Nickolas Lieb

Professor Aaron Kerley

English 2089
9/17/2021
Annotated Bibliography

ATX, Afterglow. “Music without Borders: Ghost's Satanic Panic.” Afterglow, Afterglow, 10

Nov. 2020, www.afterglowatx.com/blog/2020/11/10/music-without-borders-ghosts-

satanic-panic.

In this article, the writer does an excellent job of describing Ghost as they are, a metal band

with in-your-face satanic symbolism. The writer does this by explaining Ghost’s “gimmick” in

great detail, and how the band uses it’s theatrical writing and performance to create the illusion

that they are in fact the head of their own satanic musical cult. The writer of this article does an

excellent job of explaining the duality of Ghost’s genre. They want to you to believe that they are

a cult with a loyal fanbase of devout followers, but in reality, those who understand Ghost know

that they are really just a metal band that wants people to enjoy their music and be entertained by

their performance.

The article also goes into some detail about the controversy that the band faces,

especially in America. As a Swedish metal band, they are cut from the same cloth as many other

bands just like them. The writer details the stark differences in religious affiliation between the

United States and Sweden, America being a very Christian country and Sweden – not so much.

The writer goes into detail about Ghost’s struggles with reaching the American market. Ghost

faced a lot of censorship in their early career, even going as far as to be banned on US
mainstream radio and chain stores for their satanic themes. The writer goes on to explain how

Ghost did not let this stop them from becoming very popular in the US and going on to become a

very notable metal band within the last few years.

Krovatin, Christopher. “Ghost Is the Most Try-Hard Satanic Rock Band on Earth.” VICE,

31 May 2018, www.vice.com/en/article/9k8qbe/ghost-is-the-most-try-hard-satanic-

rock-band-on-earth.

In this article by Christopher Krovatin, he takes a far more cynical and critical approach to

Ghost as a whole. Throughout the entire article the writer does not want to refer to Ghost as

“metal” but refers to them as “metal-adjacent” or “semi-metal.” He goes into detail how Ghost

does not sit right with a lot of metalheads, himself included, due to a variety of factors. The

biggest reason he sites though is how “thirsty” Ghost is. He refers to their publicity machine as

“corny as hell” and that everything they do is for attention. The writer than goes into short detail

about the history of the band as well as their main gimmick, where the lead singer, Papa

Emeritus, is succeeded by a new one and the old is killed off. This is not literally the case of

course, but the lead singer puts on new makeup and a new personality which each “new” front

man. The writer criticizes this routine as being an attention grab. This writer heavily criticizes

every action that Ghost takes and labels it as “attention-seeking” even going as far as to site a

tweet that Ghost did in reference to Rihanna’s Meta Gala appearance in a almost pope-like outfit.

The writer feels as though Ghost could not survive on their music alone if it weren’t for their

attention-seeking theatrics.
“Grammy-Nominated Metal Band Ghost Addresses 'Satanic' Accusations: 'There Are

Other Music Styles That Promote a Way Worse Lifestyle'.” Yahoo!, Yahoo!, 1 Feb.

2019, www.yahoo.com/entertainment/grammy-nominated-metal-band-ghost-

addresses-satanic-accusations-music-styles-promote-way-worse-lifestyle-

175537647.html.

This article serves as both an interview with lead singer of Ghost, Tobias Forge, as well

as an in-depth look into the controversy surrounding the band. The writer mentions how the

bands’ satanic themes and over-the-top theatrics has been polarizing for many, but that they have

begun to gain a widespread acceptance and dedicated fanbase. The writer mentions the many

awards and acclaims the band has accrued thus far but digs into how this new-found acceptance

has led to some protest from those that aren’t happy with their message. The writer mentions

Larry Long, a pastor, who decided to protest the band’s concert in Midland, Texas citing that the

city needed to be “protected” from the band and their devil-worshiping influence. The article

then goes on to the interview portion with Tobias Forge, where he answers many questions about

the band and tries to clear the air about some of the many controversies that the band faces. This

article contributes a great amount to the discourse surrounding the controversy surrounding

Ghost. It also provides us with insight into how the band feels about it all, and how they respond

to those who disapprove of their message.

