Tobias Forge may be working on a new death metal project, according to a series of hints that have surfaced in recent months from musicians and industry people. The founder of Ghost, who appears with the band as Papa V Perpetua, hasn’t commented himself and no project has been officially announced.
The first sign came in June, when Swedish drummer Johan Koleberg, known for his work with Hammerfall and Therion, posted a photo of a drum kit set up with microphones. «I’m helping Mr. Tobias Forge tune these lovely drums for his new project over the next two weeks,» he wrote.
In July, Earache Records founder Digby Pearson spoke on the «Temple Of Bleh» podcast about his failed attempt to sign Ghost before they broke through: he said the label recently signed a death metal band connected to Ghost and added that, from what he’s heard, Forge is also making a death metal album.
The last hint came from Joey Tempest of Europe, on whose new album, «Come This Madness», Forge appears on backing vocals. Speaking to Planet Rock, Tempest said he doesn’t know what Ghost are planning, but added: «I know he’s back sitting in his studio and no one’s allowed in… he’s doing something!».
A death metal record would be a return to Forge’s musical beginnings: from 1998 to 2004 he fronted the Swedish band Repugnant under the name Mary Goore, whose only album was «Epitome Of Darkness» in 2006 — the same year Ghost began. In 2023 he told Metal Hammer that the end of Repugnant had broken his heart, explaining that he’d wanted them to sign to Roadrunner and open for Slayer. On Loudwire he admitted he wasn’t sure the band was good enough to succeed, saying that looking back at himself at 21 he can clearly see why it didn’t work out. Repugnant returned in 2010 with plans for a second album under the working title «Toxic Contagion», but the reunion didn’t last and no new music was released.
Forge has ruled out bringing death metal into Ghost, but he has said his love for the genre never left. After the end of their last tour, at Los Angeles’ Intuit Dome and after 70 shows across Europe and North America, he told Kerrang! that he was exhausted, that he doesn’t yet have ideas for the next Ghost record and that he won’t push himself, since he intended to spend his time at home with projects outside the band.
To wrap up
For now there’s nothing official, only whispers from people who work with him. If it’s true, it will be Forge’s return to the sound he started from.
See also
Ghost: Fans are raising money for Papa Emeritus’ mausoleum · Ghost – Skeletá
Source: https://metal-stop.com/ghosts-tobias-forge-reportedly-recording-new-death-metal-project/
