There are several artists sharing the moniker Ghost;

1) Ghost, also … Read Full Bio ↴There are several artists sharing the moniker Ghost;

1) Ghost, also formerly known as Ghost B.C. in the United States, is a Swedish hard rock band that was formed in Linköping in 2006. In 2010, they released a three-track demo followed by a 7-inch vinyl titled "Elizabeth", and later their debut full-length album Opus Eponymous. The song "Ritual" was chosen by Kerrang! as one of "The 50 Most Evil Songs Ever." The Grammis-nominated album was widely praised and significantly increased their popularity. Their second album and major label debut, Infestissumam, was released in 2013, debuted at number one in Sweden, and won the Grammis Award for Best Hard Rock/Metal Album. The band released their third studio album, Meliora, in 2015 to much critical acclaim and high record sales, reaching number one in their home country of Sweden, and number eight in the United States. Its lead single, "Cirice", earned them the 2016 Grammy Award for Best Metal Performance. The band released their fourth studio album, Prequelle, in 2018. The band released their fifth studio album, Impera, in 2022.

Ghost is easily recognizable owing greatly to its eccentric on-stage presence. Seven of the group's eight members, its 'Nameless Ghouls', wear virtually identical, face-concealing costumes. Prior to a 2017 lawsuit filed by former members of the band, lead singer Tobias Forge obscured his identity behind the character "Papa Emeritus". The character, which consists of Forge in a prosthetic mask and makeup, can be best described as a 'demonic anti-pope'. The Papa Emeritus Character has gone through five incarnations - I, II, III, Nihil, and IV. From the release of the 2018 album Prequelle and subsequent world tour, Forge portrayed a character known as "Cardinal Copia", who is described as being unrelated to any of the Papa Emeritus characters and whose costume consists of either Cardinal vestments or a black or white tuxedo alongside a prosthetic mask with black eye makeup and the multi-colored eyes which had been present in each Papa character. In March 2020, at the final show of A Pale Tour Named Death, Forge once again assumed the mantle of Papa Emeritus.

Ghost's music has been categorized in many genres, critics have classified them as hard rock, heavy metal, doom metal, pop rock, progressive rock, psychedelic rock, occult rock, and arena rock. Adrien Begrand of PopMatters stated that Ghost recalls "the early sounds of Black Sabbath, Pentagram, and Judas Priest, as well as the progressive and psychedelic rock of the late '60s." Speaking to Noisey.com, a Nameless Ghoul described Ghost as a black metal band in the traditional sense, but said that they probably do not fit into the norms of the current black metal scene. This Nameless Ghoul described Ghost's music as a mix between pop music and death metal.

In an interview, a Nameless Ghoul said they are influenced by "everything ranging from classic rock to the extreme underground metal bands of the '80s to film scores to the grandeur of emotional harmonic music." A member of the band said the Swedish and Scandinavian black metal movement of the early '90s plays a major role in their act, and said that each member has come from a metal background. However, the band has stated several times that they do not aim to be a metal band. For their second album, Ghost chose a more diverse songwriting style; a member said, "we tried to deliberately have every song have its own signature."

Only a few members actually write songs. The writers compose an acoustic outline of songs before other instrumentation is added so it sounds like a group, rather than being dominated by guitar. In 2017, Forge claimed that he was the main author of every song except "Year Zero" and "Zenith", which were Persner's ideas. Asked how he keeps Ghost's sound intact despite large lineup changes, Forge said he has to teach them to play like he does; explaining that while he is a good guitar player, he is only an "okay" drummer, bassist and keyboardist. So it is a matter of getting them to "underperform [laughs] together."

2) Ghost is an experimental rock group formed in Tokyo, Japan, in 1984.

Core-member Masaki Batoh grew up in Kyoto, Japan where he attended a private school. During this time, he became interested in American and British rock music ranging from Bob Dylan and Pink Floyd to the Velvet Underground and Japanese rock bands such as the Taj Mahal Travellers and the Flower Travellin' Band.

Later, Batoh formed Ghost with a large and often varying lineup. According to reports posted on Allmusic, the group lived a nomadic existence, drifting from ruins of ancient temples to disused subway stations around the Tokyo area.

The band began releasing their work with the albums Ghost and Second Time Around, which were released, respectively, in 1991 and 1992. The American independent label Drag City licensed each of the albums for distribution, and the Los Angeles The Now Sound label picked up two of Batoh's solo albums, released together as well under the title Collected Works. Two albums, Tune In, Turn On, Free Tibet and Snuffbox Immanence, were released simultaneously in 1999.

