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Forbes
25-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Forbes
Review: Ghost Revitalize Arena Rock On New Album ‘Skeletá'
BIRMINGHAM, ENGLAND - APRIL 20: Tobias Forge as Papa V Perpetua of Ghost performs at Utilita Arena ... More Birmingham on April 20, 2025 in Birmingham, England. (Photo by Katja Ogrin/Redferns) In 2025, Ghost is more popular than they've ever been. The masked band led by songwriter and vocalist Tobias Forge, has shown time and again that their pop-sensible hard rock is meant for the masses. With their sixth studio album, Skeletá, this aspect has not changed, in fact, it's taken to even further heights as Ghost channel the best of 80s pop and hard-rock throughout their latest LP. Influences from Journey, Iron Maiden, and fellow Swedish greats Europe reverberate through Skeletá, but not in a way that feels contrived or gimmicky. Rather, Ghost take inspiration from the instrumentation, arrangements, and production used from the decade and mix it within their own unique, often quirky songwriting. The result makes for one of the most satisfying releases in Ghost's discography, and moreover one of the best unapologetic arena-rock albums in decades. Huge reverb coated drum, dueling guitar harmonies, and shimmering synthesizers fill much of the sonic landscape on Skeletá. However, the brilliant vocal hooks and arrangements on this album are what seal the deal for every climactic bridge and punchy chorus. Tobias Forge's vocals are sounding better than ever on Skeletá, and it's quite apparent from just the grace he sings with on many of his vocal leads. The opening track 'Peacefield' showcases this and many of the band's 80s influences incredibly well – for fans of 80s pop-rock, the chorus in 'Peacefield' will definitely remind you of a certain Journey classic, though with noticeably weightier riffs. When a band brandishes a particular sound or motifs from a specific decade, it can easily come across as a gimmick. Ghost simply find the magic in the many amazing aspects from 80s arena rock greats and amalgamate it within their already robust songwriting. Sure maybe 'Peacefield' is a bit on the nose with its chorus, but the majority of Skeletá proves the band knows how to channel these influences in a way that builds upon their original gothic pop-rock sound. One of the best aspects on Skeletá is the guitar work. Between intricate shreddy guitar solos and layered harmonies, Ghost walk a fine line between technical prowess and memorable songwriting – the solo midway through 'Missilia Amori' showcases this perfectly. "Lachryma" is another great example of the pristine guitar work on Skeletá, with guitar leads echoing greats like Europe and Iron Maiden. Furthermore, the closing track "Excelsis" might feature the best guitar moment of the band's career, having a solo with enough passion and emotion to win an Oscar. It can't be overstated just how incredible the guitar work is on Skeletá, and not just from a lead standpoint. There's surprisingly an abundance of hard-hitting heavy riffs, particularly on songs 'Missilia Amori,' "Lachryma," and lead single 'Satanized.' Another great aspect of Skeletá that's definitely worth mentioning is the production on the album. Ghost's studio albums for the most part have sounded incredible, with the exception of maybe the band's first two LPs. However, Skeletá is without a doubt sonically the best the band has ever sounded. Each instrument has a clearly defined space in every mix allowing for every drum hit, guitar chug, and explosive chorus to flourish – the drums captured on Skeletá sound as if Metallica's Black Album 'Terminator' snare adopted a more 80s aesthetic. While tastes may vary between which Ghost album stands tallest, Skeletá makes a strong case for being the band's best work yet. The album is by no means perfect or a soon to be modern masterpiece, rather it's a straightforward, delightful modern rock album that is uplifted by revitalized aspects of 80s pop-rock and arena metal. Fans of Ghost will find an endless number of things to enjoy about Skeletá. For fans of rock and passive fans of the band, Ghost's latest LP is one of the best rock releases of the decade and it's easily a record worth checking out. Verdict: 8.5/10
Irish Times
