GHOST's TOBIAS FORGE Explains Writing Process For Band's First New Single In Two Years, 'Hunter's Moon'

Last week, Swedish heavy rockers GHOST released a new song called "Hunter's Moon". The track, which was produced by Klas Åhlund and mixed by Andy Wallace, is featured in the latest blockbuster installment of the legendary film franchise "Halloween Kills". The "Halloween Kills" soundtrack is set to arrive October 15 via Sacred Bones, with the film hitting theaters (and Peacock) the same day as well.

Speaking to Spotify's Volume Sweden, GHOST mastermind Tobias Forge said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "The background to this song, specifically this song being associated with the film 'Halloween Kills', was that Ryan Turek, who is one of the producers of the film, asked me if I was interested in writing a song for a film and specifically this film. I said that I already have a few songs that might work, and specifically one song that I think could work very well within the concepts of the film.

"The seed for that song that I had in mind was originally [just the] title ['Hunter's Moon']," he explained. "Years ago, I was looking up the meaning of 'Harvest Moon', as in the Neil Young record, and within the context of 'Harvest Moon', which is essentially… It was, I guess, an article about farming and the moon cycles of farming. And in September, there's 'Harvest Moon,' and in October, after Harvest Moon, around Halloween, it's 'Hunter's Moon.' And immediately upon seeing that, I thought that, well, if I were to ever write a song about Halloween, as you must do as a gothic rock band, I'm gonna use that title.

"When I knew that there was gonna be a song called 'Hunter's Moon' in a 'Halloween' film, it was pretty easy to come up with a theme that would simplify the lyrical content," Forge added. "So I wanted the lyrics to be sort of nostalgic, longing back but also semi-romantic and also have a slight sort of 'siblings love', 'friendship love' question mark. So that is what I wrote.

"Sometimes when you write songs, especially if it's meant to be in a bigger, broader sort of album format, sometimes you can get locked into details, and you're writing too much into each song — it has to have too much of a purpose — whereas this was pretty simple; it was gonna go hand in hand with 'Halloween'."

GHOST's "Hunter's Moon" will play as the "Halloween Kills" end credits roll, and will be released January 21, 2022 as a collectible seven-inch single by Loma Vista Recordings. "Hunter's Moon" can be streamed, purchased, and/or pre-ordered in its vinyl incarnation. The retail version of the seven-inch will feature the special B-side "Halloween Kills (Main Title)", performed, produced and engineered by John Carpenter, Cody Carpenter and Daniel Davies.

"Hunter's Moon" features OPETH's Fredrik Åkesson on guitar and THE SOUNDTRACK OF OUR LIVES founder Martin Hederos on the piano. Producer Max Grahn and "A Ghoul Writer" are listed as the song's composers and lyricists.

The official music video for the infectious first new track from GHOST since 2019's "Seven Inches Of Satanic Panic" was directed by Amanda Demme.

Last month, GHOST announced a 26-date co-headlining U.S. arena tour with VOLBEAT and special guests TWIN TEMPLE, coming to cities including Seattle, Denver, Chicago, Houston, and Phoenix.

In March 2020, at final show of GHOST's "Prequelle" tour in Mexico City, Mexico, the band officially introduced Papa Emeritus IV, the new character who will front the act for its next LP phase.

Forge performed as a "new" Papa Emeritus on each of the band's first three LPs, with each version of Papa replacing the one that came before it. Papa Emeritus III was retired in favor of Cardinal Copia before the release of 2018's "Prequelle".

"Prequelle" debuted at No. 3 on the Billboard 200 and featured the chart-topping singles "Rats" and "Dance Macabre".

In December 2018, GHOST nabbed two Grammy nominations, "Best Rock Album" for "Prequelle" and "Best Rock Song" for "Rats".

Five years ago, GHOST became the first Swedish rock band ever to win a Grammy — 2016's "Best Metal Performance" for the song "Cirice".