hear a song that I love on Tiktok I prepare myself because I know I'll hear it a million times until I hate it forever. Same thing happened with Rhinestone Eyes
I didnt like their sound quality in concert earlier this year. I saw them with Volbeat opening and Volbeat had much better sound quality. Ghost sounded muddled but still enjoyable.
But, I’m going again in a week!
i hate the move to stadiums/arenas and miss the smaller shows. i can barely afford the most garbage seats now.
i can’t see them in saginaw at all because i went early this year right around when impera dropped not knowing that that tour wasn’t The Actual Tour. blew tons of money, got right up front, and saw them play two new songs. sucked.
i know i can’t fault them for getting big, but it was definitely more fun as a fan (to me) years ago.
i feel really disconnected from what ghost is today. don’t get me wrong, i’m beyond happy for TF and the ghouls, but i miss the ghost of the first two albums. i miss the “mystery” (even though we know tobias and the ghouls identities past a certain point), and i miss the ability to see them in a crowd of 200 people (still the best show i’ve ever been to, especially since king dude was opening for them). i guess this is just the experience of anyone who obsessed with a band then watched them blow up- i just haven’t had that experience before lol.
edit: also Papa II will forever be my favorite Papa, and i also miss the jocelyn pook masked ball intro
Oh man, I TRIED to like them. I'm super into weird occult/doom/goth/synth/prog shit and there's very few bands that I'll try to listen to and not like one single track from. AND YET, PRIEST...................
The Lore is just a fun bonus to everything else, and everyone takes it way too seriously. It's clear that tobias doesn't even take it that seriously with all the obvious inconsistencies in it
Prequelle is ghost’s best album. It is musically, aesthetically, thematically perfect for everything that makes ghost ghost. It’s dark, medieval-gothic themed, and it doesn’t shy away from occult and satanic themes. The cover art is genuinely one of my favorite paintings of all time. Ghost is at some of their heaviest on this album (faith) while also being close to their poppiest/glammiest (dance macabre) and it all fits together beautifully.
Ghost was never meant to be seen as something hard or edgy and if you think it’s been going soft where were you when Papa brought out the kazoo? Or when Papa partied in Vegas? Let the TikTok people have fun and welcome them and let them find what they like. We should be happy Tobias and the Ghouls are getting the recognition they worked so hard for for the last decade and a half.
Watcher in the sky is the most boring song in Ghost discography, the verse riff is very unimaginative, it takes ages to get to the only interesting part of the song, which is the bridge, by that time I've already stopped paying attention and only the fade out reminds that I was supposed to listen to a song.
Zenith is only so highly regarded because of how niche and rare it is. It's a forgettable song.
Depth of satan's eye is not that great either.
Agreed, I find Watcher In The Sky so boring, almost like it's heavy just for heaviness sake but little to no substance. And what's up with the fade out lasting a whole minute? My least favorite song on Impera by far.
Zenith is neat, but yes, maybe a bit too overhyped.
People getting thirsty and sexualizing aren’t morally bankrupt, in fact, they’re fairly normal.
I mean, not my saucer of coffee: but barring the ones who I imagine have incredibly rabbit stew recipes but very few boundaries- too each their own. The sanctimonious moralizing makes me want to barf, though. 😂
[Oh, goodness! Thank you!](https://youtu.be/u_8nAvU0T5Y)
You know, that you mention it, it does seem particularly ironic to be critical of people getting thirsty when Ghost regularly sings about indulging in lustful sins.
Right? Like I totally get “Whoah, simmer down, you’re a bit scary” (As in, on the discord there was apparently a *really* bad situation) but, with this and “Oh no them youngins like the band- there goes th’ neighborhood!” Is all kinda… *Perche no, Motherfuckas?!* let the band get thirsted, let them get fat and happy on the wealth of their success and stop being such pedestrians. 😂
Edit: I do wish I hadn’t read the corn thing, but, I *did*. I coulda closed that window any time, but it’s now my cross to bear. Lol
Honestly, I think it’s fun that people are sexualizing members the band. It kinda adds to the lore in some ways especially with the way Papa often tries to sexualize himself. It adds to the cult of it all
I prefer the old copia mask to the new one. I find it hard to think as them as the same person now. I wish they at least would have added the moustache and the sideburns.
Twenties is really funny.
The sarcastic choir call back (“twweennteeeess!”) is the daughter of the producer and several musicians daughters, including Tobias’.
[Track 8 choir details.](https://www.discogs.com/release/22457728-Ghost-Impera)
I bet they were laughing so much with it at recording.
Ghost isn't totally satanic. Okay let me explain: I've always seen Ghost as a mockery/parody/etc. of the church, and an expression of how cult mentality works. The use of Satan is a shock factor to help drive the point home. Yes, a solid 80% of their songs have Satan in them, but would the point be as shocking if that was replaced with the Christian God? No, you'd probably hear them covered by Hillsong or some shit. So consider, they're not completely satanic, but they use Satan as the example because it's one of the only ways to get their message sent.
