Ghost has finally graduated from mid-sized venues like Place Bell to making their full-on arena debut, and was nothing short of a theatrical triumph — a night where heavy metal collided with sacred pageantry and rock spectacle. This was the first Montreal appearance of Frater Imperator, the successor to the line of Papa Emeritus’ or is it Papa Emeriti? The Swedish occult-rock ensemble delivered a meticulously staged performance that blurred the line between concert and ritual.
With no opening act, the evening began with “Peacefield” and “Lachryma,” selections that immediately set a grand, cinematic tone. The Bell Centre pulsed with anticipation as the Nameless Ghouls took their positions on a massive stage. The production, as always with Ghost, was immaculate. The stage started out as torn black drapes with a giant light Ghost Cross above. An incense-like fog transformed the arena into an unholy sanctuary. When “Spirit” and “Per Aspera ad Inferi” followed, the crowd roared, weaving through the dark melodies. Forge’s voice soared with clarity, effortlessly transitioning from sermon to seduction.
The first half of the set leaned heavily into the band’s earlier catalog, with “From the Pinnacle to the Pit” and “Majesty” reminding the audience why Meliora remains their biggest album a decade later. Tracks from their latest, Skeleta, were well received, especially “The Future Is a Foreign Land,” which proved a dramatic live centrepiece.
The haunting instrumental “Devil Church” served as a setup for Forge turning into Papa Emeritus 1. The curtains dropped, revealing a gothic-like cathedral, and the Papa was suspended, seemingly floating through the air. On his return to the ground, he pointed out that some of the lights for that segment didn’t work. He blamed the cold, saying, “ice seems to be ruining everything these days,” which drew a huge reaction.
“Cirice” and “Darkness at the Heart of My Love” were a massive sing-along fest filled with haunting vibes. The chills were only matched by the dark ballad “He Is,” the band’s ode to Lucifer.
One of the night’s most electric moments came with “Satanized,” their latest single that fused Ghost’s melodic sensibilities with a ferocious metal edge. The pit erupted, and for a moment, the band seemed more a force of nature than mere performers. Closing the main set with the fan-favourite “Monstrance Clock” from their debut album Opus Eponymous was a trip down memory lane, a reminder of the dark genesis that brought Ghost to arenas like this one, even recalling their first trip to Montreal at the then Corona Theatre.
The encore was a perfect triptych of their biggest hits. “Mary on a Cross” shimmered with bittersweet nostalgia, turning the crowd into a giant disco floor. There was lots of confetti that seemed to blow back on stage. Frater said he knew how to fix this and asked the crowd to praise his friend Jesus. A confused crowd complied as a stagehand hit the stage with a leaf blower, with Frater proclaiming, “It worked! Ladies and gentlemen, Jesus Torres, our stage manager!”
“Dance Macabre” kept the dance vibes on high. And finally, “Square Hammer,” with its bombastic riff and unholy energy, brought the night to an ecstatic close. By the last chorus, pyro cannons burst in perfectly timed synchronization, sealing the night in sparks and smoke.
Ghost’s blend of music, pageantry, and theatre was a perfect cure for the winter blues. A celebration of life and death… and sleep, because we were exiting the Bell Centre at 9:15. I’m pretty sure that was a first!
Review – Richard Brunette
Photos – Ryan Rumpel
