GHOST: North American Headlining Tour Announced

Mysterious Swedish buzz band GHOST has announced that it will embark on its first-ever North American headlining tour in January. GHOST cult leader "Papa Emeritus" (rumored to be REPUGNANT/SUBVISION's Tobias Forge, who takes the stage in the form of "a satanic pope") and his anonymous ghouls will team up with doom rockers BLOOD CEREMONY and ANCIENT VVISDOM for a two-week trek dubbed the "13 Dates Of Doom" tour that will launch on January 18 in New York City.

"It is with an evil haunting chuckle that we are announcing that we are finally coming to North America," states GHOST's Papa Emeritus. "In the name of Satan, we will conduct thirteen rituals in thirteen different cities throughout the United States and Canada and now we are summoning all of our devotees to partake in these blasphemous eves of black magic."

GHOST, BLOOD CEREMONY, ANCIENT VVISDOM North American tour dates:

Jan. 18 - New York, NY @ Bowery Ballroom
Jan. 19 - Washington, DC @ Rock N Roll Hotel
Jan. 20 - Boston, MA @ Middle East (downstairs)
Jan. 21 - Montreal, QC @ Corona Theatre
Jan. 22 - Toronto, ON @ The Mod Club
Jan. 24 - Chicago, IL @ Bottom Lounge
Jan. 25 - Saint Paul, MN @ Station 4
Jan. 27 - Denver, CO @ Marquis Theatre
Jan. 28 - Salt Lake City, UT @ The Vertigo (The Complex)
Jan. 30 - Seattle, WA @ El Corazon
Jan. 31 - Portland, OR @ Hawthorne Theater
Feb. 01 - San Francisco, CA @ Bottom of the Hill
Feb. 02 - Los Angeles, CA @ The Roxy

GHOST is continuing to support its debut album, "Opus Eponymous", which has been called "amazing" by Stereogum and "a primer on the creation of melodic hard rock" by The Big Takeover.

GHOST floored music fans with its first U.S. shows and served notice that it is not only a "band to watch" but will be a force to be reckoned with for years to come. In its live review of GHOST's New York City headlining show, the Village Voice called the group's performance "lurching and menacing", saying "GHOST's sound is like heavy metal trapped in a state of suspended animation since 1973." A sneak peek at GHOST performing live can be viewed now as the band was captured on film by a recent attendee of the band's black mass. Check out the band performing the song "Satan Prayer" as part of its May 29 headlining set at the 2011 Maryland Deathfest below.

GHOST's "Opus Eponymous" is a daringly fascinating combination of satanic rock music merged with an almost unthinkable pop sensibility. Enveloped in a shroud of mystery and standing anonymous beneath the painted faces, hoods and robes which their sect demand, the GHOST deliver litanies of pulsating heavy rock and stimulating lyrics which "glorify and glamorize the disgusting and sacrilegious." The music and philosophies of GHOST specifically target "individuals who have a void in their life perhaps caused by some form of emotional trauma or upset" (research suggests these are most likely adolescents); this dearth can then be alluringly filled by GHOST's music and philosophies.

Professionally filmed video footage of GHOST's performance at this year's Hellfest, which took place June 17-19, 2011 in Clisson, France, can be seen below.