GHOST: SKELETÁ
Ghost: Pop? Rock? Metal? Who cares? Their new LP is a glorious homage to 80s radio rock and may well be their most consistent LP yet.
Ghost: Skeletá
Loma Vista Recordings, 2025.
It’s too easy too poo-poo Ghost.
Friends of mine look down on them and dismiss them as churlish; panto-pop masking as metal, or plastic Satanic nonsense that’s more Abba than Abbath.
Fair enough.
But what they are missing is that fundamentally that’s why I love them so much - and presumably why their legions of fans do too. There’s nothing wrong with creating stirring and melodic anthems for stadiums of people to sing along to. There’s nothing wrong with taking AOR cues and fitting them alongside an adoration for Bathory and Slayer.
Isn’t that the ultimate goal, to be as successful as possible and reach as many listeners as you can? Even Tobias Forge, mastermind behind the band calls himself an entertainer, these days. There are no pretensions to be anything else.
Why shouldn’t the melodic production values and sweet songwriting brilliance of Abba be paired with the themes of Venom? Isn’t that precisely the way the devil would want to infiltrate humanity? En masse, rather than en niche?
Isn’t the juxtaposition of content and delivery precisely what makes Ghost so enthralling?
Of course, the Ghost IP is enormous these days; the vignettes, the marketing, the merchandise and the fiction all play a huge part in creating the empire of the Papas.
The furore surrounding the abdication of one and the introduction of the next is actually an achievement of wonder. They’ve even made a movie. The brand is huge and becoming ever huger.
It’s what Kiss did in the 70s.
Perhaps it’s the perceived Disneyfication of rock that is so divisive. And it really does divide - somehow people expect a harder, darker and more insidious sound to accompany the visuals.
Which must be a fairly modern demand, because in the 80s and 90s, the height of evil was Ozzy Osbourne, and he sounded no less pop than Ghost do.
Perhaps the nod to corpse-paint in their image raises an expectation of lo-fi screeches in a contemporary audience, rather than the Vaudeville of Kiss.
Part of the issue seems to come from their evolution to pop.
Certainly, their first two or three LPs had a more retro underground influence - perhaps there’s a sense of betrayal with the hardcore?
I’ve never shied away from quality pop, whether its Abba, Carpenters, Blondie or REO Speedwagon. A good tune is a good tune and - fuck me with that thar crucifix - Ghost really have the tunes.
On all their previous LPs, there have been anthems and there have been dirges. I tend to be less interested in the dirges, which means, for me, that every album thus far has been a moderately mixed affair, with a couple of tracks on each one that feel surplus to my own requirements.
2022’s Impera came close to perfect, such was the power of Spillways, Hunter’s Moon and Call Me Little Sunshine - songs so huge that they overshadowed the track or two that I considered to be filler.
But on Skeletá, they’ve gone a step further, and created an LP of back-to-back bangers -almost - that are undeniably well-written, immaculately produced and absolutely guaranteed to have Ghost’s legions wave their lighters in the air every time one of them is played live.
Skeletá is pretty much majestic - and whether you’re an acolyte of The Clergy or not - the success that this level of production deserves is undeniable. After all - there’s an abundance of examples that show us that it’s easy to follow a black or death metal template and deliver something stylistically predictable and tatty.
Don’t get me wrong - I love loads of that stuff and am happy to digest repeating iterations with no surprises - it doesn’t matter to me - the vibe is all.
But it’s FAR more difficult to surrender to pop - writing contemporary rock songs that embrace that without launching into cheese, with an integrity of message and production is difficult - and who else really pulls that off in 2025?
It’s so much fun. I wish more bands did it. I can barely listen to half a song without mincing around the kitchen, resurrecting long lost, snake-hipped and air-stroking dance moves.
It so joyful.
The marriage of image, theatrics and tunes prevents Ghost becoming Foreigner.
