Ghost Marks Of The Evil One Meaning and Review

Introduction

"Marks of the Evil One" by Ghost is a powerful and haunting track from their album Skeletá, offering a heavier and more dynamic tone compared to the rest of the album. With its brooding atmosphere, the song captures a dark and ominous vibe that aligns perfectly with Ghost’s signature blend of theatrical rock and heavy metal. The track weaves together dramatic guitar riffs, intense rhythms, and Tobias Forge's captivating vocal delivery, making it an instant standout for fans who appreciate a more intense side of the band. The song feels like a journey through apocalyptic imagery, with lyrics that are both cryptic and dramatic, making it a true highlight on the album.

Lyrical Themes

The lyrics in "Marks of the Evil One" draw heavily from biblical and apocalyptic themes, focusing on the infamous Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. Tobias Forge has described the song as a "dummified interpretation" of Biblical texts, simplifying them into something that fits within the band's darkly playful aesthetic. This interpretation gives the song a sense of both gravity and theatricality, combining ominous predictions with an almost campy energy. The recurring motif of "marks spreading everywhere" hints at a world overrun by chaos and malevolent forces, building the track’s tension and intensity.

Musical Composition

Musically, "Marks of the Evil One" shines with its heavier instrumentation and dynamic structure. The combination of distorted guitars, driving drums, and the occasional interlude for a powerful guitar solo creates a track that feels both menacing and invigorating. The song’s progression builds steadily, transitioning from verses steeped in foreboding imagery to explosive choruses that demand the listener’s attention. This shift in tone and energy serves as a perfect vehicle for the song’s apocalyptic themes, reinforcing the idea of inevitable destruction and the spread of evil, while maintaining Ghost's signature flair for theatrical rock.

Catchy Refrains

The pre-chorus and chorus are both incredibly catchy, with the repeated line "There! There!" becoming a haunting anthem that stays in your head long after the song ends. This catchy refrain, paired with the dark imagery of the lyrics, feels like an eerie battle cry, echoing the spread of the "marks" that signify allegiance to the "evil one." The outro, with its building repetition of the phrase "There is a fucking there!" further emphasizes the chaotic and inevitable nature of the narrative, leaving the listener with a sense of unresolved tension and apocalyptic doom.

Ghost Marks of the Evil One Review 

"Marks of the Evil One" is a standout track that showcases Ghost’s ability to blend heavy metal with theatrical storytelling. Its darker tone and more intense musicality offer a nice contrast to the rest of Skeletá, making it a memorable and impactful listen. With its biblical references, eerie guitar solos, and powerful choruses, it solidifies Ghost’s place as one of the most unique and captivating bands in modern rock. Fans of the band will find much to enjoy here, as the song strikes a balance between menacing heaviness and their signature blend of dark yet theatrical energy.

Listen to Ghost Marks of the Evil One

Ghost Marks of the Evil One Lyrics Meaning Explained 

The meaning of "Marks of the Evil One" by Ghost is a dark and apocalyptic exploration of corruption, evil, and the inevitable rise of malevolent forces in society. Drawing heavily from Biblical imagery, particularly the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse from the Book of Revelation, the song paints a vivid picture of chaos and destruction. It suggests that the "marks" of evil are spreading across the world, influencing people and ideologies, and critiques the denial of these ominous signs by those in power. With its heavy, dynamic tone and symbolic references, "Marks of the Evil One" serves as a commentary on societal decay, the growing influence of darkness, and the inescapable nature of evil that looms over the modern world.

Verse 1: The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse

"One rider has a bow / Rides a steed, white, and wears a crown, conquering / A second rider joins, on a steed / Red, swinging a sword, mongering"

This verse directly references the first two of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse from the Book of Revelation. The first rider on a white horse represents Conquest or Pestilence, who wears a crown and carries a bow, symbolizing the spread of domination or disease. The second rider on a red horse, swinging a sword, represents War, bringing destruction through violence. These figures are seen as harbingers of the end times, where each of them brings about chaos in different forms. Ghost uses these Biblical symbols to create a vivid and apocalyptic image of doom that fits the song's dark tone.

Pre-Chorus: Inversion of Revelation

"Fall on us, and hide us / From the tyrant who is Satanically enthroned"

This line riffs on Revelation 6:16–17, where people cry out for the mountains to fall on them and hide them from the wrath of the Lamb (Christ). In Ghost’s version, however, the figure they wish to hide from is not Christ but a "tyrant who is Satanically enthroned." This inversion places Satan as the ruler instead of Christ, flipping the Biblical narrative to reflect the song's dark and twisted interpretation. It paints the idea of divine wrath being replaced with the power of evil and those who follow it.

Chorus: The Spread of Evil

"There! There! / The marks are spreading everywhere / There! There! / The marks of the evil one"

The chorus is a repetitive and hypnotic chant that serves as the central hook of the song. The "marks" in this case can be interpreted in multiple ways, likely referring to both the literal "marks of the evil one" and the metaphorical spreading influence of evil, as represented by those who follow Satan or the forces of destruction. Tobias Forge has mentioned that the "marks" refer to people, suggesting that this song comments on the growing influence of darkness in the world. These marks can symbolize spiritual or ideological corruption, as they spread throughout society.