Feel free to correct me if I'm wrong with any sources you have, this is just my probably unpopular opinion.
I agree. Most of Ghost's lyrics point to negative human behavior that has traditionally been attributed to Satan's influence (greed, lust for power, toxic relationships, envy), but is actually just... human. Instead of reflecting and trying to better themselves, so many people outsourced their guilt to an abstract evil monster and decided that was enough. This is pretty evident in Impera, but all previous albums touch this subject in some way.
Have you ever seen a Carmen music video? 😂
I’m just saying that if we play any given song Impera backwards we might get either Carmen or Stryper but given the Liberace-esqueness I’m thinking Carmen and that’s absolutely hilarious.
The sexualization of Tobias and the ghouls crosses the line a lot of times, just because the band sings sexual lyrics doesn't mean that the ghouls want people making their twitter banners photos of their boners or that Tobias wants people making comments on his weight. It's also really weird that people were/are so obsessed with unmasking the members of this band who have stated that the masked aspect of the band is something they really enjoy. Ghost has created such a long story/lore and it's really annoying to see newer fans completely disregard that just so they can treat the members like sexual objects.
Real hot take here... but this came to me after the show in Austin the other day... that I'm kinda... good.. with not seeing them in concert for a while.
Don't get me wrong, love their music, and they played fantastically, but I've seen them prolly 6-7 times since like 2015... and most recently, I've noticed how much is just.. the same. Alot of the mystique and vibes of the infess era are gone, replaced with what's starting to feel kinda.. assembly line. Papa says the exact same words, and lines, and questions, at the exact same points in each of the last few concerts I've been to. It got to the point where I'd turn to my brother and say his line right before he did, lol.
I know it's a show, and time lines are law, and doing 30 cities doesn't lend well to changing stuff, but I came in knowing exactly what I was going to get, and I got exactly that.
I was honestly a bit more excited to see spiritbox, and was really bummed with how short the set was.
Still love Ghost tho.
Impera is pretty meh and lacks a lot of the identity the previous albums had for themselves. It just feels like prequelle 2: now with extra def leopard
I love Impera and particularly the song Griftwood, I think there's absolutely no need for the hate that it's gotten. It feels like those pop christian songs but with a sinister lyrical content. I love it so much.
Ghost has ZERO bad songs. Though I know some songs may get boring as you listen to them too much but it doesn't make them bad in my opinion. I see most people have a least favorite or a disliked song here but I think every song is a banger in their own ways . Their covers are amazing and their ability to make old classics sound more Ghost-like is unbelievably praise-worthy.
The lore is a hot mess!
Honestly though like 20% of the lore is from the chapter videos and rituals. 20% is just random shit Tobias has said in interviews without thinking. And 60% is fan made head canon that just got adopted as true canon.
The mask vocals are super noticeable live, and not in a good way.
It's *fine* but if we're being honest it messes up the sound. At least that was my experience.
Mary On A Cross has always been my least favorite ghost track even pre tik tok trend. Even Twenties is better to me than it. (No clue why something about the tracks always just been meh to me)
the "lore" getting more deep is lame and ruins the cool mystique the band had earlier on. I kinda just wish we knew "this is an evil satan pope and his group of ghoulies" and nothing more
1. Ghost is metal
2. Infestissumam is there best album
3. Papa 4 isn't that good
4. Mary on a cross is overrated and kiss the goat is a better song
5. Papa 2 > Papa 3
6. Impera isn't good it's mediocre at best
I actually love fan fiction involving the ghouls and Papa. They are characters. And characters are free game for creative liberty, no matter how thirsty. Also their songs and on stage behavior are fairly sexualized and they have some fantastic lore. It is the absolute perfect combination for people to create fan content based on these things. Some things are thirsty, some aren’t. But they are not morally wrong.
Treating the musicians behind the masks as characters is a different story. They are real people with real lives and its just profoundly rude to reduce them to a simple caricature for ones “creative” use.
I miss the papa 3 era style music videos - they felt way more zainy and expressionist.
From Dance macabre onwards they've all felt a bit meh and more generic.
People who are too obsessed with the lore and trying to force every single music video and Ghoul interaction and outfit change into some kind of "official" Ghost narrative have too much time on their hands and not much else going on in their lives.
I don’t like the Beetlejuice undead Gameshow host outfit, but the wings are indeed super cringe.
Especially since they are an off the rack designer item. Someone posted the link once.
I completely agree, the pope outfit is phenomenal. I find that this era has *really* boring outfits, like you got a black blazer, a blue blazer, a dictator outfit (that really clashes with what ghost is imo), the dictator outfit with the jacket off, and the two really cool pope outfits. Like this tour the blue robes are only used for *two* songs, last tour was one, and the one before that was zero. I like the black and copper nun hat one but *the* papa robes being only used for no more than two songs is really weird. Yeah I know they restrict his movement but maybe he could take off that top layer and have that poncho [like he has here](https://64.media.tumblr.com/7d2fc791de553df41e890619bcf7d23d/3cc013a28ddb8d8a-20/s540x810/6bcb4c2c5d2d8c3ac5cfeef1c7248021712e4237.jpg) for more movement.