They will always have an edge because of their fundamental opposition to conformity and organised religion. I would also argue that many of the riffs on Skeletá rival the best of Metallica, Maiden or any other super-successful arena rock band of the last 30 or so years. Tobias Forge, the man behind it all can, ultimately, really write a tune.
He can also create a compelling character and hit the sweet spot between parody and seriousness so perfectly that the only way to respond to it is to embrace his vision wholeheartedly.
For those unaware of Ghost’s mythology, they have been fronted by Tobias Forge since 2008.
He was anonymous for the first few albums, but has since been revealed, and now embraces his role as writer, master and head of the Ghost empire. He is articulate, mad about music and comes from Linköping, a small city in southern Sweden half way between Stockholm and Gothenburg.
He seems to be a truly lovely, intelligent and courteous guy.
When he is performing, he is playing a role. The band are fronted by an evolving line of demonic anti-pope characters, each with a distinct, but related, visage and personality.
The first was Papa Emeritus. There have since been four of them.
Skeletá presents Papa V Perpetua.
It’s a big deal because for the first time, Papa’s mask only conceals the top half of his face and his mouth is free and visible, previously always being somewhat static and obscured by latex.
The various Papas are backed by the Nameless Ghouls. Equally anonymous and entirely adept at playing their instruments. There is no doubting their chops.
With each new Papa, their styling changes too.
A perfect package of mystique, dramatic poses and soaring choruses.
The first three tracks of Skeletá are the three digital singles that preceded its release, in reverse order.
Peacefield is first. The Journey influence is brazen and ace for it.
The least clingy of the three singles at first, but it grows, and by the time you’ve heard it a few times it has become a brilliant opening statement for the record.
Even a cursory listen rams the Journey/Boston/Speedwagon vibe home hard.
I dismissed it at first, but three rounds in it starts to stick. The blistering guitar solo has MTV’s golden age slapped all over it.
But behind that sweet riffage lies a lyrical darkness. Forge has stated that this LP is more personal, dealing with emotions and what it means to be human.
Maybe Peacefield is about envy, hope or adulation?
“The dawn of prosperity, a faded scar
An ended calamity, a slaughtered Tsar
We all need something to believe in
Until it’s over, anything, anyone, anytime…
… but it’s not over yet”
Lachryma is the second promo piece and, for me, it’s the track of the album.
I love it. It is to Skeleta what Spillways was to Impera.
It’s addictive and anthemic.
An ode to vampiric hosts as a metaphor for loss, wrapped in vocal nuance and inflection that lifts the heart and soars the soul.
Try not to sing the chorus to yourself for days after it’s wormed its way in.
So simple. So effective.
There’s a sweet rebellion in its simplicity that works for every soul on the planet.
“I’m done…
Crying over someone like you - I’m done
Crying; hope you’re feeling it too now;
I’m done”
Next up is the first promo, Satanized, which you could be forgiven for thinking is about possession, but in fact, was written to describe the pain of love.
It didn’t hook me at first. It felt a little like Cirice, a previous grammy-winning single of theirs, which misses the mark with me - but then it clicked… and now - well now I love its odd, eastern -sounding waltzy groove. I still think it’s an odd one to come out of the gates with, but it’s clearly destined to be a highlight of a Ghost set.
Just listen to that chorus. The theatricality is lush.
The first full-on ballad to hit us is Guiding Lights. I don’t think I’ve ever heard such a blatant tribute to REO Speedwagon. And I mean that as a compliment.
What fun.
Here we go:
“The road that leads to nowhere is long
And those that seek to go there are lost
The guiding lights; they lead you on
And the road the leads to nowhere is long”
I know it won’t be for everyone, but get over it, you cynical old b’stards.
Embrace the AOR.
It’s swiftly becoming my favourite (after Lachryma).
Side One closes with De Profundis Borealis (translates as ‘From the Depths’) and it’s a punchy, uplifting rocker.
The swiftest track so far. It really ends the side on a high note. I would have been tempted to open the LP with it. It runs like an unstoppable train and the vocal melody is super-catchy and powerful.
