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ALBUM REVIEW: Skeletá (GHOST)
- Tiana Speter
- Apr 23
- 3 min read
Something decadently wicked this way comes on April 25 when Swedish leviathans Ghost unveil their sixth studio psalm (aka album) Skeletá, due out via Loma Vista Recordings.
Following on from the group's 2022 #1 chart smash Impera, and in the wake of the overarching hype that inevitably attaches itself to any and all Ghost musical outings, Skeletá emerges as many things all at once. But perhaps most notably it marks the first album under the helm of Papa V Perpetua - and also the most pensive outing from Ghost to date.
Commencing with a haunting child soprano solo that swells into a full choir, Skeletá's opening track Peacefield soon swiftly kicks into gear, bursting with stadium-ready and 80's-soaked glee complete with an infectious chorus, luminous melodies and spicy guitar tones worthy of a Kansas-meets-Survivor lovechild - with a dash of some early Bon Jovi for good measure. Continuing in the 80s vein, one of the album's lead singles Lachryma follows next, initially bearing some familiar Ghost menacing swagger a la 2018's Prequelle, before ultimately establishing itself as an oozing occult rock pearler. But while heavy with gothic hues lurking beneath hyptnotic hooks, Lachryma isn't merely demonic ear candy. Instead, Lachryma presents Tobias Forge, aka our freshly anti-christened Papa V Perpetua, pouring his dark soul into lyrics laden with sadness and, undeniably, pure catharsis.
It wouldn't be a Ghost album without some heightened satanic tributes, and Satanized is the obvious front-runner, bustling under a frisky 6/8 time signature and some old school Ghost stylistic nods to appease the longtime worshippers of Forge and his masked collective. A fan-favourite in the making, and one that would also gain the seal of approval from many Ozzy and Sabbath fans, Forge is at his bombastic, demonic best on Satanized. But with a flip of a switch, Skeletá strips back and diverts into a vulnerable reprieve via the stark ballad Guiding Lights.
From here, the palpitating Maiden-esque melancholy of De Profundis Borealis ups the heart rate, also appearing to pay some homage to an infamous letter penned by Oscar Wilde while in prison to his lover Lord Alfred Douglas. And following moments of giddy-yet-haunted sonic jaunt (Cenotaph) and tongue-in-cheek rock delights (Missilia Amori), Skeletá hurls in the fiendish standout Marks Of The Evil One, with the track's serpentine grooves, trademark gooey Ghost harmonies and irresistible chorus perfectly balancing some goth, pop and rock flavours - and firmly snapshotting the band having equally as much fun as their devotees in the process.
The 80s continue to dominate on the opening of Skeletá's penultimate track Umbra, percolating with pillowy syths before erupting into a cowbell-heavy hip-shaker, flitting between swaggering verses, upbeat chorus and a frenzied interlude, complete with an organ and guitar tit-for-tat solo. But before Skeletá departs, Excelsis softens the vibe with Forge crooning "it is the end of your penitence / it is the end of your sadness and pain", and ultimately closes proceedings on an ethereal and non-blasphemous note. Between references to the return of innocence, an invitation to follow Forge to the holy land and deliverance, Excelsis is a stark sonic and lyrical juxtaposition to what has largely come before it; but it's one that strikes an elegantly sharp chord while also delivering a towering ode to something that will touch us all at one time or another: the inevitability and ultimate acceptance of death.
For many diehard metalheads, Ghost's status in the metal world can be an ongoing and contentious topic. But while there's undeniably metal flourishes lining Skeletá in key moments, more notably there's a sublime melting of intimacy and throwback stylistic overtones set against the more salacious and grandiose moments.
By embracing a more subtle approach at times without losing its flamboyant fangs in the process, Skeletá is an album of contrasts that burrows deeper with chameleonic charm on every returning listen. A kaleidoscope of lush retro instrumentation, swooning ballads, throwback rock, and plenty of show-stopping moments from Forge, Skeletá is equally a love letter to the past as much as it presents an intimate deep dive into Ghost's strongest suits balanced with soul-searching lyricism and just the right amount of theatricality, destined to delight longtime fans while tantalising new believers into the fold.
SKELETÁ - DUE OUT APRIL 25 VIA LOMA VISTA RECORDINGS
BY TIANA SPETER
