Ghost - SKELETÁ (Album Review)

Ghost - SKELETÁ
‍Released: April 25, 2025‍

Lineup

Papa V Perpetua // Vocals
A Group of Nameless Ghouls // Guitars, Drums, Bass, Keyboards, Backing Vocals

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When Ghost first burst onto the scene in 2010, they drew immediate comparisons to 70s rockers Blue Oyster Cult. Over subsequent albums they have established their own identity and a rabid fanbase who worship their combination of occult metal and anthemic hooks. Mastermind Tobias Forge has been quite obvious that his influences range from Iron Maiden to ABBA and it’s helped him have some big hits and even score a Grammy award. So there’s a fair bit of pressure on him to deliver another Ghost album that adds to their ever-growing legacy.

‍SKELETÁ is definitely a Ghost record, but not quite the one we might have expected...

The initial impression is there is a cosmetic change with the introduction of Papa V Perpetua as a character. The costuming features a partial skull mask and some big claws, presenting Perpetua as a more intimidating figure. He’s got a flair for the theatrical, like his predecessors, with songs like ‘Peacefield’ powered by his strong vocals. It’s almost seven minutes, from the opening child’s voice through the dramatic chorus and repeating the title over a guitar lead. He’s a menace on the verses of ‘De Profundis Borealis’ (Latin: ‘From the Depths of the North’) and charismatic on the hook. ‘Missilia Amori’ (Latin: ‘Missiles of Love’) is a beast of a song with bottom heavy riffs and some real swagger, demonstrating that this Papa has got a few new tricks in his bag. There’s strong visual potential for its live presentation too. 

By separating the new persona from the Papa Emeritus line of the first five albums, Forge has also indicated a shift in lyrical focus. Where Prequelle and IMPERA were conceptual records, exploring the impact of the black plague and empires respectively, SKELETÁ is a more personal album. Where past albums praised Satan, witchcraft or rat infestations, here we get ‘Satanized’, a song about dark feelings festering and coming to the surface. The demonic possession metaphor suits the band’s aesthetic but the use of it is subtly different in that Perpetua sounds terrified of how he’s feeling rather than embracing its power. ‘Marks of the Evil One’ might also appear to cover old ground, but again the metaphor of four horsemen is used to show how he sees society collapsing around him. In contrast, Perpetua sounds optimistic on the upbeat chorus of ‘Umbra’. The synth intro is reminiscent of Stranger Things but the riff just rips, with cowbell and all, with some killer keys and guitar leads. The last time a Papa asked someone to “come” it was for a satanic orgy but for the closing ‘Excelsis’ he’s sincere and looking for romance at “the rainbow’s edge”. It’s beautiful and continues the tradition of emotional and epic final songs.

Musically they’ve moved on from Blue Oyster Cult for a blend of influences that help SKELETÁ sound different to past records. It’s arguably not as heavy overall but some of the riffs rock hard. Structurally the LP is different too. There’s no instrumentals and some of the more elaborate gothic trappings are out with streamlined songs. It’s a deliberate approach as they draw on the sounds of the biggest bands in hard rock history. There’s a touch of 80s Def Leppard to the production and blend of guitar and keys. The keys that kick off ‘Lachryma’ are unmistakably 80s but the riff that follows isn’t far off Black album era Metallica and the hook goes full Bon Jovi, before a gorgeous melodic solo. Ghost have done ballads before but not like ‘Guiding Light’. It sounds enormous and stadium ready. They’ve learned a trick of two from their Genesis cover too, with ‘Cenotaph’ resembling a pop-rock song of that ilk. It’s kind of jarring but also not entirely out of line with what they’ve previously done. It’s just a lot more pop than even ‘Mary on a Cross’ or ‘Dance Macabre’ with a gorgeous synth solo. It’s going to be Exhibit A for the “Ghost Aren’t Metal” crowd from here on.

SKELETÁ might be missing some of the core tropes of a Ghost album but the streamlined approach firmly places emphasis on the songs. And this is ten bangers with no filler. Ghost are in this for the long haul and SKELETÁ is a step towards wider recognition that will grow their congregation. It has some of their heaviest riffs, more in line with the early albums, but is also more pop than they’ve been before. It’s a balance they manage well for the moment and should make their live shows an interesting ritual for the album cycle. 

Rating: 8.9/10
SKELETÁ is out April 25, 2025 via Loma Vista Recordings. Pre-order/save here
Words by KJ Draven @kjdraven

Wall Of Sound's Vinyl Comp codeword = Perpetua