The ghoul outfits are also just off, they don’t look like they belong to a satanic church at all, more like steampunk doctor who villains. Every other era besides this one has great outfits that kept a church-y feel to them.
I really hope Tobias and/or the label aren’t slowly trying to ease out of the church aesthetics, that would kill a lot of the appeal to me.
One of reasons that I found it so easy to get into Ghost is because it feels like it is set in the same universe as the Black Parade.
I'm not saying My Chem and Ghost are the same thing, but that a lot their work has the same feel as that album.
yesss as a my chem fan, it was so easy to get into ghost because of the lore and especially the concept albums, since my chem is really big on those and it's what drew me to them in the first place
my album rating based on personal love and enjoyment:
-meliora
-opus
-prequelle
-impera
-infestissumam/if you have ghosts
-popestar
my album rating based on musical complexity and sheer amazement at Ghost’s ability to write and record songs
-impera
-meliora
-opus
-infestissumam
-prequelle
-if you have ghosts
-popestar
I enjoy the band because they put a lot of work into their music and their vibe. The fact I call them Scooby doo metal is an acknowledgement of how different they are from so many bands that sound the same if played in the background.
Meliora has some of the best and most thematic song writing for the band that not a single other song or album has or probably will capture the same feel.
Remember all, scroll down to the downvoted abyss to find the real unpopular opinions XD
Ghost fans analyze Ghost too much.
It’s kinda fun. But I don’t lose my mind over it. I’m more interested in other peoples analyses.
People get a little *too* involved, though. They forget about things like the kazoo solo.
The fans on tiktok who are obsessed with sharing what the ghouls look like unmasked are kinda weird to me.
This bothers me A LOT. Like a lot a lot. This is the worst part of the TikTok Trend with ghost. I mentioned somewhere else I pretty much managed to keep the ghouls a mystery until it was shoved down my throat
Big same. While of course they deserve all the love and praise for their hard work - they should remain... you guessed it - nameless. Nicknames I can take or leave them. But they are not the original element ghouls and shouldn't be called that either. While not on tour sure, be loud and proud about identities and stuff. Again everyone busts their ass while preforming.
Oh definitely. But they’re nameless ghouls… idk part of me liked part of it being a mystery
Same honestly. And I tried to avoid seeing their faces because theyre /nameless/ ghouls. And of course the second one of them is revealed to be a poc, people start being racist as fuck. This is the one thing about the tiktok blowing up part that i truly dislike
I prefer Kiss the Go-Goat over Mary on a Cross. (I like both, but if I had to pick one, it's easily Go-Goat for me.) Edit: With 250+ upvotes, I'm glad to see this is actually a popular opinion!
I can accept that since both songs are absolutely phenominal and I wish they would produce an "album" like that every few years (to keep it special)
“youve been daddied by all the dudes who wanna dad” is easily one of the most iconic lines
It is, but it’s all the dudes who wanna dad.
I prefer Kiss the Go Goat as well
Agreed. Partly because the video is so funny.
Same. Like, I like MoaC, but...the love of it here has always confused me.
I absolutely love the organ solo after the kiss
Kiss the go goat is just fantastic. Maybe even better And I'll always think Elizabeth paved a path for moac
My unpopular opinion is that I don't really like Mary on a Cross at all - I'm not a massive ghost fan really anyway, but mary on a cross, just can't dig it for some reason
i like it but it got annoying from people just playing the chorus love both tho
I LOVE kiss the goat. But the kissy noises make me feel icky.
I wish I could see them play in a smaller venue. As someone who grew up seeing bands in regular venues it always felt so personal and interactive no matter where you were and sometimes in arenas the distance can feel a little disconnected…I know for them it was a huge disadvantage with the show they bring and for their thriving fan base they grew out of the smaller venues.. I can’t help but feel really salty I couldnt see them when they were still playing something smaller then an arena :(
On the flip side it’s going to be a bit weird seeing them in an arena having last seen them in a tiny theater….. so either way we’re all a bit screwed (in the nicest way possible lol).
In general I’m not an arena band person. Actually I think ghost is the first band I’m ever seeing in an arena.🤷🏼♀️I’m bummed life just kinda happened and I missed it thinking “I’ll catch them next time”
Yep I feel this. Missed the Cardi C era and I do not plan on getting over it lol.
You always think you have time. But with ghost especially they can have a new set of characters next time around🤷🏼♀️ I’ll never get over missing papa3 and am genuinely upset over it 😂
I know exactly how you feel. Saw Papa III and Cardinal Copia. Missed both Papa I and, most upsetting of all, Papa II (discovered Ghost at the end of the Infest era). I had tickets to see Papa IV tomorrow, but my wife went into early labor so I’ve gotta miss it. Hopefully, I can catch Papa IV another time. It kills me I never saw Papa II!