25-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Irish Times
Ghost: Skeletá review – Hair-metal tribute pop minus the killer tunes
Skeletá Artist : Ghost Genre : Pop metal Label : Loma Vista Justin Hawkins, the Darkness singer, complained in 2023 about being mistaken for the lead singer of a comedy band. 'Some people thought we were a joke, a parody of some sort.' His frustration was as searing as one of his (non-comedic) guitar solos. A similar point about earnestness being confused with irony could be made about Ghost, the Swedish pop-metal group whose output has long been assumed to be a tongue-in-cheek valentine to peak 1980s hair metal (spruced up with a dash of its grittier predecessor, the new wave of British heavy metal). They certainly looked and sounded the part: Papa Emeritus, the alter ego of the band's frontman, Tobias Forge, resembled an updating of Iron Maiden's mascot, Eddie the Skeleton, with a papal hat bunged on top, while big singles such as Dance Macabre were possessed, in the most rollicking way imaginable, by the unquiet spirits of metal past. To fans they were the best sort of tribute act. In seemingly pastiching Hysteria-era Def Leppard and coming over like a Nordic twist on classic Maiden, Ghost were a charming case study in air-guitar rock. The songs were irresistible, yet there was also that element of knowingness. How else can one explain a frontman dressed like a all-conquering space pontiff from the 24th century? READ MORE Alas, with Skeletá, their underwhelming sixth studio LP, Ghost's interstellar pope has been hoist with his own crosier. (He's had a name change, too, with Forge upgrading his alias to one Papa V Perpetua.) When the music is as captivating as Dance Macabre, it was fine to walk the tightrope between sincerity and satire. But what happens if the bangers dry up? Is there any point when you've got nothing beyond parody to rely on? That is the question posed by Skeletá, which doesn't get much more exciting than the accent over the 'a'. Once again, Forge and friends prostrate before the gods of metal past. This time, though, they forget the killer tunes. It's death-metal tribute pop out on its feet from the start. You have to credit Forge with wanting to try something new, of course. Skeletá has been billed as Ghost's most personal record – and, lyrically, it pivots away from the swords-and-sorcery hokum that dominated previous releases in favour of the comparatively relatable subject of the eternal search for human connection. 'I know I am authentic, so I'm just going to follow my heart,' the frontman noted recently. 'Now, when I have people interested in what I'm saying, I'm going to say something more interesting. I can't just repeat the same fictional stuff.' Still, there is switching things up and dragging things down, and it is the latter pitfall into which Ghost have stumbled. Skeletá's opening track, Peacefield, begins with a tacky choir and then plunges into a riff that feels like Guns N' Roses covering Every Breath You Take, by The Police – all topped off by trite self-help lyrics ('we all need something to believe'). It is a taster for what is to come on a sludgy and forgettable album. Satanized sounds like a justly forgotten Mötley Crüe power ballad; Cenotaph lassoes Mike Oldfield's Exorcist theme to early Metallica; and Umbra suggests Simon Cowell's idea of Thin Lizzy: it has the outline of the original but not the soul. Lyrically, no toe is left uncurled, especially as Forge takes on the role of sepulchral lover man on Umbra ('In the shadow of the Nazarene / I put my love in you…'). Here and there are frustrating glimpses of a better LP. Guiding Lights starts with a charming retro keyboard only for the chorus to land like a superior Andrew Lloyd Webber number ('the roaaaad that leaads to nowhere is lost'), while Marks of the Evil One is whipsmart panto goth in the tradition of Sisters of Mercy. That rare high point arrives towards the end of an otherwise forgettable record – a moment of magic that cannot compensate for the carnival of cringe that precedes it. Whether in earnest or with a wink, Ghost have always spun the cheesiest ingredients into pop gold. But this hollowed-out affair is haunted by the spirits of old glories. In pop terms it's an empty mausoleum, doomed to inhabit a limbo of missed opportunities and creative paths not taken.