Verse 2: The Final Two Horsemen

"The third rider looks cool, on a steed / Black, a pair of scales in his hand / The fourth rider is death, rides a steed / Pale, and Hades follows him"

This verse introduces the third and fourth horsemen. The third rider on the black horse with scales represents Famine, with the scales symbolizing the imbalance between plenty and scarcity. The fourth rider is Death, often depicted as pale and accompanied by Hades, which reinforces the inevitability of death and the underworld. The image of death following the rider underscores the certainty of destruction and the finality of the apocalypse. These two verses continue the theme of judgment, illustrating the complete breakdown of society as these four horsemen sweep across the earth.

Pre-Chorus (Repeated): Plea for Escape

"Fall on us, and hide us / From the tyrant who is Satanically enthroned"

This pre-chorus is repeated again here, reinforcing the theme of seeking refuge from the evil ruler. It further intensifies the apocalyptic tone, as if pleading for salvation from the growing power of darkness and tyranny.

Verse 3: Denial of the Apocalypse

"When plowing through the seals / Like there is no tomorrow to be seen / As if the falling sky is nothing but an ancient dream / And when the sun eclipses / It's just abracadabra / Some hocus pocus sham"

This verse references the breaking of the seven seals in the Book of Revelation, which releases the Four Horsemen and other apocalyptic events. The imagery of "plowing through the seals" suggests an unstoppable force, moving through the stages of the apocalypse with no regard for the future ("like there is no tomorrow"). The "falling sky" and "sun eclipses" symbolize catastrophic events, but the phrase "abracadabra" and "hocus pocus" imply a dismissal of these signs as mere illusions or tricks. This can be interpreted as a critique of how such life-threatening phenomena, like climate change or other impending disasters, are often brushed off as conspiracy theories by political and spiritual leaders, even when their effects are undeniable.

Chorus (Repeated): The Marks of Corruption

"There! There! / The marks are spreading everywhere / There! There! / Disciples of the evil one / There! There! / Watch, they're crawling up the serpent's lair / There! There! There! / The marks of the evil one"

The repetition of the chorus throughout the song serves to reinforce the idea that the "marks of the evil one" are everywhere, continuously spreading and infiltrating society. The mention of "disciples of the evil one" suggests that the influence of evil is not only growing but also finding followers. The "serpent's lair" could symbolize the realm of Satan or the forces of evil, and the crawling marks represent how corruption and destruction seep into the world, gaining power and followers.

Outro: The Inevitable Presence of Evil

"There! There! / There! There! / There is a fucking there! There!"

The outro intensifies the repeating chant, emphasizing the presence of "there" and the spreading influence of evil. The inclusion of the expletive here heightens the urgency and emotional charge of the statement, driving home the point that the "marks of the evil one" are not just a distant threat but a present, inescapable reality.

The Rise of Evil and Corruption

"Marks of the Evil One" uses powerful apocalyptic imagery to explore themes of corruption, evil, and the inevitability of destruction. Drawing from the Book of Revelation, the song reinterprets the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse as symbols of societal decay, with the marks representing the spread of evil ideologies and corruption. Tobias Forge’s lyrics challenge listeners to confront the rise of malevolent forces in the world, while also critiquing the denial of these threats, whether in the form of political, spiritual, or societal blind spots. The repetition of the "marks" and the final exclamation in the outro reflect the overwhelming presence of these forces, offering a chilling vision of a world on the brink of collapse.

Ghost Marks of the Evil One Lyrics

[Verse 1]

One rider has a bow

Rides a steed, white, and wears a crown, conquering

A second rider joins, on a steed

Red, swinging a sword, mongering

[Pre-Chorus]

Fall on us, and hide us

From the tyrant who is Satanically enthroned

[Chorus]

There! There!

The marks are spreading everywhere

There! There!

The marks of the evil one

[Verse 2]

The third rider looks cool, on a steed

Black, a pair of scales in his hand

The fourth rider is death, rides a steed

Pale, and Hades follows him

[Pre-Chorus]

Fall on us, and hide us

From the tyrant who is Satanically enthroned

[Chorus]

There! There!

The marks are spreading everywhere

There! There!

Disciples of the evil one

There! There!

Watch, they're crawling up the serpent's lair

There! There! There!

The marks of the evil one

[Verse 3]

When plowing through the seals

Like there is no tomorrow to be seen

As if the falling sky is nothing but an ancient dream

And when the sun eclipses

It's just abracadabra

Some hocus pocus sham

Here they come, here they come, here they come

[Interlude and Guitar Solo]

[Chorus]

There! There!

The marks are spreading everywhere

There! There!

Disciples of the evil one

There! There!

Watch, they're crawling up the serpent's lair

There! There! There!

The marks of the evil one

[Outro]

There! There!

There! There!

There is a fucking there! There!