Skeletá

''Skeletá'' is the sixth studio album by the Swedish rock band Ghost. It was released on 25 April 2025 through Loma Vista Recordings, was preceded by the singles "Satanized", "Lachryma" and "Peacefield", and is notable for being the band's first album to top the US ''Billboard'' 200. The album was produced by the band's leader Tobias Forge under an alias "Gene Walker."

Release

''Skeletá'' follows up the band's 2022 studio album ''Impera'' and is described as their "most unflinchingly introspective work to date". It was reported to include lyricism of "the newly instated Perpetua" and showcase a variety of "distinct individual emotional vistas". The band announced the album alongside the release of the lead single "Satanized" on 5 March 2025. Accompanying visuals were developed by the band alongside Jason Zada and enables fans to be integrated into the video. The album's second single, "Lachryma", was released on 11 April 2025. The album's third single, "Peacefield", was released on 22 April 2025.

Alongside the album announcement, the band revealed the new figurehead for the band called Papa V Perpetua. His vocal debut on the lead single "Satanized" was said to concern "demonic possessions" and succumbs to "dark forces".

Composition and themes

Musically, the album has been described as hard rock, arena rock, pop rock, and glam metal. The album has been described as Ghost's most introspective' album. Speaking about the album's themes, Sydney Taylor of Loudwire wrote, "It's a constant reckoning with guilt, identity, faith and failure."

Promotion

In promotion of the album, the band has embarked on the Skeletour concert tour, consisting of 55 dates starting at the AO Arena in Manchester on 15 April 2025 and ending at the Palacio de los Deportes in Mexico City on 24 September 2025. The tour encompasses dates in the United States, Europe, and Mexico and is said to celebrate their "most spectacular live productions" as well as the "most ambitious run of their career".

Somewhat controversially, the band decided not to allow mobile phones in the venues for the tour. This led to a massive accumulation of attendees ahead of their show in Birmingham, England, as staff searched bags for phones.

Commercial performance

''Skeletá'' debuted on top of the US ''Billboard'' 200, shifting 86,000 album-equivalent units in its first week, with the album selling 77,000 copies. ''Skeletá'' marks the second time a performing Swedish artist reached the top of the ''Billboard'' 200, following Ace of Base's ''The Sign'' in 1993.

Reception

On Metacritic, a review aggregator site that compiles reviews from mainstream publications and assigns a weighted average score out of 100, ''Skeletá'' received a score of 78 based on nine critic reviews. This score indicated "generally favorable reviews". James Christopher Monger of AllMusic wrote, "There are bands that lavish in the fondue of modern hard rock without the cheese, but not Ghost. Ghost is fun." Dom Lawson of ''Blabbermouth.net'' called it "aggressively entertaining and full of massive tunes that the cries." Steven Loftin writing for '' Dork'' stated, "Skeleta continues to prove why Tobias and co are not only mainstays but so beloved."

Kelly Scanlon of Ed Power of ''The Irish Times'' was also mixed stating, "Ghost have always spun the cheesiest ingredients into pop gold. But this hollowed-out affair is haunted by the spirits of old glories." Sam Law of ''Kerrang!'' called it "Ghost's deepest, most intriguing statement to date." Liberty Dunworth of ''NME'' wrote, "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."

Track listing

Personnel

Ghost
* Papa V Perpetua - vocals, bass (all tracks)
* A Group of Nameless Ghouls

Additional
* Fredrik Åkesson – lead guitars (tracks 1-3, 6-9)
* Salem Al Fakir – keyboards
* Martin Sandmark Eriksson – rhythm guitars, additional instruments
* Max Grahn – drums, additional instruments
* Vincent Pontare – additional synths
* Tove Burman – vocals (tracks 1, 3)
* Anthony Nichols – choir
* Per Larsson – choir
* Olle Vidner – choir
* Liv Howell – choir
* Joel Eberhardsson – choir
* Kristoffer Brander – choir
* Glädje Kalle Olsson – choir
* Jakob Grubbström – choir
* Emilia Hildebrand – choir
* Julia Fridberger – choir
* Katrin Jocham – choir
* Love Kihl – choir
* Rebecka Brostedt – choir
* Celina Larsson – choir
* Freja Högemark – choir
* Elisa Hedin – choir
* Emilia Karlborg – choir
* Susanna Appelgren – choir
* Martin Classon – choir
* Erik Uhlin – choir
* August Goldhahn – choir

Technical
* Andy Wallace – mixing
* Dan Malsch – mixing
* Ted Jensen – mastering, engineer
* Max Grahn – producer
* Gene Walker – producer
* Martin Sandmark Eriksson – producer
* Vincent Pontare – producer
* Salem Al Fakir – producer
* Mark Rankin – engineer
* Niclas Lindström – engineer
* Basma Jabbar – engineer
* Wille Enblad – engineer
* Martin Sandmark eriksson – engineer
* Calle London Gustavsson – engineer

Charts

References

{{Ghost

2025 albums
Ghost (Swedish band) albums
Loma Vista Recordings albums