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Yahoo
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
We've ranked every Ghost album from worst to best
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. Formed by Tobias Forge in 2008 in Linköping, Sweden, Ghost have charted a meteoric trajectory from the tiny clubs of their homeland to the arenas and festival stages of the world, counting the likes of James Hetfield, Dave Grohl and Duff McKagan among their devoted followers - not to mention the millions of converts they continue to leave in their wake. Visually captivating, the Swedes appear as a spooky, blasphemous horde, with a ghoulish anti-Pope as a frontman, leading a pack of anonymous musicians shrouded by dark robes, masks and other nightmare-inducing garb. Every album cycle brings with it a drastic makeover, including a 'new' frontman - the most recent of which, Papa V Perpetua, took the reigns for 2025's bombastic Skeletá. Of course, their success would be nothing without the music, an absurdly-catchy blast of 70s hard rock, 80s metal and ample doses of pop, prog and even show tunes. As the band evolves, their tunes seemingly get all the more glittery and over the top - and the cult just will not stop growing. That said, here's our official ranking of every single Ghost album released thus far, in reverse order of greatness. A cruel, but understandable consequence of a breakout debut — like 2010's Opus Eponymous, for example — is the corrosive deluge of expectations that await the sophomore effort. Ghost found themselves in this very situation with the release of Infestissumam. At times campy (the ABBA cover, I'm A Marionette) and other times fiendishly heavy (Per Aspera Ad Inferi), their second album leveraged the band's burgeoning notoriety in an effective, if calculating way. The front half of Infestissumam absolutely smokes, from the soaring choral harmonies of the title track straight through to the blood-pumping sacrilege of Year Zero. The latter half however, fails to keep pace. The final few tracks are not without their own seditious charms but they collectively lack the kind of ginormous hooks or arena-sized choruses that incite the raising of lighters, the dusting of speed limits or the feverish pounding of chests - that is, until the magnificent Monstrance Clock wraps things up. A fine album, by any estimation, but one that captures Ghost reconciling their first real dose of fame with somewhat mixed results. We're already at the point where it's becoming difficult to separate Ghost records in terms of sheer quality, such has been the consistency of Tobias Forge's output over the years. While Skeletá still ploughed its own path - most of all through a uniquely existential new bent of lyrical focus from Forge - it very much feels like an album joyously waltzing around the same, glittery, 80s dancefloor that Impera and, to a lesser extent, Prequelle gaily strutted on. In that sense, it perhaps falls just a little short of its predecessors - there's nothing quite on the level of a Call Me Little Sunshine, a Rats or a Darkness At The Heart Of My Love here - but it's still absolutely stacked with killer cuts, not least the awe-inspiring opening triple-hit of Peacefield, Lachryma and Satanized, all of which already sit snugly within Ghost's upper tier of all-time bangers. It's undoubtedly the album's best run, but there are some other big highs: Cenotaph sneaks a beautiful emotional punch under it's Quo-aping boogie-riffs; Marks Of The Evil One is an urgent slice of dramatic arena metal; Umbra manages to cram a woozie space-prog break into its otherwise instantaneous synth-rock. All in all, a damn good album, only slightly overshadowed by the sky-high bar Tobias has set for himself. Produced by the Midas-fingered pop maestro Klas Åhlund (Madonna, Usher, Katy Perry), Ghost's magnificent third album revealed aspirations that extended far beyond their metal fanbase, straight into the bloody, beating heart of the mainstream. Witness mega-addictive, instantly-hummable tracks like Cirice and From The Pinnacle To The Pit. Whereas Blue Oyster Cult and Mercyful Fate had offered the most well-lit reference points on the first two albums, Meliora celebrates the brutal potency of the Almighty Riff, courtesy of bangers like Mummy Dust and the unabashedly AC/DC-esque Absolution. Far more than a rehash of the first two albums, Meliora discloses its vast depth in the velvety Laurel Canyon harmonies of He Is, in its baroque organ passages (Spirit), and in the anti-religious bombast of classical choirs (Deus In Absentia). Masterfully balancing its sharp siege of power riffs with softer moments of genuine melodic splendour, Meliora never feels scattered. Meant to be enjoyed at neighbour-bothering levels. The album that started it all. By the late-Noughties, a handful of retro outfits had struck commercial gold by reverting to the oldest trick in the retro rock songbook - sound exactly like Led Zeppelin (see Wolfmother, Graveyard, etc.). It was something of a revelation, then, when Ghost smashed their way into the thick of the fray with elegant, melodic compositions, radiating with warm production and showcasing Forge's feathery vocal harmonies. Where was all the noisy, overdriven Black Sabbath and Iron Maiden worship? They were there, of course, but stitched deep within more obvious references such as Blue Öyster Cult, Mercyful Fate and Pentagram, as well as with less-conspicuous influences like Uriah Heep, Demon and the Devil's Blood. As the funereal organ passages of opener Deus Culpa give way to the unholy wail of guitars and keyboards in Con Clavi Con Dio, you know you're in for a literal Hell of a ride. Tracks like Ritual and Stand