Irish Times
25-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Irish Times
Ghost: Skeletá review – Death-metal tribute pop minus the killer tunes
Skeletá Artist : Ghost Genre : Pop metal Label : Loma Vista Justin Hawkins, the Darkness singer, complained in 2023 about being mistaken for the lead singer of a comedy band. 'Some people thought we were a joke, a parody of some sort.' His frustration was as searing as one of his (non-comedic) guitar solos. A similar point about earnestness being confused with irony could be made about Ghost, the Swedish pop-metal group whose output has long been assumed to be a tongue-in-cheek valentine to peak 1980s hair metal (spruced up with a dash of its grittier predecessor, the new wave of British heavy metal). They certainly looked and sounded the part: Papa Emeritus, the alter ego of the band's frontman, Tobias Forge, resembled an updating of Iron Maiden's mascot, Eddie the Skeleton, with a papal hat bunged on top, while big singles such as Dance Macabre were possessed, in the most rollicking way imaginable, by the unquiet spirits of metal past. To fans they were the best sort of tribute act. In seemingly pastiching Hysteria-era Def Leppard and coming over like a Nordic twist on classic Maiden, Ghost were a charming case study in air-guitar rock. The songs were irresistible, yet there was also that element of knowingness. How else can one explain a frontman dressed like a all-conquering space pontiff from the 24th century? READ MORE Alas, with Skeletá, their underwhelming sixth studio LP, Ghost's interstellar pope has been hoist with his own crosier. (He's had a name change, too, with Forge upgrading his alias to one Papa V Perpetua.) When the music is as captivating as Dance Macabre, it was fine to walk the tightrope between sincerity and satire. But what happens if the bangers dry up? Is there any point when you've got nothing beyond parody to rely on? That is the question posed by Skeletá, which doesn't get much more exciting than the accent over the 'a'. Once again, Forge and friends prostrate before the gods of metal past. This time, though, they forget the killer tunes. It's death-metal tribute pop out on its feet from the start. You have to credit Forge with wanting to try something new, of course. Skeletá has been billed as Ghost's most personal record – and, lyrically, it pivots away from the swords-and-sorcery hokum that dominated previous releases in favour of the comparatively relatable subject of the eternal search for human connection. 'I know I am authentic, so I'm just going to follow my heart,' the frontman noted recently. 'Now, when I have people interested in what I'm saying, I'm going to say something more interesting. I can't just repeat the same fictional stuff.' Still, there is switching things up and dragging things down, and it is the latter pitfall into which Ghost have stumbled. Skeletá's opening track, Peacefield, begins with a tacky choir and then plunges into a riff that feels like Guns N' Roses covering Every Breath You Take, by The Police – all topped off by trite self-help lyrics ('we all need something to believe'). It is a taster for what is to come on a sludgy and forgettable album. Satanized sounds like a justly forgotten Mötley Crüe power ballad; Cenotaph lassoes Mike Oldfield's Exorcist theme to early Metallica; and Umbra suggests Simon Cowell's idea of Thin Lizzy: it has the outline of the original but not the soul. Lyrically, no toe is left uncurled, especially as Forge takes on the role of sepulchral lover man on Umbra ('In the shadow of the Nazarene / I put my love in you…'). Here and there are frustrating glimpses of a better LP. Guiding Lights starts with a charming retro keyboard only for the chorus to land like a superior Andrew Lloyd Webber number ('the roaaaad that leaads to nowhere is lost'), while Marks of the Evil One is whipsmart panto goth in the tradition of Sisters of Mercy. That rare high point arrives towards the end of an otherwise forgettable record – a moment of magic that cannot compensate for the carnival of cringe that precedes it. Whether in earnest or with a wink, Ghost have always spun the cheesiest ingredients into pop gold. But this hollowed-out affair is haunted by the spirits of old glories. In pop terms it's an empty mausoleum, doomed to inhabit a limbo of missed opportunities and creative paths not taken.
