Ghost blesses their fans with the announcement of a new EP, Phantomime, and a music video for the recently released single “Jesus He Knows Me”. This album announcement joins the February unveiling of additional dates for the band’s RE-IMPERATOUR U.S.A. 2023 tour in the United States with Amon Amarth.
Over surprisingly accessible metal and pop-driven hard rock, Swedish outfit Ghost deliver tongue-in-cheek sonic sermons centered on horror imagery, the occult, and occasionally Satanic themes. Members of the band originally maintained a strict vow of anonymity, both on record and on-stage, obscuring themselves with cloaks and heavy makeup. Ghost is fronted by lead singer Tobias Forge, first known only as Papa Emeritus, whose anti-Pope appearance was recognizable with skull-faced makeup, cardinal robes, miter, and thurible. Subsequent incarnations of this alter ego appeared with each album, as Forge changed from Emeritus II and III into Cardinal Copia for 2018’s Prequelle. After a series of singles and one-off compilation appearances, Ghost returned in early 2022 with Impera.
Re-Imperatour U.S.A. 2023 Dates & Locations:
Wed Aug 02 – Concord, CA – Concord Pavilion
Fri Aug 04 – Auburn, WA – White River Amphitheatre
Sat Aug 05 – Airway Heights, WA – BECU Live at Northern Quest
Mon Aug 07 – West Valley City, UT – USANA Amphitheatre
Tue Aug 08 – Denver, CO – Fiddler’s Green Amphitheatre *
Fri Aug 11 – St. Louis, MO – Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre
Sat Aug 12 – Milwaukee, WI – American Family Insurance Amphitheater
Mon, Aug 14– Clarkston, MI – Pine Knob Music Theatre
Tue Aug 15 – Chicago, IL – Huntington Bank Pavilion at Northerly Island
Wed Aug 16 – Cincinnati, OH – PNC Pavilion
Fri Aug 18 – Syracuse, NY – St. Joseph’s Health Amphitheater at Lakeview
Sat Aug 19 – Mansfield, MA – Xfinity Center
Sun Aug 20 – Bridgeport, CT – Hartford HealthCare Amphitheater
Tue Aug 22 – Indianapolis, IN – TCU Amphitheater at White River State Park
Wed Aug 23 – Burgettstown, PA – The Pavilion at Star Lake
Thu, Aug 24 – Bristow, VA – Jiffy Lube Live
Fri Aug 25 – Camden, NJ – Freedom Mortgage Pavilion
Sun Aug 27 – Nashville, TN – Ascend Amphitheater
Tue Aug 29 – Simpsonville, SC – CCNB Amphitheatre
Wed, Aug 30 – Jacksonville, FL – Daily’s Place
Thu Aug 31 – Tampa, FL– MIDFLORIDA Credit Union Amphitheatre
Sat Sep 02 – The Woodlands, TX – The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion presented by Huntsman
Sun Sep 03 – Austin, TX – Germania Insurance Amphitheater
Tue Sep 05 – Irving, TX – The Pavilion at Toyota Music Factory
Thu Sep 07 – Albuquerque, NM – Isleta Amphitheater
Fri Sep 08 – Phoenix, AZ – Talking Stick Resort Amphitheatre
Mon Sep 11 – Los Angeles, CA – Kia Forum
Tue Sep 12 – Los Angeles, CA – Kia Forum
A New Era for Ghost with Phantomime
The music video for “Jesus He Knows Me” may be restricted, so it’s best to follow the link to watch it on YouTube. Phantomime’s announcement has been accompanied by not only a new music video but also by a recent stream with Father Jim DeFroque. Ghost, recently on TikTok promoted the new music video.
The upcoming EP, being released on May 18th, can be pre-ordered in multiple locations online and even Target has a special edition LP for Phantomime. On the band’s website there’s already a bunch of different merchandise ready for fans to celebrate the arrival of more music from Ghost. The artwork for Phantomime is compelling and includes detail expected from the iconic band. The metallic themes of the album’s artwork and the 1980’s cocaine-fueled pastor in recent advertisements signals something bonkers yet fantastic ahead for us all. The metallic and skeletal vault door of Phantomime has a baroque design that I can’t help but sit and stare at. When I saw that there’s a pin available with a similar design my neurodivergent brain exploded with joy because collecting that would be incredible. As someone who is continuing to go through religious deconstruction years past leaving the church, this was a unique and welcomed Easter distraction.
