Swedish occult rockers Ghost have started working on th follow-up to Meliora, with plans to hit the studio in earnest once they comes off the road, one of the bands’ Nameless Ghouls tells Billboard.

"We haven't really started the pre-production yet, but I am very far into the writing," the Ghoul says. "I'm usually piling stuff up, and then by the time it comes to pre-production, that's when you start going through it and see what you have. I think that we have a pretty good idea of what we're doing next, but once we start recording I usually get very inspired and work a lot faster."

Read more at Billboard.com.

Ghost released their new Popestar EP on September 16th. The band leads Billboard's Top Rock Albums chart (dated October 8th) for the first time, as Popestar debuts with 21,000 sold in its first week, according to Nielsen Music.

Notably, the release is the first EP to rule Top Rock Albums in the chart's 10-year history, which dates to 2006. The release includes the original track "Square Hammer" as well as covers of songs by Eurythmics, Echo & the Bunnymen, Simian Mobile Disco and Imperiet.

Popestar also starts as Ghost's second #1 on Hard Rock Albums, following Infestissumam, which reigned for a week (May 4, 2013). Meanwhile, 2015's Meliora debuted and peaked at #2 on both Hard Rock Albums and Top Rock Albums; it re-enters the October 8th charts at #15 and #32, respectively, up 402 percent to 2,000 sold.

"Square Hammer" concurrently enters multiple Billboard charts, including Hard Rock Digital Song Sales at #7 (3,000 downloads sold), where it's Ghost's first entry. The track also ranks at #33 on the Mainstream Rock Songs airplay chart, #36 on Rock Digital Song Sales and #41 on Hot Rock Songs.

Popestar EP tracklisting:

“Square Hammer”
“Nocturnal Me”
“I Believe”
“Missionary Man”
“Bible”

"Square Hammer" video:

Ghost are out on the Popestar US headlining tour - a 35 city run that includes two rituals at The Wiltern in Los Angeles in October. See below for a complete list of dates and for more information on upcoming appearances, click here.

Popestar US Tour Dates

September
30 - Kansas City, MO - Arvest Bank at Midland Theatre

October
1 - Madison, WI - Sonic Boom Festival
2 - Louisville, KY - Louder Than Life
3 - Detroit, MI - The Fillmore
4 - Kalamazoo, MI - Kalamazoo State Theatre
5 - Cedar Rapids, IA - Paramount Theatre
7 - Denver, CO - Paramount Theatre
8 - Salt Lake City, UT - The Complex
9 - Missoula, MT - The Wilma Theatre
11 - Calgary, AB - MacEwan Hall
13 - Vancouver, BC - The Vogue Theater
14 - Seattle, WA - The Moore Theater
15 - Eugene, OR - McDonald Theater
16 - Portland, OR - The Rosalind Theater
18 - Riverside, CA - Riverside Municipal Auditorium
20 - Los Angeles, CA - The Wiltern
21 - Los Angeles, CA - The Wiltern
22 - Las Vegas, NV - The Brooklyn Bowl
25 - Phoenix, AZ - Comerica Theatre
27 - Lubbock, TX - City Bank Auditorium
28 - San Antonio, TX - The Aztec Theater
31 - Little Rock, AR - Metroplex

November
2 - Orlando, FL - The Hard Rock
3 - Miami Beach, FL - Fillmore Miami Beach
4 - Jacksonville, FL - The Florida Theatre
5 - Charlotte, NC - The Fillmore
7 - Raleigh, NC - The Ritz
9 - Toronto, ON - Queen Elizabeth Theatre
11 - Montreal, QC - Metropolis
12 - Brooklyn, NY - Kings Theatre