By Him combine surging, hard rock riffing with spacious choruses big enough to knock satellites out of orbit. There's not a bad track on the album. Opus offered a convincing demonstration that Ghost could not merely conjure a unique sound but they could effectively employ it in a broad range of styles, from the heaviness of tracks like Satan Prayer or Elizabeth to the smooth instrumental purr of Deus Culpa and Genesis. Unsurprisingly, with its overt Satanism and galloping riffs, the album's earliest adopters hailed from the metal community, which is no small feat, considering that Opus is not a pure metal album by any stretch. In fact, one of Opus' highest achievements is that it inspired diehard metalheads to expand their sonic horizons; to look beyond genres, beyond blastbeats and beyond metal's beer-stained, leather-and-studded tropes and to appreciate catchy, mainstream rock at its finest. In 2019, in the midst of Prequelle's album cycle, Forge stated that its successor had already been conceived and that it would be a darker and heavier effort altogether. Yet, at first blush, Impera feels like Prequelle's younger sibling – a bit livelier and more colourful and in some ways more extreme, yet very much a sonic pairing. Bursting with juicy glam metal hooks, Impera uncorks one banger after another. From the siege of power chords and the piercing opening wail of Kaisarion to the towering gothic grandeur of Hunter's Moon, Impera bottles all of the energy and theatricality of an 80s stadium show. Informed by Andrew Lloyd Weber as much as Def Leppard, Forge once again partnered with Klas Åhlund to synthesise his grandiose vision into an ambitious and cunningly-catchy affair. You want pure pop? Spillways, with its breezy chorus and blinding fretwork will do you nicely. If it's balladry ye seek, Darkness At The Heart Of My Love unfolds with a memorable, lighter-waving, arms-around-your-mate chorus that you'll still be humming days after you've last heard the song. Doggedly fresh and genuinely affecting, Impera is an instant classic. Ghost's fourth album remains their greatest show of force – a relentlessly ambitious outing that synthesised Ghost's trademark sound with Forge's grand, theatrical vision, exemplified by the lush choral pageantry of Pro Memoria and closer Life Eternal. Further underscoring the Broadway vibes were the instrumentals – the dreamy Helvetesfonster and Miasma, a proggy space rock voyage, building to an exhilarating crescendo that manages to include both an unambiguous Michael Jackson reference and a goddamned saxophone solo. We'd be forced to draw Spinal Tap comparisons if the band didn't pull these off so utterly convincingly. Prequelle also reaffirmed Forge's enduring love affair with the polished album rock of the early-80s in the guise of full-tilt anthems like Rats and Witch Image. Swedish to the core, he also boasts a preternatural gift for writing sugary pop classics, none catchier than the dancefloor-packing Dance Macabre. Prequelle is both an extension of all that fuelled Ghost's rapid ascent and a bold step forward. The whole thing could have backfired, alienating potential new fans with its unvarnished Luciferian imagery, while repelling existing fans with its heavy pop and showtune undercurrents. Instead, it dazzled them all. Debuting at number three on the Billboard charts, Prequelle united critics and fans in frothy acclaim, attracted legions of new followers and it has easily stood the test of time, destined to enjoy, dare we say, 'Life Eternal.'
Yahoo
07-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Popular Rock Band Tops Albums Chart for First Time in 4 Years
A career milestone! Swedish rock band Ghost landed the No. 1 spot on the all-genre-inclusive Billboard 200 albums chart with their sixth studio album, Skeletá. 'Skeletá' is the first album for any rock, hard rock, or alternative album to be on the list since AC/DC's Power Up in 2020. Ghost was founded in 2006 by frontman Tobias Forge. Forge, 44, plays a number of different personas on stage, including Papa Emeritus and Cardinal Copia. 🎬SIGN UP for Parade's Daily newsletter to get the latest pop culture news & celebrity interviews delivered right to your inbox🎬 The rest of the band members are referred to as 'Nameless Ghouls,' and have never revealed their identities. ADVERTISEMENT Their studio albums consist of Opus Eponymous in 2010, Infestissumam in 2013, Meliora in 2015, Prequelle in 2018, Impera in 2022, and finally, Skeletá in 2025. In 2015, Ghost won the Grammy Award for Best Metal Performance for their single 'Circle.' Related: Legendary Rock Band Rereleases Hit Song Like You've Never Heard Before Ghost is also known for their over-the-top, theatrical concerts. Speaking with Full Metal Jackie on her radio show, Forge revealed his most formative influencers when it comes to putting on a show. "At some point in the 80s, I saw the film Let's Spend the Night Together. For a long time, that was one of my favorite things to watch because it was just so amazing. This absolutely awesome band playing a big stadium, and then like midway through the film, they just sort of switch and they're playing indoors in an arena. It was just like this great film, very influential," he recalled, per Loudwire "That is by far the coolest staging I've seen in my entire life. That is still the pinnacle. Especially the Steel Wheels tour that they did in 1989, the fall and winter of 1989, that was the big tour of the U.S and I remember seeing videos from that," Forge continued. "I remember taping a show that was live from Barcelona, 1990. And I think I paused, freeze-framed the entire film through the entire film because I wanted to draw the stage because it was so cool."