Sheldon, Jeremy. “Ghost: Prequelle – Review.” HorrorHound,

horrorhound.com/News/Details/206.

This source is an album review for Ghost’s most recent album, Prequelle, by HorrorHound

writer Jeremy Sheldon. The writer opens his review by explaining who Ghost is to the reader and
going into great detail about the bands past all the way up until the album he is reviewing. He

then takes the time to explain Ghost’s new appearance, theme and front man leading into their

new album. Then begins the album review, where the writer goes into great detail about the

entire album, detailing his thoughts about each song. He also uses this as an opportunity to

compare and contrast this album with Ghost’s previous releases. He notes how different

Prequelle is from their earlier music, and how the lock of overt metal components to the music in

the album may drive some people away from the band; especially since it seems this album was

designed for a more mass-appeal rather than a narrow metal appeal. This album review

contributes to the developing discourse around Ghost’s new releases and how they differ from

their releases of the past.

Bennett, J. “Ghost: The True Story of Death, Religion and Rock & Roll behind Metal's

Strangest Band.” Revolver, 29 May 2018, https://www.revolvermag.com/music/ghost-

true-story-death-religion-and-rock-roll-behind-metals-strangest-band.

This article written by J. Bennet of Revolver magazine serves as an in-depth overview of

Ghost, Tobias Forge, and the history of the band as a whole. The article goes really focuses a lot

on the perspective of the lead singer of Ghost, Tobias Forge, and his influences, life, and

decisions that lead to the creation of the band. It takes an objective stance on the overall

discourse of the band, but also includes a lot of firsthand interview responses from Forge himself

to set a baseline for the writing. It provides a unique perspective as it isn’t completely a cut and

dry retelling of the band’s history, it allows Forge to add his perspective of it all and expands

upon what is already known. This article even scratches the surface on some of the controversies

that the band has addressed over the years and allows Forge to add his perspective to the
situations. This article would serve as an excellent source for anybody seeking to know about the

history of Ghost, their conception, controversies, and the man behind it all.

Revolver Staff. “Ghost 'Prequelle': 10 Things You Didn't Know about Pivotal Occult-Rock

Album.” Revolver, 27 July 2021, https://www.revolvermag.com/music/ghost-

prequelle-10-things-you-didnt-know-about-pivotal-occult-rock-album.

This article servers as an informative read for causal Ghost fans or those seeking to learn

more about the band’s recent works. It opens by introducing the band in a short summary as well

as going over some of the hits from their most recent album “Prequelle” which is the focus of

this article. The article then uses a easy to follow format of listing 10 different facts about

Ghost’s most recent album. The writers thoroughly explain each fact and even provide links to

videos of the things they are referring to. A lot of the facts presented give the reader a good

glimpse into the creation of the album and all of the behind the scenes work that went into

creating the theme and gimmick for this new era of the band. Overall, it is a very informative

article that can teach a fan of the band a lot of things that wouldn’t necessarily be public

knowledge about the new album.

“Ghost (Swedish Band).” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 23 Nov. 2021,

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ghost_(Swedish_band)#Controvers

This article is a simple but informative Wikipedia article that details the facts and history

of the band. I decided to include it because it gives a great general background on the band’s

history, awards, controversies, past and current members, discography, etc. The article goes into

detail about each album the band has released and the history surrounding each of the releases. It
does this all in an academic format and provides a large list of references to the information

detailed in the article. The article remains objective in its approach to the history and

controversies of the band, which you cannot find often. An objective source is good to include

amongst many opinionated sources.

(Miss Mephistopheles), Darya. “Your Ultimate Guide to the Band Ghost: History,

Character Explanations & More!” Miss Mephistopheles, 6 June 2020,

https://missmephistopheles.com/2019/04/06/ghost-band-history/.