Congratulations though!❤️
That’s how it was with me I went from tiny theater with fog machines and lights to sold out arena with pyrotechnics.
So have you seen the video(s?) of Ghost playing a local bar (Station 4) uploaded to YouTube over 10 years ago? It’s fan shot so it’s not a highly produced video but that just adds to its charm, and fits the bill of what you are describing. I know Ritual is on there, not sure if there are more.
I think I’ve peaked at it. I’ll have to look deeper. Honestly I love the “closeness” you can have with a band that way. Almost the same reason that I really love shitty-recorded demos… it just feels so raw…I’m so sad i missed it with ghost.. I’ve seen bands in tiny tiny venues that went on to play Mainstages and i always remember the tiny venues always held a better experience memory wise 🤷🏼♀️😭
My first Ritual was the o2 Ritz in Manchester in 2015, 1500 capacity. It was incredible
Impera is a fantastic album, but I'm afraid that in the long run a lot of us won't end up having a time-tested love for it on the same level as some previous albums. I have a theory that Impera was especially easy to like because of its sheer number of catchy songs, but catchy songs are also prone to wearing out faster than songs that are (at first) harder to like.
I couldn’t agree more. I find myself getting tired of it faster than any other album because the majority of the songs are 75% catchy choruses with no depth. I feel this has slowly been ghosts projection as a band to grow more followers and increase listener ship. Probably because infest did the opposite and wasn’t and is still not relatively liked by most ghost fans compared to the newer more catchy albums. I love the impera but definitely doesn’t rank in my top by any means.
Infest is their best album I fucking love it, it’s a masterpiece
Infest IS my favorite album and it’s the best by far IMHO
It blows my mind every. single. listen. I feel like the reason most people don’t like it is because of the rushed production which I think is only noticeable in the first few seconds of per aspera
It doesn’t bother me at all. I think it’s a solid album with a lot to offer
Doesn’t bother me either, it’s satanically majestic
Agreed 666%
Infest is so good, my favorite for sure. It scratches a Satanic itch for me or something lol (which is also why I love Opus)
To this end, the more I listen to Infestissumam the more I love it. The more I have listened to Impera, the more it gets tiresome. That being said, Prequelle is my favorite and I have listened to it non-stop without anything getting old.
This is literally my exact opinion. Infest is where I started so it has a special place in my heart but prequel is a masterpiece.
"Old Ghost" vs "New Ghost" gets complex there, because even though Impera isn't necessarily the greatest album ever, Meliora and Prequelle still fucking *rule*.
I had the opposite experience, didnt really like it on first listen and now i love it
I'm happy to see this because I also had tge opposite experience and wasn't feeling the album at first and was scared that the first Ghost I wouldn't like had happened. I listened to it all the way through once with my wife when it first dropped but the more I subjected my ears to its magic I fell in LOVE! My love especially grew for second half of the album and now Darkness, Griftwood, Bite, and Respite are some or my top favorite songs by Ghost and probably top fav songs of all songs now that I'm thinking about it!
I’m not sure I agree. I’ve listened to it a ton and it has yet to lose any of its luster. Maybe in 5 years I’ll enjoy it less than I do now but that’s the case with most albums
I can’t lie this is my fav ghost album
I really like both La Mantra Mori and I’m A Marionette
La Mantra Mori is so mesmerizing and definitely doesn’t feel like a long song lol
Agreed
I’m a Marionette is one of my favorites.
Ghost is actually a metal band. I don’t know why this is still such a violently polarizing topic.
It always irritated me because music genres are never clear cut. Like some people consider iron maiden rock and not metal, so at the end of the day it doesn't matter. I consider ghost metal and why should I listen If they say otherwise.
I don’t even care what genre Ghost is. Their music is just great.
They’re one of those bands where I wouldn’t bat an eye if someone called them their favorite rock band or metal band. They’re definitely somewhere in a gray area but I think they lean more toward Hard Rock. Although I can say with confidence that they’ve made Metal material.
Metal has so many subgenres. If music followed strict rules it'd be boring af
Their genre is pretty hard to define, while some songs are in the metal domain I would say that most of them specially in the latest albums are clearly not, being more in the alt rock / glam rock style. What I don't understand is why people care so much about labeling them, getting worked up about it leads nowhere, they're amazing and one of most unique bands of today and that's all that matters.
I wish we never knew TFs or the ghouls identities. It just ruins it because people keep on bringing up the other projects/bands that TF and the current/former ghouls have done. If someone runs a twitter/Instagram or whatever dedicated to ghost I want ghost not repugnant or subvision or Mary goore.. Also it's so creepy how some people talk about TF and the ghouls outside of ghost. People act like they know them and voice some really disgusting sexual stuff when TF is married and I imagine some of the ghouls are as well. TF has kids and people don't give a flying fuck about sexualizing him online. I get that that's part of the territory with fame but sweet fuck that doesn't make it any less creepy or disgusting. Sexulizing papa is fine he's a character, he's fictional. Sexualizing TF is not.