Yahoo
07-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Popular Rock Band Tops Albums Chart for First Time in 4 Years
Yahoo is using AI to generate takeaways from this article. This means the info may not always match what's in the article. Reporting mistakes helps us improve the experience. Yahoo is using AI to generate takeaways from this article. This means the info may not always match what's in the article. Reporting mistakes helps us improve the experience. Yahoo is using AI to generate takeaways from this article. This means the info may not always match what's in the article. Reporting mistakes helps us improve the experience. Generate Key Takeaways A career milestone! Swedish rock band Ghost landed the No. 1 spot on the all-genre-inclusive Billboard 200 albums chart with their sixth studio album, Skeletá. 'Skeletá' is the first album for any rock, hard rock, or alternative album to be on the list since AC/DC's Power Up in 2020. Ghost was founded in 2006 by frontman Tobias Forge. Forge, 44, plays a number of different personas on stage, including Papa Emeritus and Cardinal Copia. 🎬SIGN UP for Parade's Daily newsletter to get the latest pop culture news & celebrity interviews delivered right to your inbox🎬 The rest of the band members are referred to as 'Nameless Ghouls,' and have never revealed their identities. Their studio albums consist of Opus Eponymous in 2010, Infestissumam in 2013, Meliora in 2015, Prequelle in 2018, Impera in 2022, and finally, Skeletá in 2025. In 2015, Ghost won the Grammy Award for Best Metal Performance for their single 'Circle.' Related: Legendary Rock Band Rereleases Hit Song Like You've Never Heard Before Ghost is also known for their over-the-top, theatrical concerts. Speaking with Full Metal Jackie on her radio show, Forge revealed his most formative influencers when it comes to putting on a show. "At some point in the 80s, I saw the film Let's Spend the Night Together. For a long time, that was one of my favorite things to watch because it was just so amazing. This absolutely awesome band playing a big stadium, and then like midway through the film, they just sort of switch and they're playing indoors in an arena. It was just like this great film, very influential," he recalled, per Loudwire "That is by far the coolest staging I've seen in my entire life. That is still the pinnacle. Especially the Steel Wheels tour that they did in 1989, the fall and winter of 1989, that was the big tour of the U.S and I remember seeing videos from that," Forge continued. "I remember taping a show that was live from Barcelona, 1990. And I think I paused, freeze-framed the entire film through the entire film because I wanted to draw the stage because it was so cool."
Forbes
05-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Forbes
Ghost Has Made Billboard History With Their 2025 LP, ‘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) Who knew that catchy melodic songwriting coupled with brilliant 80s arena metal would bring Ghost their first No.1 charting album in the U.S. Skeletá, the sixth studio album from the masked Swedish outfit Ghost, has debuted at No.1 on the Billboard Top 200 Albums Chart. This marks the band's first ever No.1 charting album in the U.S., and with this feat Ghost has officially broken metal's dry spell on the Billboard Top 200 Charts. Skeletá is the first metal or metal-adjacent record to chart at No.1 since TOOL's Fear Inoculum in 2019. AC/DC were the last hard-rock band to debut No.1 with their 2020 LP Power Up. Billboard notes that Skeletá has shipped a staggering 86,000 equivalent album units since its release on April 25th. However, what's even more noteworthy is that Skeletá just earned Ghost the biggest week for a hard rock album debut on vinyl in the modern era, according to Billboard. This is truly a massive achievement not only for Ghost and the rock genres that they dabble in, but also for music consumers. Vinyl and physical media has proven once again that it is here to stay for the long haul, which goes against many of the practices currently going on across the entertainment industry with streaming services. The metal and rock music scenes certainly have an affinity for physical media, and Ghost's latest release not only showcases that but it proves the demand for physical media, specifically vinyl, is only climbing. With the success Ghost has seen so far metal music is already in a great spot in 2025. However, Sleep Token, the sensational UK metal outfit, is set to release their highly anticipated fourth LP, Even In Arcadia, on Friday, May 9th. Given the charting success from Sleep Token's recent singles, it's more than likely that they could also be bringing home their first No.1 charting album in the U.S. as well. This would be unprecedented if this did end up occurring. The only comparable year where there have been two metal albums that have debuted at No.1 weeks apart was in 2019, when Slipknot's We Are Not Your Kind and TOOL's Fear Inoculum both charted at No.1 in the span of a month.
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