This is an article written by a fan, Darya, that details the history of Ghost but also goes into

great detail about Ghost’s lore and mythology. Darya passes this article off as an “ultimate

guide” to the band. The article goes over the history of Ghost in great detail but where this article

really stands out is how it goes into so much of the band’s lore and storyline. One thing that

makes Ghost so unique is their storyline and this article does an excellent job of explaining it up

unto this point in the band’s history. Additionally, Darya goes into detail about each album and

the concepts behind them that Ghost has released and even tells their personal experiences of

meeting Ghost and following them as a fan.

Wilson, Jim. “Appearance Is Everything for a Band like Ghost.” The Michigan Daily, 20

Apr. 2021, https://www.michigandaily.com/arts/appearance-everything-band-ghost/.

In this article by Jim Wilson of The Michigan Daily, he goes over how appearance plays a

significant role for a band like Ghost. This article provides a very unique approach to Ghost and

looks at them through an entirely different lens, separate from their music. Wilson examines how

costumes and appearance are crucial aspects to the genre of metal. He also touches on how Ghost
relies on the anonymity of the members in the band and how this in combination with their

costumes and theme work to create the mythology and storyline that the band works so hard to

keep engaging for their fans and audience. Wilson talks about how much dimension this adds to

the band and how important it is to the fundamentals of what Ghost is. Wilson talks about how it

is more than just a gimmick like many may argue and that the costumes and lore only make the

“become even more metal”.

“Ghost's Tobias Forge on Satanism, Religious Protestors + B*tch School Teacher.”

YouTube, uploaded by Loudwire, 17 December 2018,

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JORuEq5ejSA&ab_channel=Loudwire

In this YouTube video uploaded by Loudwire, Graham Hartmann sits down, and

interviews lead singer of Ghost, Tobias Forge, and asks him about his thoughts on Satanism and

the controversies that the band has faced in regard to it. This is an excellent source as it allows

Tobias to comment on the controversial topics surrounding Ghost and give his opinion on the

subject. Hartmann asks Forge about many things from religious protestors trying to boycott the

band to his childhood and how his relationship with his teachers may have impacted his view of

religion and satanism. Forge provides very detailed and compelling responses to Hartmann’s

questions, and it adds a lot to the overall discourse surrounding the bands controversies.

Jurgensen, John. “Hell on Earth! Satanic Band Files Suit Citing Dreary Work Conditions.”

The Wall Street Journal, Dow Jones & Company, 12 June 2017,

https://www.wsj.com/articles/hell-on-earth-satanic-band-files-suit-citing-dreary-

work-conditions-1497282380.
 In this article written by John Jurgensen of The Wall Street Journal, he writes about the

details of the lawsuit that happened back in 2017. One of the major controversies that Ghost has

had was a lawsuit by former band members. This article goes into detail of about how this

lawsuit panned out and how it came to be. Former band members sued lead singer and front man,

Tobias Forge, accusing him of not giving them all of the money they were owed for their parts in

the band. The article also details a lot of the tensions and problems that the band members had

with one another before the lawsuit and how it may have all played into this eventual outcome.

Jurgensen also details how the result of this lawsuit took away one of the band most prominent

features, their anonymity. As a result of the lawsuit, Tobias Forge’s identity was revealed as well

as all of the members that were suing him. This article provides details from each side of the

incident and give context to each detail, refraining from being biased any way.

Baines, Huw. “Ghost Review – Satanic Barry Manilow Leads Magnificent Metal

Pantomime.” The Guardian, Guardian News and Media, 18 Nov. 2019,

https://www.theguardian.com/music/2019/nov/18/ghost-review-motorpoint-arena-

cardiff.

In this concert review by Huw Baines of The Guardian, he reviews Ghost’s live

performance at the Motorpoint Arena in Cardiff, UK. First off, Baines rated the show 4 out of 5

stars and headlined it as “the flamboyant Swedish band fuse rock bombast with pop classicism

on their most ambitious tour to date.” Baines gives a very detailed and imagery-packed

explanation of what it was like to see Ghost perform live at the Motorpoint Arena. He describes

everything from Tobias’s mannerisms and character to the tone and energy of each song that
they performed. Baines sings nothing but praise for the band and their performance throughout

the article and does not seem to have a bad thing to say about the band.

