Ghost: New album will be ‘more apocalyptic’

One of Ghost’s Nameless Ghouls has spoken about the ideas and musical direction of what will be their fourth studio album.

One of their bandmates previously revealed the as-yet-untiled record would have a “darker” theme to 2015’s Meliora. Now, one of the band has given further details about their new material.

They tell Metal Wani: “Meliora was supposed to reflect some sort of utopia/dystopia in the modern society, whereas this new one is going to be a little bit more apocalyptic, a little bit more back to the medieval times, which, obviously, is associated with darkness.

“In metal you have records that are thematically in the Middle Ages, but where other records covering similar lyrical themes are drowned, surrounded and drenched in death, it’s going to be a record about survival.”

He continues: “It’s going to be a darker record. Is it going to be heavier? I don’t know. But we do have melody and we do have songs that are not so heavy.

“From my point of view, it’ll be both. It’s going to have everything from heavy, crushing metal to big, ballady anthems.”

Each Ghost album has been fronted by a “new incarnation” of frontman Papa Emeritus, with the band last year paving the way for Papa Emeritus IV.

But the Nameless Ghoul hints that further changes in the lineup have taken place.

They say: “From a practical point of view, you’re interested in, on the one hand, preserving the sound, or the elements that make up the sound, and you still want to progress.

“I think one of the secrets behind our preserving ability is the fact that we don’t necessarily have to have the same six people in the room to make that sound, which helps.

“It’s always a blessing and a curse when you have classic bands over the course of rock’n’roll history, where in order for them to sound like that exact band, you need those four individuals. If one is missing, it does not sound like that.”

The Nameless Ghoul adds: “Fortunately, we don’t have that problem. Because performing Ghost and recording Ghost has never really been the same thing.

“Queens Of The Stone Age is the same thing. Everything goes through Josh Homme’s hands, and therefore it sounds like Queens Of The Stone Age regardless of who he brings in and out of the band, which is, a similar situation.”

Ghost say the have no plans to enter the studio until August.

They’ll head out on a European tour from March, which will be followed by several shows in South America.

Ghost: A Day In The Life Of A Nameless Ghoul

Scott has spent 37 years in newspapers, magazines and online as an editor, production editor, sub-editor, designer, writer and reviewer. Scott joined our news desk in 2014 before moving into e-commerce in 2020. Scott maintains Louder’s buyer’s guides, highlights deals, and reviews headphones, speakers, earplugs and more. Over the last 12 years, Scott has written more than 11,500 articles across Louder, Classic Rock, Metal Hammer and Prog. He's previously written for publications including IGN, Sunday Mirror, Daily Record and The Herald, covering everything from news and features, to tech reviews, video games, travel and whisky. Scott's favourite bands are Fields Of The Nephilim, The Cure, New Model Army, All About Eve, The Mission, Cocteau Twins, Drab Majesty, Marillion and Rush.