Ghost - Skeleta - Album Review
Ghost's sixth outing Skeleta is a beautiful rock opera of human emotion, explored with thunderous guitars, stunning solos, and work outside genres
Ghost are back with their sixth studio outing and the introduction of Papa V, exploring the rich tapestry of human emotion.
I’ve been a fan since 2016 and loved their mixture of lore and music with each album cycle. However, one thing that made them stand out against other lore-based acts, it each album’s enjoyment isn’t dependent on the rich lore Tobias Forge has created.
That’s the case with Skeleta. Ghost has put great care into the lore behind this record, and seeing the connective tissues online is great. However, the album also stands on its own as a rock opera of human emotion.
Opener Peacefield is a beautiful haunting track, exploring the longing for hope that is perfectly bookended with the introspective ballad Excelsis, on the acceptance that everything ends. The album is filled with all the signatures of a Ghost album: thunderous riffs, double entendres, and joyous anthemic choruses.
Yet, Forge also departs from the previous outings’ approach, both lyrically and sonically. I found myself engrossed in each track, hungry to uncover the nuanced meaning behind each track. His album doesn’t rely on past hits, forging their own path, requiring patience to fully bloom.
Sonically, the band steps into the ‘80s glam-rock era with some incredible guitar work. Some of the solos are beautiful to hear. Ghost channels their inner Def Leppard with tracks like Cenotaph and Umbra, setting this record apart from previous outings.
Forge blurs the boundaries between genres with ease, while producing something undeniably Ghost. While not officially a concept album, you can’t help but be taken on a journey and feel as though you’ve experienced the ups and downs of love, life, and death.
Skeleta is an album rich with emotional depth that will have you uncovering something new with each listen. The raw exploration of human emotion gives this album more substance and impact. This is my favorite Ghost album so far, with Skeleta staring a fantastic new chapter for Ghost.
I had high hopes after the release of Satanized, and Lachryma and Skeleta blew them out of the water. Fun, energized sound masks the raw introspective of human emotion. A juxtaposition of beauty.