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Skeletá |
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Review by Vladimir on June 24, 2025.
It is undeniable that a great band such as Ghost with such a widespread and everlasting reputation as one of the greatest contemporary acts in hard rock and heavy metal will always be met with immense excitement and strong expectations when a new album is nearing its release. Such was the case with their sixth album Skeletá, which I personally felt like its build-up towards the release has surpassed that of its predecessor Impera from 3 years back, especially since the three singles 'Peacefield', 'Lachryma' and 'Satanized' gained such overwhelmingly positive reactions from both critics and fans worldwide. Funnily enough, even I was immensely excited and looking forward to the release of this album more than I was with the previous album, which I guess is yet another case of "getting bit by the bug". Although I honestly never considered myself to be a Ghost fan like everyone else around me, I always thought that I was simply an average enjoyer of their music if anything else, but I guess with age comes maturity and a completely different perspective on everything around you, especially since I was once an elitist hater of the band in my angry teen years like many before me. It's true that Ghost isn't everyone's cup of tea, especially if you're someone who fancies heavier and more extreme stuff in heavy metal and in general, but in my case, after coming to be more appreciative of generally good or genius songwriting of rock bands such as Deep Purple, Rainbow, Scorpions, Kiss, Rush, Europe and Thin Lizzy, alongside many oldschool pop acts of the 70's and 80's, I guess that pulled me more into the world of Ghost. I won't deny that after countlessly listening to the three pre-released singles, I was counting the days until the release of Skeletá.
The first three singles really did a great job at setting up the emotional and atmospheric vibe of the album, which will continue to follow along with the rest of the tracklist. This is one turbulent, heavy and unusual journey from start to finish, where you will experience such a powerful rollercoaster that takes you into unexplored and uncharted horizons that show you a bit of everything, from the catchy hard rock riffs to surprisingly classic heavy metal headbanging to 80's AOR choruses, all of which dominate and carry over from one song to another, and even the Scorpions-like ballad "Guiding Lights" which as mentioned before, has that 80's horror movie theme going on with the keyboards. The strongest contestants apart from the first three singles are by far "De Profundis Borealis" which truly rocks out that constant heavy metal backbeat like there is no tomorrow, alongside the mid-tempo banger which I consider a Judas Priest and Rush lovechild, that is "Cenotaph", although one cannot ignore the catchy "Missilia Amori" which feels like a throwback to the 80's glam metal/glam rock hits of bands like Ratt, Def Leppard and Mötley Crue. Apart from these great rocking tunes, we also have two more awesome songs that also won me over, and I am talking about none other than "Marks of the Evil One" and "Umbra", which go for that heavy metal mixed with arena rock sort of vibe, and I still consider these two as some of my personal standouts of Skeletá. Just like on the previous two records Prequelle and Impera, we get another emotional conclusion to the album, similar to that of "Life Eternal" and "Respite on The Spitalfields" that would even make a grown man cry, and that is "Excelsis", which is usually described as the encore of the album or the closing credits of Skeletá. I must admit that I rarely ever cry when I listen to a very emotional song, unless we are talking about ABBA which is another story, but every time the final track "Excelsis" comes up, it hits so seriously hard in them feels that I struggle not to get all teary-eyed, but when Fredrik's phenomenal guitar solo comes up in that song, that is when I really lose it and just give in to the emotions.
Something that stood out to me about this album apart from the well-crafted and brilliant songwriting with so many hooks left and right, it's the fact that Skeletá feels quite complex and progressive, with an album structure resembling that of Rush and Genesis in their early years, where you have this constant musical experimentation and playing around with ideas that will at some point turn into an "otherworldly" or "out of body" experience. Speaking of Genesis, for some unusual reason which I still can't quite explain, every time I listen to this album to the slightest details and follow along its progression, it always takes me back into my past experiences of listening to Trespass and Selling England By The Pound, probably because I managed to once again immerse into the musical magic and the progressive rock vibe going on. I won’t deny that I think that the album has got an unusual and powerful flow that really dives deep into some psychological aspects and from then on just manages to dig even deeper as it goes. The more I look into it, the more I get the impression that it’s such a massive collection of influences coming from the AOR masterminds like Journey, Toto, Europe and Foreigner, merged with trademarks of aforementioned acts like Deep Purple, Rush, Judas Priest, Black Sabbath, Def Leppard, Iron Maiden and Scorpions, which are all combined together so flawlessly. One surprising example that I never get tired of is the mid-section in "Umbra" that feels like the intro riff to Slayer’s "Black Magic" meets Deep Purple and Rush, which felt so weird at first but after a while, I just think that the execution is incredibly awesome. From a sound production standpoint, this one is clearly more grandiose and taken to 11 in comparison to Impera, with the execution leaning towards a larger and more arena rock-oriented sound, and I think that it managed to raise the bar higher than its predecessor.
