All three Papas reinstated as members of Ghost

(Image credit: Mikael Eriksson)

The band Ghost have released a video announcing the reinstatement of all three Papas. 

In a message from The Clergy, the video shows Papa Emeritus I, II and III sat in a darkened room playing Uno, before being interrupted by Sister Imperator who tells them they're going back on the road “in full regalia” and that they're "going to be back in the spotlight forever.”

A Nameless Ghoul is then injects Papa III in the neck, before all three Papas are seen being prepared in a morgue. The former Ghost leaders are then laid into coffins then packed into travel cases in the back of a van. 

The voiceover announces that you can come see all three Papas on tour to “worship, honour and take selfies with”. There has been no word on whether the old Papas will be performing. Scroll down to see tour dates at the bottom of the page.

The video also includes new music from Ghost's upcoming album Prequelle.

Ghost revealed their “new” frontman Cardinal Copia earlier this month in a series of video clips, with the band known for taking a novel approach to big announcements.

In the new issue of Metal Hammer, Tobias Forge (mastermind behind Ghost) explains: “I’ve always tried to make things hard for myself. Instead of just doing big, blunt commercial statements, I’m trying to do things in a more cinematic way.

“If we just continued with Papa to Papa to Papa to Papa, that would grow very boring. That is a one-dimensional way of looking at this band.

“If I had just done that, Ghost would have gone on auto-pilot and it would have grown stale very quickly.”

Ghost are the cover stars of the new issue of Metal Hammer, which is on sale now. The magazine also features Parkway Drive, Korn’s Jonathan Davis, Maynard James Keenan, Dimmu Borgir and much more.

Ghost on the cover of Metal Hammer magazine

There are also special limited-edition bundle packs available. The Papa 0 bundle, which includes an exclusive A1 poster and sticker and The Cardinal Copia bundle, which includes an exclusive Ghost back patch.

Ghost 2018 tour dates

May 05: Riverside RMA, CA - BUY TICKETS
May 06: Tucson Music Hall, AZ - BUY TICKETS
May 08: Houston Revention, TX - BUY TICKETS
May 10: Chattanooga Tivoli, TN - BUY TICKETS
May 11: Cincinnati The Taft Theatre, OH - BUY TICKETS
May 12: Detroit The Fillmore, MI - BUY TICKETS
May 13: Columbus Express Live, OH - BUY TICKETS
May 15: Port Chester The Capitol Theatre, NY - BUY TICKETS
May 16: Syracuse Crouse Hinds Theater, NY - BUY TICKETS
May 18: Pittsburgh Benedum Center, PA - BUY TICKETS
May 19: Camden BB&T Pavilion, NJ - BUY TICKETS
May 20: Washington Warner Theatre, DC - BUY TICKETS
May 22: Asheville Thomas Wolfe Auditorium, NC - BUY TICKETS
May 23: Nashville Tennessee PAC, TN - BUY TICKETS
May 25: St. Louis Peabody Opera House, MO - BUY TICKETS
May 26: Pryor Rocklahoma, OK - BUY TICKETS
May 27: Memphis Cannon Center, TN - BUY TICKETS
May 29: Ft. Wayne The Clyde Theater, IN - BUY TICKETS
May 31: Milwaukee Riverside Theater, WI - BUY TICKETS
Jun 01: St. Paul The Palace Theater, MN - BUY TICKETS
Jun 02: Kansas City RockFest, MO - BUY TICKETS
Jun 15: Download Paris, France - BUY TICKETS
Jun 21: Dessel Graspop, Belgium - BUY TICKETS
Jul 12: Viveiro Resurrection Fest, Spain - BUY TICKETS
Jul 14: Eindhoven Dynamo Metal Fest, Netherlands - BUY TICKETS
Aug 03: Wacken Open Air, Germany - BUY TICKETS

Luke Morton joined Metal Hammer as Online Editor in 2014, having previously worked as News Editor at popular (but now sadly defunct) alternative lifestyle magazine, Front. As well as helming the Metal Hammer website for the four years that followed, Luke also helped relaunch the Metal Hammer podcast in early 2018, producing, scripting and presenting the relaunched show during its early days. He also wrote regular features for the magazine, including a 2018 cover feature for his very favourite band in the world, Slipknot, discussing their turbulent 2008 album, All Hope Is Gone.