Project Description
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GHOST
SKELETÁ
Album Review
(12th May 2025)
Review by – Sylwia Green
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Photo – Mikael Eriksson MIndustries
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“Arguably the most mature work the level of the Devil has ever seen, Skeleta conveys a new level of Ghost that is built on foundations of the past that could never foresee this kind of future. Emotionally charged and primed for total world domination, Skeleta will transcend the psalms yet to be written to be scripture audiences will return to for decades to come.” – The Live Wire, 10/10
“Skeletá is an album of contrasts that burrows deeper with chamelonic charm on every returning listen. A kaleidoscope of lush retro instrumentation, swooning ballads, throwback rock, and plenty of show-stopping moments from Forge…” – The Soundcheck
“With Skeletá, Ghost have delivered one of their most emotionally resonant and musically adventurous albums to date. It’s a journey in every sense—rich with sonic detail, narrative flow, and standout moments that will linger long after the final note. Tracks like “Peacefield,” “Lachryma,” “Satanized,” “Marks Of The Evil One,” and “Umbra” are among the strongest the band has ever written, each one adding a distinct voice to the album’s beautifully haunting story.” – Metal On Tap
“Ghost’s sixth studio album, Skeletá, finds mastermind Tobias Forge once again reaching beyond expectations and genre definitions to craft an introspective, cinematic experience.” – Spotlight Report
“…this is ten bangers with no filler.” – Wall Of Sound
“SKELETÁ: GHOST’s Most Haunting Psalm Yet—A Spectral Symphony of Soul & Shadows.” – Hear 2 Zen, 10/10
“It’s lush, grandiose and sounds worthy of how huge Ghost are.” – HiFi Way
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Photo – Mikael Eriksson MIndustries
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Swedish shock rockers peel back the corpse paint and get emotional in their boldest left turn yet. Fifteen years ago, a mysterious figure in papal robes introduced the world to Opus Eponymous, an album that gave birth to one of rock’s most theatrical acts: Ghost. Since then, the Swedish band has evolved from underground curiosities into arena-filling icons, known as much for their masked clergy and twisted religious satire as for their genre-bending sound.
Today, Ghost drops their sixth studio album, Skeletá—an offering that’s not quite business as usual. The robes are still on, the Nameless Ghouls are still there, and the drama lingers—but something’s shifted beneath the cassock this time.
In a March 2025 interview with NME, Forge hinted at the pivot: ‘I think that there might be an end to the storytelling because it’s not productive to have this endless soap opera. If fans need the lore in order to like the band, then that element will probably be over quite soon.’
So, with the theatrical lore potentially fading into the background and the spotlight turning inward… does Skeletá still sound like the Ghost we know, or has the unholy spirit evolved?
Skeletá: Ghost Goes Inward, Not Infernal
Ghost’s sixth studio album, Skeletá, marks a turning point—not just in their sound, but in spirit. Gone are the concept albums about plagues and imperial collapse. This time, Forge isn’t peering through the lens of history or fantasy—he’s staring into a mirror. The album trades grandiosity for vulnerability, swapping Antichrist lore for emotional core.
The theatrics haven’t vanished completely, but they’ve been dimmed in favour of raw, human introspection. As Tobias Forge said, he didn’t want to write Impera 2—he set out to make something entirely different. This time around, he approached songwriting with a new lens: one track for love, one for hate, and another for hope. A catalogue of core human emotions, stripped of grand narrative, and filtered through Ghost’s ever-evolving aesthetic.
Ten tracks dig into the guts of emotion with a melodic rock backdrop that feels more Def Leppard than Mercyful Fate. It’s less about summoning the Devil and more about summoning whatever’s been lurking in your chest.
This is introspection with guitar solos. A séance of the self.
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Photo – Mikael Eriksson MIndustries
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The Sound: Lighters Up, Horns Down
From the first notes of ‘Lachryma,’ it’s clear we’re not in Meliora anymore. That track’s mournful elegance and layered harmonies evoke Queen on a rainy day, and it’s a theme that runs deep through the album—big choruses with a soft heart.
There are still traces of the Ghost we know: thunderous riffs, choirs sneaking in the background, and cheeky double entendres. But now they’re paired with lyrics that feel startlingly human.
Highlights?
– ‘Peacefield’ is a melancholic arena-rock gem with one foot in 1980s melancholy and another in Ghost’s unmistakable melodic DNA.
– ‘Cenotaph’ sounds like it could’ve been lifted off a forgotten Scorpions B-side—only Forge’s aching vocals give it that Ghost stamp.
– ‘Excelsis,’ the closer, is a stunning rock-waltz ballad about mortality that’ll make you stare at the ceiling and wonder where all your time went. You’ve been warned.
And the misses?
– ‘Satanized’ tries to dance between the old Ghost and the new but ends up a bit limp. It’s playful, sure—an ode to being ‘possessed’ by love—but it lacks the punch of either side of the band’s sound. You can see why it didn’t make it onto Impera (as it was meant to).
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Is this still Ghost?
That’s the million-dollar question—and the answer is yes, but a Ghost that’s chosen to evolve. Skeletá is a mirror held up to Tobias Forge’s soul, refracted through ’70s power ballads and arena melancholy. It’s not for fans who want endless choruses about the apocalypse. But it’s rich, rewarding, and surprisingly cathartic for listeners willing to walk into the candlelit chamber of the heart.
Some diehards may be rattled by the sonic shift—this ain’t Infestissumam. If you’re clinging to the ghoulish occult of Opus Eponymous, Skeletá might feel like getting invited to a one-on-one séance.
One thing’s for sure—whether you like the direction Ghost is going or not, we can’t ignore the band’s legacy. In a world full of ‘dull’ musicians with little charisma aboutthem, the Pope and his Nameless Ghouls created an empire combining music with theatre and lore that even deserved its own movie.
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Best for: Those who appreciate theatricality but crave soul-searching lyrics and a softer sound.
Not for: Anyone still yelling ‘He Is’ into their hairbrush like it’s 2015.
Similar artists: Blue Öyster Cult, Def Leppard, and Myrkur (for emotional gothic vibes).
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SKELETÁ – OUT NOW
VIA LOMA VISTA RECORDINGS
SKELETÁ
Track Listing:
01. Peacefield
02. Lachryma
03. Satanized
04. Guiding Lights
05. De Profundis Borealis
06. Cenotaph
07. Missilia Amori
08. Marks Of The Evil One
09. Umbra
10. Excelsis
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Follow GHOST
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Press Release 26th April 2025 (below) HERE
GHOST
SKELETÁ
Out Now
New single
PEACEFIELD
Live Now
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