Ghost Goes Disco On New ‘Prequelle’ Track, “Dance Macabre”

Ghost is back with their second Prequelle single, “Dance Macabre.” Following “Rats,” this is the second song we’ve heard from Ghost’s upcoming 4th album, due out on June 1st. Earlier this year, frontman Tobias Forge (known by his stage names Papa Emeritus and now Cardinal Copia) described “Dance Macabre” as a disco song, and indeed, this track combines a throwback sound with the most radio-friendly hooks in Ghost’s catalog.

“Dance Macabre” is upbeat, led by a strong guitar riff and pounding drum. The lyrics sound like an ’80s breakup anthem, though their true meaning surrounds the Black Death that plagued Europe in the 1300s. Lines like “Just wanna bewitch you in the moonlight” could easily be interpreted as “Just wanna be with you in the moonlight” – a much more romantic take than the intended deathly subject matter!

Tobias Forge described “Dance Macabre” to Revolver in January this year:

Europe was in this turmoil in the late 1340s. The plague is extremely fast. It starts off as the worst flu you’ve ever had and then it just goes worse and then you’re dead after three days. So people were lying in the streets — corpses and all the surroundings were just falling apart. All the brothels and pubs were thriving because people started partying literally like there was no tomorrow because they were gonna die. They were just going for it. “Dance Macabre” is capturing that joyous nocturnal sort of life in a disco song. [Laughs]

With its vague lyrics and addictive melody, this song could actually be played on radio without offending religious listeners. “Dance Macabre” is an excellent song; listen to it below:

You can listen to “Dance Macabre” on Spotify or download it from iTunes now. You can also get it as an instant download of it and “Rats” when you pre-order the album on iTunes or Ghost’s official store. Fans might want to check out their zany album bundles, too! The album will be out on June 1st.

With two singles out and Prequelle just around the corner, things are getting exciting in the Ghost world! North American fans can also enjoy the band live on their current Rats! On The Road tour, continuing through the rest of May.

Enjoy “Dance Macabre” and get ready for the new album – Prequelle comes out in just two weeks! As always, keep checking back here for all the latest Ghost music news.

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