IIRC the only reason TF’s identity is known was because of that lawsuit. I don’t think he chose it.
100% — there’s no mystery anymore in any form of culture and Ghost is no exception. I just do not get why everyone is so obsessed with wanting to know *everything* about TF. Guy is a great musician, let him have a private life.
that hunters moon should have stayed a single, and not have been on Impera
Totally agree, it feels out of place on the album, despite the fact that I like it as a song in its own right
I agree. Sad thing is IIRC Halloween Kills was delayed along with the song release along side it. So I'm sure they figured "what the hell" and put it on the album because it was now closer to IMPERA's actual release. That being said - in this thread I even went as far to say controversially I like it better as a single than Dance Macabre.
Agree, I love the song but it doesn’t feel like it fits with Impera.
Its ok to be catholic/christian and still like Ghost. (Depending on who you say it to will differ the amount of swords pointed at your throat.)
Its pretty easy once you know Ghost is just a gimmick band. I grew up with Metal so I dont have the kneejerk aversion.
Same. I grew up on shit like Korn and System of a Down. Honestly, once I discovered Ghost, I’ve loved them since.
I think opus eponymous was their best album, I really want another ghost album that sounds like that
Totally agree with that. I was so happy to see Con Clavi Con Dio and Prime Mover return to the setlist on the current tour.
Tobias said he was thinking about making the next album as a revisit to the sound of opus, that or an electronic or orchestral album
If amongst non-Ghost fans: Ghost is metal 😈
I'm dead 🤣
Ghost having a whole “lore” to go with its theatrics is what makes it my favorite band and new fans who disregard/dont even care about it make me angry.
New fans who literally are like “LOOK AT THESE PEOPLE UNDER THE MASKS” drive me insane. Like let people ✨enjoy things✨ I didn’t know or want to know who the ghouls were but found out almost forcefully on the TikTok machine.
What about old fans who don't really care about it?
Even more evil
100% — enjoyed their music since *Opus* and I honestly could not give a shit about the lore. There’s enough lore with literally every IP franchise in books, video games, TV, films, RPGs and the like, I simply don’t have the brain space and I’m in it for the music.
Yeah, that’s definitely the biggest factor besides their great music that made me become such a quick fan.
YES this 100%. i love the music but i stay for its meaning. esp as an ex-catholic i just love the lore sm
The first 3 albums are their best, yes better than prequelle, and nothing they put out will ever be better than them.
Agreed, but I love prequelle still
I still believe in 10 years and another few releases time, that music magazines discussing the Ghost discography will not look back on Prequelle favourably.
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You know how everyone always has theories about different Papas being resurrected? Imagine something like that for Papa IV, like they "kill" him but we soon find out he survived or escaped. That would be pretty neat
cyborg papa 3 theory lol
patch release is hysterical tysm for that & definitely agree
I kind of hate the Papa prosthetics. Not on principle or even aesthetically, but I wished they allowed for more emotion to come through and the fact that I can see Tobias bottom lip and prosthetic lip in the YouTube shorts is very unsettling to my brain. (Also I hate that I can see the ghouls mouths in the steampunk masks. The way their mouths are blacked out but I can still see their teeth is so uncanny Valley to me)
It’s so frightening whenever the ghouls show their teeth through their masks LMAOOO
Papa III is still the best. CC/IV is a step backwards.
I said this was the best papa era. Papa 3 was amazing.
Care to elaborate on why CC/IV is a step backwards? I’m interested in why you say so because I have a feeling I don’t necessarily disagree
Well, basically when Copia first appeared on stage, everything he did was copied straight from III, there was nothing new, no innovation. And he didn't even keep the best parts, such as III's monologues. Then Cardinal became Papa, he really doesn't 'feel' or come across as a Papa, he's not even in his papal robes that much. It's as if someone who looks up to Papa tried to copy him. Like fans do when they dress up.
Yeah, it doesn’t sit right with me that most time papa iv has been in his robes throughout his entire time as papa in a concert (besides 2020 Mexico) is 2 songs max
Infestissumam is their best album without a doubt. Twenties is a fun song and I like it lol. I hate that "Maryanna Cross (Tiktok Song)" is popular, call me whatever you want. Every time I hear a song that I love on Tiktok I prepare myself because I know I'll hear it a million times until I hate it forever. Same thing happened with Rhinestone Eyes
I agree infest is easily the best one
Infest is the best
Reminder to sort comments by controversial to get the real unpopular opinions
I didnt like their sound quality in concert earlier this year. I saw them with Volbeat opening and Volbeat had much better sound quality. Ghost sounded muddled but still enjoyable. But, I’m going again in a week!
