Skeletá

Skeletá is the highly anticipated sixth studio album from Swedish occult rock band Ghost, released on April 25, 2025, via Loma Vista Recordings. Helmed by producer Gene Walker and mixed by industry legends Andy Wallace and Dan Malsch, the album also introduces the enigmatic Papa V Perpetua, the latest persona of frontman Tobias Forge. With singles like “Satanized,” “Lachryma,” and the soaring “Peacefield” setting the tone early, Skeletá dives into a rich sonic palette, blending arena rock, pop metal, and hard rock with Ghost’s signature theatrical flair. It’s both a continuation and a reinvention — unmistakably Ghost, yet refreshingly introspective.

Unlike previous Ghost albums that often tackled societal commentary and spiritual rebellion, Skeletá is an inward journey. Each of its ten tracks is shaped like a personal confession, a dialogue between the self and the shadows. The opening track, “Peacefield,” is unusually uplifting for the band, setting a hopeful stage that slowly unravels into darker, more contemplative moments. Songs like “Lachryma” and “Guiding Lights” showcase the emotional weight of the record, exploring grief, transformation, and the uncertainty of personal evolution. Lead single “Satanized” boldly introduces this new era, balancing catchy hooks with haunting lyricism centered around inner conflict.

To bring Skeletá to life, Ghost launched the Skeletour, an ambitious world tour running from April to September 2025. Known for their immersive live shows, the band upped the ante with a phone-free concert experience, encouraging fans to fully absorb the performance without digital distractions. As part of the album’s release campaign, Ghost also unveiled “The Satanizer”, an interactive online video experience where fans could digitally insert themselves into the “Satanized” music video — a creative nod to the album’s theme of self-confrontation and audience immersion.

The full tracklist—Peacefield, Lachryma, Satanized, Guiding Lights, De Profundis Borealis, Cenotaph, Missilia Amori, Marks of the Evil One, Umbra, and Excelsis—reflects the album’s narrative arc: a journey from light into shadow, from certainty into doubt, and eventually, into transcendence. Skeletá cements Ghost’s evolution from occult rock provocateurs into masterful storytellers of the human psyche, crafting a record that feels both timeless and boldly new. It’s a milestone in their discography — theatrical, vulnerable, and fiercely original.