Very few bands carry the theatricality and musicianship that Ghost possesses, and with their 6th studio album, Skeletá, they've not only raised their own bar—they've shattered it. The album was released worldwide at midnight on April 25th. Many fans flocked to participating record stores across the US that night to be among the first to hear Swedish frontman Tobias Forge (under his latest incarnation) sing about life, death, and learning to accept both. This album is metaphorically what its story wants to tell. New beginnings for Ghost, closing an old chapter, and honestly, a chance to spread their creative wings. It's a new area for Ghost that they have all the right to do, and I love it!
This song isn't just the perfect introduction to the album but a beautiful show opener. The decrescendo of the choir leading into the opening riff is excellent for raising the excitement within the arena. It is almost hypnotizing the listener to follow the voice into the dark. Keeping them right on the edge until Tobias' voice rings out as a beacon of light.
When speaking of this beautiful opening track, Tobias Forge had this to say:
Because the record is going to slalom into darker subjects, I wanted to set a tone of hope in the beginning. I wanted to add a hand to the listener: ‘It will all be fine, but we’re gonna go sideways now and go on a little trip.
A trip is definitely what he took us on. We go from a chuggy 80s rock anthem to "Lachryma." A classic Ghost song with its heavy, marching riff that smells of the doom metal origin Tobias had.
Lachryma is the Latin word for tear, but it is also the namesake of the 2nd track for Skeletá. A title that places feelings of sorrow, unhappiness, and vulnerability. This song paints an image of a frayed relationship and how one can grow when they sever the emotional ties to a no longer healthy relationship. The lyrics suggest that the narrator is both a victim and a participant in the poisoning of a once good thing. This song is honestly my breakup anthem for 2025.
Skeletá is filled to the brim with power ballads that claw at your heart, and out of them all is "Guiding Lights." A song about the challenge many of us have faced when noticing someone we care about going down a dark path and how difficult it is to speak to them about it. The fear of warning them and losing a friendship. "That the road that leads to nowhere is long" is a chant that millions of fans will be singing back to Papa V (Tobias Forge) throughout this tour, without a doubt.
Of course, you can't have an album with only the serious parts of life and death. So here comes "Missilia Amori." Who doesn't want a song that sounds like classic KISS and is about shooting love rockets to your face? So of course, in this album's ever-growing homage to the 80s, hearing a song as innuendo-filled as this one isn't a shock. For any big fans of the genre of music where you shut your brain down and dance, this song is for you.
"Lachryma" and "Excelsis" are the top 2 tracks of this album for me. I have always leaned toward songs that make me think of my own experiences and life. The good parts and the bad parts. A song that I can feel throughout my entire body and mind is the purpose of music for me. Keep in mind what Tobias says about the meaning of the album's closing ballad, "Excelsis," as you listen.
The overall messaging, even though it’s very death-heavy, is simply that if you are listening to this, you are alive, and you should live life as effectively as possible because death is inevitable.
I will be the first to admit that Ghost is one of my favorite bands for many reasons, and I have had the luxury of seeing them live once before. They put on a show like no other, so don't miss out on their 2025 Skeletour World Tour. Tickets can be found here!