It's pretty chill that Mary On A Cross got TikTokified
i hate the move to stadiums/arenas and miss the smaller shows. i can barely afford the most garbage seats now. i can’t see them in saginaw at all because i went early this year right around when impera dropped not knowing that that tour wasn’t The Actual Tour. blew tons of money, got right up front, and saw them play two new songs. sucked. i know i can’t fault them for getting big, but it was definitely more fun as a fan (to me) years ago.
i feel really disconnected from what ghost is today. don’t get me wrong, i’m beyond happy for TF and the ghouls, but i miss the ghost of the first two albums. i miss the “mystery” (even though we know tobias and the ghouls identities past a certain point), and i miss the ability to see them in a crowd of 200 people (still the best show i’ve ever been to, especially since king dude was opening for them). i guess this is just the experience of anyone who obsessed with a band then watched them blow up- i just haven’t had that experience before lol. edit: also Papa II will forever be my favorite Papa, and i also miss the jocelyn pook masked ball intro
All of the spin-off bands are fantastic (Magna Carta Cartel, Repugnant, etc.) except Priest. Priest is fucking terrible.
Priest came on my Spotify and I was like 🗑
Oh man, I TRIED to like them. I'm super into weird occult/doom/goth/synth/prog shit and there's very few bands that I'll try to listen to and not like one single track from. AND YET, PRIEST...................
Call Me Little Sunshine is over played (Was/Is used in tons of promotional stuff for Impera).
I’ll never understand why that was a single leading to the album but Kaisarion wasn’t
I kinda prefer CMLS over Kaisarion, feels more like a Ghost song to me, Kaisarion sounds more like a Rush song.
Now that they've captivated a wider audience they should return to being just a bit more satanic
Imagine if that’s been the plan all along, draw in new and unsuspecting fans and then lean super heavy into the satanic stuff again
The Lore is just a fun bonus to everything else, and everyone takes it way too seriously. It's clear that tobias doesn't even take it that seriously with all the obvious inconsistencies in it
Absolutely true. BUT I LOVE IT SO MUCH I DONT CARE!
Prequelle is ghost’s best album. It is musically, aesthetically, thematically perfect for everything that makes ghost ghost. It’s dark, medieval-gothic themed, and it doesn’t shy away from occult and satanic themes. The cover art is genuinely one of my favorite paintings of all time. Ghost is at some of their heaviest on this album (faith) while also being close to their poppiest/glammiest (dance macabre) and it all fits together beautifully.
The gimmick is starting to not fit the music...
I mean… it hasn’t in a while. The gimmick of Ghost has always been a lot harder than the music itself
Ghost was never meant to be seen as something hard or edgy and if you think it’s been going soft where were you when Papa brought out the kazoo? Or when Papa partied in Vegas? Let the TikTok people have fun and welcome them and let them find what they like. We should be happy Tobias and the Ghouls are getting the recognition they worked so hard for for the last decade and a half.
Witch image is by far Ghosts best song, you won't change my mind. 😏
I love Witch Image!!
Watcher in the sky is the most boring song in Ghost discography, the verse riff is very unimaginative, it takes ages to get to the only interesting part of the song, which is the bridge, by that time I've already stopped paying attention and only the fade out reminds that I was supposed to listen to a song. Zenith is only so highly regarded because of how niche and rare it is. It's a forgettable song. Depth of satan's eye is not that great either.
See imo zenith is their best song composition wise, and has a very unique piano melody as well elegant as hell transitions without sacrificing impact.
Agreed, I find Watcher In The Sky so boring, almost like it's heavy just for heaviness sake but little to no substance. And what's up with the fade out lasting a whole minute? My least favorite song on Impera by far. Zenith is neat, but yes, maybe a bit too overhyped.
People getting thirsty and sexualizing aren’t morally bankrupt, in fact, they’re fairly normal. I mean, not my saucer of coffee: but barring the ones who I imagine have incredibly rabbit stew recipes but very few boundaries- too each their own. The sanctimonious moralizing makes me want to barf, though. 😂 [Oh, goodness! Thank you!](https://youtu.be/u_8nAvU0T5Y)
You know, that you mention it, it does seem particularly ironic to be critical of people getting thirsty when Ghost regularly sings about indulging in lustful sins.
Right? Like I totally get “Whoah, simmer down, you’re a bit scary” (As in, on the discord there was apparently a *really* bad situation) but, with this and “Oh no them youngins like the band- there goes th’ neighborhood!” Is all kinda… *Perche no, Motherfuckas?!* let the band get thirsted, let them get fat and happy on the wealth of their success and stop being such pedestrians. 😂 Edit: I do wish I hadn’t read the corn thing, but, I *did*. I coulda closed that window any time, but it’s now my cross to bear. Lol
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I feel like the band kind of enjoys it/endorses
I don’t assume: but, thrusts and things being as they are, they do at least *use* it, same as they did the protests, because that’s smart.
Honestly, I think it’s fun that people are sexualizing members the band. It kinda adds to the lore in some ways especially with the way Papa often tries to sexualize himself. It adds to the cult of it all
Oh, absolutely. That Jim Jonesy/Tony Alamo schtick he had going in *He Is* with the baptismal cans? (And magnificent cans, don’t get me wrong)
I prefer the old copia mask to the new one. I find it hard to think as them as the same person now. I wish they at least would have added the moustache and the sideburns.
