Ghost – ‘Skeletá’ review: Tobias Forge strips back the spectacle and summons an introspective new chapter

23 April, 2025

Ghost

Much has changed since Ghost first made their way onto the metal scene in 2010. They have gone from humble beginnings — catching the eye of record labels by uploading tracks to MySpace — to racking up over 700million streams on 2019 single ‘Mary On A Cross’ and winning over countless fans with their intricate lore. Over the years, they’ve also gradually evolved musically from the underground, ominous stylings of ‘Opus Eponymous’ into the lavish decadence seen in 2022’s ‘Impera’. Now, going into album six, this sense of growth feels more intentional than ever.

READ MORE: Tobias Forge on new material and the future of Ghost: “If fans need the lore to like the band, that element will be over quite soon”

Founder Tobias Forge – now fronting the band as Papa Perpetua – has openly stated he was seeking a shift from the far-reaching themes of religious hierarchies and falling dynasties that usually dominate the Swedish band’s albums in this record. Instead, he’s turning his focus inwards. The end result is ‘Skeletá’ – a record that centres on the rawest forms of human emotion and delivers some of Ghost’s most intriguing work to date.

Although still rife with the signature calling cards of any good Ghost track (thunderous riffs, some double entendres and joyous anthemic choruses), this album comes as a bold departure from their usual approach, lyrically and sonically. The latter is evident in ‘Cenotaph’ and penultimate track ‘Umbra’. While both take different approaches – the former proudly leaning into a feel-good pop flair while the latter embraces glam-rock reminiscent of Def Leppard – the two stand out not only for their nuanced instrumentals but for their ability to reject what we’ve come to expect from the band nearly two decades in.

As Forge recently told us, authenticity within the metal scene is often judged by an artist’s ability to confine themselves to one sound. If that’s the case, then this is a record that stands in defiance of that limiting notion. More confidently than ever, Forge blurs the boundaries between genres, yet still strikes a balance that makes the final product unmistakably Ghost.

Some tracks fall flat by relying too heavily on go-to tropes (just look at the expectedly smutty but ultimately-hollow ‘Missilia Amori’ line: “You show me yours, I’ll show you mine/ Love rockets”), but for the most part the tracklist has a charm that grows more prominent with each listen. Whether it be in the longing for hope in opener ‘Peacefield’, the exploration of self-deceit on riff-heavy ‘Lachryma’ or the introspective ballad ‘Excelsis’, it is clear that ‘Skeletá’ isn’t reliant on repeating past hits like ‘Dance Macabre’ and ‘Mary On A Cross’. Instead, it requires patience and provides deeper meaning for those who are willing to let it bloom.

While it may not boast the same instant hooks of some earlier albums, the latest offering does instead offer something more substantial. Through a rich exploration of genres and a new level of emotional depth, it becomes clear that ‘Skeletá’ was made with a new vision in mind, and comes as the promising start of a new Ghost chapter.