Mega.
So - the first side is actually flawless, IMHO. It doesn’t let up; the quality oozes and oozes.
Side Two is marginally less successful.
Cenotaph is the first song and the tinkling Exorcist style keyboards at the start launch it atmospherically. Behind them, the galloping guitar line foreshadows the rocker that bursts from the speakers by the time Papa gets to the first long-awaited solo.
Just try not to swing your head to it. Especially to the Queen-style guitar motifs.
Missilia Amori (translated as Love Rockets) is the first song to fall a bit flat for me.
It’s not the Ultimate Sin style riffs and structure - actually, the opposite - I really like the composition. It’s got a real ‘80s Sunset Blvd feel to it which works well - but lyrically, the phallic connotations just make me wince a bit.
Although the rest of the words aren’t abjectly sexualised (apart from the last line of the third verse), the imagery is so blatant it feels awkward - and not a particularly good look.
Marks Of The Evil One is next, and is concerned with the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. It is lifted by it’s nagging chorus and epic bridge. Although I wouldn’t suggest it could be a single, it’s a cracking deep cut with a fab synthy guitar solo and drop-down midway through proceedings.
Umbra begins with a classic Journey synth pad. You just know it’s going to be a big one. Indeed, the pad cuts itself off to be replaced with a gritty guitar riff and a cowbell-led cheer-leading drumbeat that commands more energy than the introductory vocal lines are willing to accommodate, until… OMG - that chorus.
When it hits - with the snare hook and the vocal melody, tt feels takes off.
Unlike Missile Amori, this one is actually about sex and sweatiness, mixed up with dark and sacrificial imagery:
“In the chapel of the Holy One
In the presence of the Chosen Son
I see your light shine through
In the temple of the Godly scene
In the shadow of the Nazarene
I put my love in you”
I’m not a huge fan of carnal lyrics, but I can forgive Umbra on the basis of its superb musicality - and it’s certainly the highlight of Skeletá’s second side.
The LP closes on a huge ballad.
It’s going to take an effort to broaden my mind enough for me to fully embrace Excelsis. It’s such a ballad, I find it hard to love. It’s the weakest track on the LP by some margin.
I’d suggest it’s actually a duffer.
And because it’s what the LP ends on, it’s what you carry away with you. I advise you to either skip it or head for Lachryma straight afterwards to cleanse your palate.
Truthfully, both Missilia Amori and certainly Excelsis could be binned off from the track-listing. They weaken an otherwise pretty brilliant string of songs, and I can’t believe that an artist as profoundly gifted as Tobias Forge couldn’t have come up with something a bit better to boost Side Two with.
Nevertheless, Skeletá is strong - at least as strong as Meloria, Prequelle and Impera, the three preceding LPs that introduced a more pop-oriented sound to the retro groove of their first two.
It stands up well in that company and may be the best of that latter bunch.
It’s not for everyone. I understand that.
I get that it’s easy to dismiss it as cheesy in places, but I’d urge you, as a listener, to go in on it and assume good intent.
Give it a chance to put its hooks into you and I’m confident that you won’t regret it.
Everyone needs some levity in their catalogue and Ghost could be yours - just as it is mine.
The best analysis I’ve seen to date on this album. I’m not as down on side two as you. I’ve been a fan since their inception. The first time I saw them was in a very small club in St Paul, Mn called Station 4. There were maybe a couple hundred people at the most. I remember a killer version of The Beatles, “Here Comes The Sun”. I’ve seen them several times since. The shows get bigger as do the crowds. “Rite Here Rite Now” was a great production effort, and now in 4K looks and sounds great on my home system. It will be interesting to see where the ride will take us and how long it lasts.
Great write up and I agree with all your takes on the album (including Missilia Amori). No current band brings me as much joy as Ghost. Maybe it’s because I grew up a KISS fan. The mystique hooked me on the first album and every album since they’ve found new ways and exciting ways to blend darkness and light. I’m here for the ride.