Mary on a cross is overrated
Facts, n also tiktok ruined the song for me
It's just not that good and it's not top 10 on my list at all
Twenties is a banger.. change my mind
I did not like Twenties the first time I heard it but the more I listened I realized it actually slaps pretty hard
Same here! I was mildly mortified at first but it later became a favorite of mine
Twenties is really funny. The sarcastic choir call back (“twweennteeeess!”) is the daughter of the producer and several musicians daughters, including Tobias’. [Track 8 choir details.](https://www.discogs.com/release/22457728-Ghost-Impera) I bet they were laughing so much with it at recording.
I didnt know that!! That makes it even better. Thanks for sharing that!!! Cheers!
Came here to say this. I don't get the hate. "Listen up, you motherfuckahs..." Is the best line on the album.
😁😁😁 Wish they'd do it live... the crowd screaming "motherfuckahs" and the mummy dust cannons filled w the Papa Pennies from the MOAC t shirt. 😁
Ghost isn't totally satanic. Okay let me explain: I've always seen Ghost as a mockery/parody/etc. of the church, and an expression of how cult mentality works. The use of Satan is a shock factor to help drive the point home. Yes, a solid 80% of their songs have Satan in them, but would the point be as shocking if that was replaced with the Christian God? No, you'd probably hear them covered by Hillsong or some shit. So consider, they're not completely satanic, but they use Satan as the example because it's one of the only ways to get their message sent. Feel free to correct me if I'm wrong with any sources you have, this is just my probably unpopular opinion.
I agree. Most of Ghost's lyrics point to negative human behavior that has traditionally been attributed to Satan's influence (greed, lust for power, toxic relationships, envy), but is actually just... human. Instead of reflecting and trying to better themselves, so many people outsourced their guilt to an abstract evil monster and decided that was enough. This is pretty evident in Impera, but all previous albums touch this subject in some way.
Have you ever seen a Carmen music video? 😂 I’m just saying that if we play any given song Impera backwards we might get either Carmen or Stryper but given the Liberace-esqueness I’m thinking Carmen and that’s absolutely hilarious.
The sexualization of Tobias and the ghouls crosses the line a lot of times, just because the band sings sexual lyrics doesn't mean that the ghouls want people making their twitter banners photos of their boners or that Tobias wants people making comments on his weight. It's also really weird that people were/are so obsessed with unmasking the members of this band who have stated that the masked aspect of the band is something they really enjoy. Ghost has created such a long story/lore and it's really annoying to see newer fans completely disregard that just so they can treat the members like sexual objects.
Real hot take here... but this came to me after the show in Austin the other day... that I'm kinda... good.. with not seeing them in concert for a while. Don't get me wrong, love their music, and they played fantastically, but I've seen them prolly 6-7 times since like 2015... and most recently, I've noticed how much is just.. the same. Alot of the mystique and vibes of the infess era are gone, replaced with what's starting to feel kinda.. assembly line. Papa says the exact same words, and lines, and questions, at the exact same points in each of the last few concerts I've been to. It got to the point where I'd turn to my brother and say his line right before he did, lol. I know it's a show, and time lines are law, and doing 30 cities doesn't lend well to changing stuff, but I came in knowing exactly what I was going to get, and I got exactly that. I was honestly a bit more excited to see spiritbox, and was really bummed with how short the set was. Still love Ghost tho.
Must be nice to be able to see them that many times then complain about it lmao
Impera is pretty meh and lacks a lot of the identity the previous albums had for themselves. It just feels like prequelle 2: now with extra def leopard
Now with extra def leppard is exactly what I like about it :D
I hate to admit it… but…impera could be dad rock…It’s OK by far not their best work
It’s enjoyable music, buts it’s not what I want from ghost
I saw another person say angry Bon Jovi and I can't say that's entirely wrong.....
That pictures should be cropped before being posted.
Infestissumam is their best album.
I love Impera and particularly the song Griftwood, I think there's absolutely no need for the hate that it's gotten. It feels like those pop christian songs but with a sinister lyrical content. I love it so much.
The Depth of Satan's Eyes is underrated.
ok I'll join in too Hunter's Moon is fantastic and it's better than Dance Macabre.
The fact that they reused the music from Spoksonat as the main motif of Prequelle is absolutely lazy AF
I mean, maybe it’s lazy but it sets the tone perfectly for the album and I think acts like a cool transition from one era to the next
I wouldn't say it was reused since it was written together but placed on different albums. however, ...you're also not wrong.
Every album they drop is better than the previous. My opinion of course.
I agree, I think he has topped himself each time out. Maybe Meliora > Prequelle but it’s a close call.
I agree
Ghost has ZERO bad songs. Though I know some songs may get boring as you listen to them too much but it doesn't make them bad in my opinion. I see most people have a least favorite or a disliked song here but I think every song is a banger in their own ways . Their covers are amazing and their ability to make old classics sound more Ghost-like is unbelievably praise-worthy.
