Ghost are one of those bands that are just fun to talk about. They’re a demonic anti-church who make doom metal songs for Satan and are fronted by a skeletal-looking pope. Even if you’ve never listened to a note of their music, you know you’re in for a brilliantly batshit time after hearing that.
It really shouldn’t be surprising, then, that these heretics took off so damned quickly. And, 13 years on from debut album Opus Eponymous, they’re more relevant than ever, thanks to infectious songwriting drawing everyone back long after the gimmick could have otherwise outlived its shelf life. There’s even push for them to be the next Download festival headliners after their run of extravagant sets this summer.
Ghost really were special from day one – and the YouTube footage below of Tobias Forge and his hooded Ghouls reaffirms that fact. The band played their first-ever headline show on October 24, 2010 – six days after Opus Eponymous came out – at the Hammer Of Doom Festival in Germany, and already were capable of belting out arena-sized melodies and captivating crowds.
Admittedly, the Ghost seen tearing through Ritual here are a different band compared to the superstars of today. Not only is everyone on-stage except Tobias (who was still very much anonymous as the enigmatic Papa Emeritus) gone from the group, but the show looks so much more sinister. Back then, Ghost took their satanic schtick fiercely seriously, with Papa standing dead still like a charismatic clergyman delivering a sermon at the pulpit. Now, the frontman saunters all over the stage and the Ghouls have pipes coming out of their masks and shit.
Ghost have only grown more theatrical in the days since their on-stage debut – and that’s bloody well saying something. However, the footage below proves that, when it comes to their pop-metal prowess and addictively evil concept, they were set for stardom from the very start.