“Ghost - Prequelle ALBUM REVIEW” YouTube, uploaded by theneedledrop, 8 June

2018, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-L2Xv5-

EmUo&ab_channel=theneedledrop

In this YouTube video by music critic theneedledrop, better known as Anthony Fantano,

he reviews the album “Prequelle” by Ghost. Fantano starts off by saying he went into this album

with hesitancy since Ghost’s previous album, Meliora, was so spectacular and one of his favorite

metal records of the decade. He also worried that since this album followed the lawsuit and a

bunch of former members leaving the band that it would negatively impact the creative

collaboration of Ghost. He makes points to note that it is not nearly as heavy and sinister as past

albums, but that overall, he really enjoyed it. Fantano says that this is likely to be an album that

Ghost fans either love or hate but that is still inherently Ghost. He goes into great detail about the

instrumentals and then goes over each track on the album and critiques them each individually.

Fantano also makes a big point to talk about the overall flow of the album. At the end he gives

the album an 8 out of 10 on his rating scale.

Guagliardo, Jonny. “Ghost - Meliora - Reviews.” Killyourstereo.com, 10 Aug. 2015,

https://killyourstereo.com/reviews/1066358/ghost-meliora/.

This is an album review for Ghost’s album “Meliora” by Jonny Guagliardo with

killyourseterio.com. Guagliardo has a one sentence summary of his review stating, “The

anonymous Swedish sextet show they can still dole out the good stuff”. He gave the album an
85/100 on his rating scale. He starts by going into detail about the themes of the album and how

they create the atmosphere. He then compares the album to other bands and even compares it to

Ghost’s sophomore album “Infestissumam” and their debut album “Opus Eponymous”.

Guagliardo then goes into detail about each song on the album in the order they appear stating

his likes and dislikes for each song. He then comments on the vocals and instrumentals of the

album and how they compare to Ghost’s previous works. He then includes a tracklist for the

album at the end of his review.

Chapstick, Kelsey, and 2019 February 1. “Ghost on Satanic Accusations: ‘Other Music

Styles Promote a Way Worse Lifestyle.’” Revolver, 1 Feb. 2019,

https://www.revolvermag.com/culture/ghost-satanic-accusations-other-music-styles-

promote-way-worse-lifestyle.

In this Revolver article by Kelsey Chapstick touches on the interview conducted by

Yahoo that was cited previously in this annotated bibliography. Chapstick goes into the details of

the interview with Tobias Forge and mentions the situation where Texas pastor, Larry Long, set

up a protest to try and get the band to not perform in his city. Chapstick then adds more by

elaborating on the interview and flushing out some of Tobias’s more prominent point that he had

made. Detailing how Forge believes that heavy metal helps those struggling with mental illness

and that the messages that Forge sends in his music is being taken far to literally, even by some

fans. Overall, this article adds more to the discourse surrounding Ghost and the controversies’

surrounding their satanic themes and imagery.

Windahl, Gianni. “Midlanders Gather to Pray about Impending Band Performance.”

Https://Www.cbs7.Com, 16 Nov. 2018,

 https://www.cbs7.com/content/news/Community-members-gather-in-Midland-to-

pray--500736101.html.

This is a news article from CBS7 in Midland Texas written by Gianni Whindahl. This

article is about a Midland pastor gathering his community to pray before a Ghost concert in in

the city to combat the “spiritual influences” that they would bring with them. In this article it

goes over an interview had with Pastor Larry Long who organized the prayer event. Larry Long

is quoted as saying, “The fact that they describe themselves as a worship band for Satan, is, I

think quite shocking. And I think most of our community would be surprised to learn that. They

cover their faces with masks that look like devils in their concerts, and they are all about

worshipping and brining glory to Satan. And it’s just not the thing I think most of Permian Basin

would be happy to have in our community”. The article goes on to say that concerned

community members even reached out to venue to try and get the show canceled. The venue

made a statement to CBS7 stating that they want to offer many different forms of musical talent.