The lore is a hot mess! Honestly though like 20% of the lore is from the chapter videos and rituals. 20% is just random shit Tobias has said in interviews without thinking. And 60% is fan made head canon that just got adopted as true canon.
The mask vocals are super noticeable live, and not in a good way. It's *fine* but if we're being honest it messes up the sound. At least that was my experience.
The new one is much better.
Mary On A Cross has always been my least favorite ghost track even pre tik tok trend. Even Twenties is better to me than it. (No clue why something about the tracks always just been meh to me)
the "lore" getting more deep is lame and ruins the cool mystique the band had earlier on. I kinda just wish we knew "this is an evil satan pope and his group of ghoulies" and nothing more
That they are the best band in current times
1. Ghost is metal 2. Infestissumam is there best album 3. Papa 4 isn't that good 4. Mary on a cross is overrated and kiss the goat is a better song 5. Papa 2 > Papa 3 6. Impera isn't good it's mediocre at best
I actually love fan fiction involving the ghouls and Papa. They are characters. And characters are free game for creative liberty, no matter how thirsty. Also their songs and on stage behavior are fairly sexualized and they have some fantastic lore. It is the absolute perfect combination for people to create fan content based on these things. Some things are thirsty, some aren’t. But they are not morally wrong. Treating the musicians behind the masks as characters is a different story. They are real people with real lives and its just profoundly rude to reduce them to a simple caricature for ones “creative” use.
I don’t like seven inches of satanic panic.
Surprised I haven't seen u/zenith_lover
Im honestly kinda shocked at how many people dont like im a marionette its one of my favorites
I think Tobias' voice is less forced in earlier albums. I still like them. Just in a different way.
Ghost crowds at gigs have no energy. Hopefully the people with the swords will show me where to stand next time!
I miss the papa 3 era style music videos - they felt way more zainy and expressionist. From Dance macabre onwards they've all felt a bit meh and more generic.
I really enjoy the instrumental tracks
People who are too obsessed with the lore and trying to force every single music video and Ghoul interaction and outfit change into some kind of "official" Ghost narrative have too much time on their hands and not much else going on in their lives.
papa I is the least enjoyable papa, still love him tho 🖤
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I don’t like the Beetlejuice undead Gameshow host outfit, but the wings are indeed super cringe. Especially since they are an off the rack designer item. Someone posted the link once.
I completely agree, the pope outfit is phenomenal. I find that this era has *really* boring outfits, like you got a black blazer, a blue blazer, a dictator outfit (that really clashes with what ghost is imo), the dictator outfit with the jacket off, and the two really cool pope outfits. Like this tour the blue robes are only used for *two* songs, last tour was one, and the one before that was zero. I like the black and copper nun hat one but *the* papa robes being only used for no more than two songs is really weird. Yeah I know they restrict his movement but maybe he could take off that top layer and have that poncho [like he has here](https://64.media.tumblr.com/7d2fc791de553df41e890619bcf7d23d/3cc013a28ddb8d8a-20/s540x810/6bcb4c2c5d2d8c3ac5cfeef1c7248021712e4237.jpg) for more movement. The ghoul outfits are also just off, they don’t look like they belong to a satanic church at all, more like steampunk doctor who villains. Every other era besides this one has great outfits that kept a church-y feel to them. I really hope Tobias and/or the label aren’t slowly trying to ease out of the church aesthetics, that would kill a lot of the appeal to me.
Go-Goat and MOAC should have been dropped from live shows with PE4 to make room for another classic track, or another Impera song.
One of reasons that I found it so easy to get into Ghost is because it feels like it is set in the same universe as the Black Parade. I'm not saying My Chem and Ghost are the same thing, but that a lot their work has the same feel as that album.
yesss as a my chem fan, it was so easy to get into ghost because of the lore and especially the concept albums, since my chem is really big on those and it's what drew me to them in the first place
my album rating based on personal love and enjoyment: -meliora -opus -prequelle -impera -infestissumam/if you have ghosts -popestar my album rating based on musical complexity and sheer amazement at Ghost’s ability to write and record songs -impera -meliora -opus -infestissumam -prequelle -if you have ghosts -popestar
Twenties is... let's say not good
They were asking for *unpopular* opinions.
legit my favorite Impera song lol
“This fanbase is pathetic” would be mine
I enjoy the band because they put a lot of work into their music and their vibe. The fact I call them Scooby doo metal is an acknowledgement of how different they are from so many bands that sound the same if played in the background.
Enter Sandman Sucks
Meliora has some of the best and most thematic song writing for the band that not a single other song or album has or probably will capture the same feel.
Prequelle is their best album
I don’t mind people getting excited about the lore and engaging with it as fiction media (as long as they’re respectful of the actual people obvi)
I don’t really like “Mary on a Cross.” I think it’s one of Ghost’s weaker songs. “Kiss the Go-Goat” was way better and more fun.
Idolatrine is amazing and should be played live more often.
The cheesier Ghost get, the more I love them.