As well as their own work, Ghost have recorded and performed with the ex-Galaxie 500 duo Damon and Naomi. Five years after releasing both Snuffbox Immanence and Tune In, Turn On, Free Tibet, Ghost returned with Hypnotic Underworld, and there were some changes in the band. Cellist Hiromichi Sakamoto and percussionist Setsuko Furuya left and were replaced by a rhythm section of Takuyuki Moriya (electric bass guitar, double bass, and cello) and Junzo Tateiwa (drums, tabla, and percussion). In January 2007, Ghost released its latest studio album titled In Stormy Nights.

3) A British hip hop/trip hop/electronic producer on the Breakin Bread label who has an impressive discography dating back to 2003. Their body of work includes three solo albums, a collaborative group album, a dynamic mix CD, a series of 12-inch vinyl releases, captivating EPs, and two digital download albums filled with remixes and unreleased tracks. Ghost has left an indelible mark on the music scene through extensive touring, while also maintaining a strong presence as a skillful DJ and a regular radio performer.

Initially rooted in the world of Hip Hop as a dedicated enthusiast (a passion that endures), Ghost's artistic evolution over the past eight years has been noteworthy. This period has seen a deliberate expansion of musical horizons, embracing genres beyond Hip Hop. Notably, Ghost has delved into the realms of Wonky, Electronic beats, Future Beats, and Bass, demonstrating an impressive versatility that resonates with diverse audiences.

https://ghost-uk.bandcamp.com

4) The collaboration between one of Dubstep's forefathers El-B and J Da Flex, they created a darker, rawer offshoot of UK Garage on a label of the same name, that would ultimately pave the way for the sound of Dubstep. Blackdown is due to pay homage that early sound on his sequel to 'The Roots of Dubstep', with a collection of rare El-B and Ghost cuts on the new album 'The Roots of El-B'.

5) Jamaican Reggae artist Carlton Hylton.

6) A visual kei indie band (see ＧＨＯＳＴ for more info)

7) A Death Metal group from Poland (Gdańsk).

The Lost of Mercy
http://ghost.metal.pl/

8) Ghost is an electronic music producer and member of Cambridge based life4land crew.

9) A One-man band played Experimental Black / Doom Metal from France.

10 Rashard "Ghost" Acuna was born and raised in East Oakland,California. He discovered his urge to make music while freestyling in the back of car to the Hot Boys' Guerilla Warfare. The group "Y.B.G" was formed with longtime friends Birch Boy Barie amd Murda Boy D. Since then he has been recording, battling, producing and performing whenever possible. Catapulted by the popularity of a rap beef, he went on to make a solo mixtape which established him as a Bay Area native to pay attention too.

Mixing lyricism with the East Oakland swagger and adding some bass, his style was born. "Bwaaaaaaa" is a phrase often heard when mentioning Ghost's name. Since the start of his career, he had been a part many songs, instrumentals, performances, collaborations, contests, and is in completion of his 2nd underground mixtape.

11 Ghost is an English Melodic/Progressive Rock band.

12) Ghost is an Italian pop-rock band formed in Rome in end of the year 2001. The founding members are Alex Magistri and Enrico Magistri.

13) Ghost was a Swedish Rock / Powerpop band located in Finspång, Sweden.

Members:
Anders Måreby (Vocals, Guitar, Keyboard)
Dag "Tom Nouga" Swanö (Guitar)
Per Runesson (Bass)

14) Ghost and Pals, an experimental and electronic musician from the Midwestern United States. They primarily write music that features VOCALOIDs, which are singing vocal synthesizers. If you listen to a song by Ghost you might contract rubella or maybe get a headache so listen with caution.

By the Books
Ghost Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

This one is by the books
Chapter for chapter
Word for word
This formula in disguise
Now I'm shaking watching what they buy
This one is so expected
Line for line
Move for move

This falsity in disguise
Now I'm shaking watching what they buy
With stale words you kick it when it's down
No substance, this is the death of sound
One pioneer finds the new ground
So copy up and break it down
In your town they're dropping names
Like dropping bombs
Hey product these chords
They will not become plastic
You front what you can't back up
Repeat everything that you hear
There is nothing left here
You trust everything
We've lost everything
And ducking punches
You cheer anything
False idols they cheer it with you
Sound for sound
It's killing me without sympathy
My ears are deaf as of now
This one it has no use
Line for line
Move for move
This uniform in disguise
And now I'm shaking
Conformist spies

Time will come
When you get what you deserve

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Ghost's song "By the Books" speak to the frustrating experience of watching music become formulaic and predictable, with artists copying each other and relying on dull, overused clichés instead of innovation and creativity. The chorus describes this trend as a "falsity in disguise," with the singer "shaking watching what they buy," suggesting that many listeners are blindly consuming this mass-produced music without realizing its lack of substance or originality. The second verse continues to critique the lack of creativity in modern music, with lines like "You front what you can't back up" and "Repeat everything that you hear." Ultimately, the song is a call for artists and listeners alike to break out of this cycle of conformity and strive for something new and genuine.

