In January 2022, two months before Impera had even reached the world’s ears, Ghost founder and frontman Tobias Forge confided to Metal Hammer that he already had its successor mapped out, though demurring on details.
That path has now become clear – Skeletá is Ghost at their most confident, flamboyant and defiant. If Impera was the band’s ascension into the stratosphere, their latest collection finds them looking down from above, unconcerned with whether the world can keep up.
Peacefield’s baroque choral incantations give way to shimmering synths and a creeping sense of grandeur. It sets the tone for an album that leans harder into the polished, late-70s AOR influences that have lurked at Ghost’s edges since their inception. Lachryma flaunts an anthemic, Def Leppard-sized chorus that shimmers with layered harmonies. Then comes Satanized, a devotional masquerade where the language of love and worship entwine, leaving the listener to wonder whether they’ve eavesdropped on a lover’s vow or a disciple’s prayer.
Guiding Lights drifts in on a bed of acoustic plucking and mournful atmospherics, its restrained grandeur allowing the melody to shine while showcasing Ghost’s ability to weave melancholy into something soaring and cinematic. Elsewhere, Cenotaph delivers a bouncing, infectious energy, its playful riffs and galloping rhythm bringing a moment of lightness before the album plunges back into its darker, more contemplative depths.
While the metal community have emerged as the band’s loudest fanbase, Ghost have never been a metal band – at least not sonically. The heaviness has always been implied rather than explicit, draped in the aesthetics of the dark and the occult rather than the sonic onslaught of their contemporaries.
Their latest campaign makes no effort to bridge that gap. Unlike past Ghost records, where accessibility and catchiness acted as welcome mats for new fans, Skeletá is not calibrated to expand the fanbase. There are no immediate standouts, no easy entries. That said, the album lacks nothing in terms of riffs. Marks Of The Evil One delivers them in taut, measured waves, riding a gooey bassline that’s driving and undeniable.
Umbra follows, with a fist-pumping chorus and labyrinthine keyboards that recall Deep Purple at their proggiest, before leading into the sombre balladry of closer Excelsis. Tobias has long meditated on mortality, but here, his thesis finds its most elegant form: ‘Everybody goes away / You will too / I will too’.
Cynics might accuse him of pandering, but this is Ghost at their most unflinching and, dare it be said, sweetest. It would be easy to dismiss Skeletá as indulgent, immersed in its own brooding sophistication. There is no Rats or Square Hammer here, no immediate anthem for the faithful. Perhaps that’s the point; this was never designed to be easy.
This is an album that demands patience, revealing its seductive charms over multiple listens. And no, that’s not a cop-out, it’s a testament to its depth. This is Ghost freed from expectation. Tobias Forge has nothing left to prove. And so, he does precisely what he wants. The faithful will undoubtedly follow. The rest will be left scratching their heads, unsure whether they missed the point or if Ghost have finally moved beyond their reach.
Skeletá is out April 25 via Loma Vista. Ghost's Skeletour world tour kicks off in Manchester on April 15. For the full list of dates visit the band's official website. Ghost are on the cover of the new issue of Metal Hammer, on-sale now. Order it online and have it delivered straight to your door!