Now as for what I think about Skeletá after I listened to it over 20 times, the overall thing feels so much different to what I got used to in terms of Ghost, and although I do love those previous albums individually, but I keep repeating myself that this album just speaks to me. I understand that some people didn’t manage to get into it right away after their first listening or a couple of more after, I think this is the question of what each fan wants from a Ghost record, i.e. whether or not they have some predetermined expectations or as we say a "preconceived notion", especially since the impression of the previous album Impera is still quite strong and present some years after. I’ll just say that if you are someone who really loves Impera and you wanted more of that, or perhaps you are just a typical oldschool Ghost fan who only wants the band going back to their roots with their first two albums, I am telling you right away that this album is not for you. If you are truly someone who loves Ghost and is always open for exploring other territories, or simply put, someone like me who expects the unexpected, then you might be able to immerse yourself into the progressive, emotional and atmospheric magic of Skeletá. It may not be the kind of album people were hoping to get, but I think it’s the kind of album that Tobias wanted the fanbase to embrace, knowing that it will be a slow but gradual process that will soon manifest into an unconditional love for this record. Like many people have said before, it may not be the Ghost album we wanted, but it’s certainly the album we needed, especially after all the turmoil and tensions that have surrounded us for these past couple of years. On a sidenote, it was said multiple times before that there was no intention to make an Impera 2.0, so it’s really a matter of accepting the finished product as it is, and just go with the “take it or leave it” approach.
So, what is the final verdict for the new Ghost album? I must admit that the impression of this album is still fresh, even after listening to it more than 20 times since it came out, it took some time until I processed the whole thing. I would say that even though Skeletá may be more deserving of a 8.5/10 or 9/10 rating, after a while I really thought that it was a strong 9.5/10, but since I fell so deeply in love with the album, I decided that it deserves a golden 10/10 from me. This is by far my favourite Ghost album after Opus Eponymous and Meliora, and such a life-changing experience all the way through that really has that "phoenix rising" quality to it that just usurps you from the ashes. I was initially uncertain whether I should write a review for this album or not, especially since I decided to take a break from reviewing albums, but I was so moved by this experience that I just had to make an exception and take this opportunity to express myself in this summary. I understand that a lot of you Ghost fans still have mixed feelings about this album, but I deeply suggest that you give it some time and come back to it after a while, because in time you will grow to love and appreciate it more, just like I managed to do so with Ghost as a whole. For my closing words, I have nothing more to say other than to thank Tobias Forge and the creative team behind this amazing masterpiece that compelled me to revisit it more than I could count. Although we are only halfway through this year, I will say that for me personally, Skeletá is my number 1 album of 2025. Remember, folks, if you have Ghost, you have everything…
Rating: 10 out of 10
662ViewsReview by Jeger on April 28, 2025.
Ghost - one of the most polarizing bands to have ever recorded music… Their popularity skyrockets with every one of their releases, and you've got to really dislike great music if you're one of their many naysayers. From a novelty act to legend status have they ascended. Mastermind Tobias Forge? A genius! Simplistic brilliance on the musical front: fundamental, melodic and of a less-is-more vision for Ghost's sound. To hell with your billion beats per minute paradiddles or your super-technical guitar doodles, only what is truly musically proper is what has been the Ghost way since the beginning. The costumes have only grown to become more and more Hollywood standardized throughout the years and their live performances are typically enthralling if not astonishing.
Yes, their music used to sound like something off of a Scooby Doo episode score, but now? We're talking Styx, Journey and Van Halen worship, but Satanized and souped-up by memorable heavy metal guitar riffs and bold, martial rhythms that buttress elaborate keyboard sounds, soulful backing vocals and classically choreographed dance sequences. It's Rock Opera supported by a rigid heavy metal spine. In 2022, Ghost released what is their most uplifting album in Impera. Now, the bones are speaking, singing and toiling away at their eternal task… On April 25, Ghost released their brand new record, Skeletá, via Loma Vista Recordings.
Fading are the traditional Satanic themes that defined their earlier works and ushered in are concepts that feel a bit more malleable, but still with the early '80's musical stylings have Ghost remained. The opening track, "Peacefield", hits like the aforementioned Journey and their popular "Separate Ways" track with its catchy riffs, its unforgettable chorus and that ever-so-tasty cheese, while the following track, "Lachryma", hits with more testicular fortitude in regard to rhythm and riff. And the choruses, the bridges and the classic verse, chorus, verse song structure are all enough to leave you salivating and possibly creaming yourself… This cut boasts a most sensational accompanying visualizer and happens to deservingly be the lead cut.
I wouldn't call Skeletá Ghost's finest album. Those accolades belong to Meliora and Prequelle, but this record is no slouch, as evidenced by all of these soaring guitar solos and its blend of both slow and fast parts that catch you off guard. The ballad, "Guiding Lights", on the other hand just oozes heart & soul, all the while as it pulls on your heartstrings. A triumph! "Marks Of The Evil One" displays a more versatile side to the band: a bit more unpredictable and not quite as catchy, but every bit as remarkable as the rest of the album.
Ghost haters will be dying to butcher this thing, while diehard fans such as myself bow to yet another grande accomplishment. It just feels good, man. Ghost is my go-to when I need a break from Dissection, Gorgoroth, Dying Fetus and Cryptopsy. As comforting as an olde Rocky flick is Skeletá - a mental and emotional hot tub with the jets that tenderize and soothe all of your stress away. Music for music lovers and I, for one, wouldn't have it any other way. Enjoy.
Rating: 8.5 out of 10
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