In terms of musical technique, "By the Books" draws heavily on punk and metal influences, featuring fast-paced percussion, distorted guitar riffs, and shouted lyrics. The energy of the song matches its message of frustration and rebellion, with the repeated phrase "This one is by the books" serving as an almost taunting refrain. Overall, the song serves both as a criticism of the current state of music and a reminder that true innovation is always possible.

Line by Line Meaning

This one is by the books
This song is generic, lacking any real originality.

Chapter for chapter
This song is predictable, following a formulaic structure that has been done many times before.

Word for word
The lyrics of this song are not creative, simply repeating phrases and ideas that have been used in similar songs.

This formula in disguise
Although this song presents itself as new and exciting, it is really just following a pattern that has been successful in the past.

Now I'm shaking watching what they buy
The artist is concerned about people buying into this song and genre without realizing its lack of authenticity.

This one is so expected
The artist believes that this song is going to be successful due to its formulaic structure, but it lacks originality.

Line for line
This song follows a pattern that is familiar to the listener.

Move for move
The song follows a familiar rhythm, making it easy to predict what comes next.

This falsity in disguise
The song presents itself as something new and fresh, but it is really just following the pattern of other songs that have already been popular.

With stale words you kick it when it's down
The artist is critical of the lyrics, which lack originality and creativity. The song becomes even worse when it tries to imitate other successful songs.

No substance, this is the death of sound
The artist believes that songs like this are contributing to a decline in the quality and originality of music.

One pioneer finds the new ground
The artist believes that there are still musicians who are trying to break new ground and create truly innovative music.

So copy up and break it down
Instead of copying already successful songs and formulas, the artist suggests breaking free from those structures to create something new.

In your town they're dropping names
The artist is critical of the trend of using generic and unoriginal names in music, which are not unique or interesting.

Like dropping bombs
The use of these unoriginal names is seen as something negative and damaging to the overall quality of music.

Hey product these chords
The artist is calling out the commercialization of music, suggesting that it is becoming more about creating a product than about creating something meaningful.

They will not become plastic
The artist suggests that true music cannot be reduced to a product or commodity.

You front what you can't back up
The artist is critical of musicians who pretend to be something they are not or who try to make music in a style that they cannot deliver.

Repeat everything that you hear
The artist is critical of musicians who simply repeat what they hear from others, without contributing anything new or original.

There is nothing left here
The artist laments the decline in originality and creativity in music, suggesting that there is little left to explore or innovate.

You trust everything
The artist is warning against blind trust, suggesting that listeners should be more critical of the music they consume.

We've lost everything
The artist is critical of the state of music, suggesting that we have lost the creativity, originality, and meaning that once made music so special.

And ducking punches
The artist is literally or metaphorically dodging criticism and resistance from those who are critical of this type of music.

You cheer anything
The artist believes that many people will cheer a song or band simply because it is popular or well-known, rather than because it is truly good or innovative.

False idols they cheer it with you
The artist is critical of the trend of elevating musicians to the status of idols, even if their music lacks substance or creativity.

Sound for sound
The artist is critical of the trend of creating music that is the same as other popular songs, with no originality or creativity.

It's killing me without sympathy
The artist is in despair at the decline of original and creative music, and it is having a significant impact on them.

My ears are deaf as of now
The artist has become jaded and desensitized to the music that surrounds them, as it lacks originality and creativity.

This one it has no use
The artist believes that this song is lacking in meaning or value, contributing little to the world of music.

This uniform in disguise
The song presents itself as something new and exciting, but it is really just following a pattern that has been successful in the past.

And now I'm shaking
The artist is upset or worried about the impact that this type of music is having on the industry and on listeners.

Conformist spies
The artist is critical of those who blindly follow trends in music or who do not challenge the status quo.

Time will come
The artist is hopeful that a new era of music will emerge, one that values originality, creativity, and meaning.

When you get what you deserve
The artist suggests that those who create unoriginal or uncreative music will eventually fall out of favor and be replaced by those who are more innovative and original.

Lyrics © O/B/O APRA/AMCOS

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