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Critic Reviews
80
There are bands that lavish in the fondue of modern hard rock without the cheese, but not Ghost. Ghost is fun.
1y
80
With their sixth studio outing and the introduction of Papa V, the masked metallers broaden their musical scope and explore a tapestry of human emotion.
1y
80
Sweden’s kings of Satanist-forward metal-cum-arena rock capture the sound of an entire musical genre rooted in a hyper-specific era of its development on their sixth record.
1y
80
Forge still has plenty of people to convert to his machinations, but Skeletá is as honest as a proposal can ever be, a thrilling album for the most part with outstanding guitar work and astonish vocal production that sits incredibly well with their rest of their discography, and for the Ministry that is good enough reason to replace a Pope.
1y
80
By this point, a Ghost album is a bonafide good time. It’ll be wickedly indulgent and theatric, dramatic and rocking, and ‘Skeleta’ continues to prove why Tobias and co are not only mainstays but so beloved – few can toe the line between tongue-in-cheek excess and bonafide homage while bringing a unique backstory quite like Ghost.
1y
80
This is an album that demands patience, revealing its seductive charms over multiple listens. And no, that’s not a cop-out, it’s a testament to its depth.
1y
80
Ghost reach peak melody as they swoop into the abyss on absorbingly introspective sixth album Skeletá.
1y
80
Swedish purveyors of satanic arena rock Ghost camp it up on sixth album Skeletá.
1y
80
As with previous albums, "Skeletá" is not designed to blow anyone's head off with heaviness, but there are more than enough nods to old-school metal to confirm that Forge's twisted heart is in the right place. Meanwhile, these are some of the most sumptuously accessible songs GHOST have recorded yet.
1y
70
Ghost’s more measured approach lends an appealing atmosphere of sadness, but fans will be clamoring for more energy and menace amidst the garishness next time.
12mo
60
A glammy step up from the band's previous album.
1y
50
Ghost have always been able to fully inhabit the characters they sang about and make their world-building come alive, but compared to past songs like “Ritual,” “Absolution,” and “Cirice,” there’s little to no mystique to Skeletá’s tales of the occult.
1y
50
The all-too-familiar sound of Ghost feels less like a considered attempt at refining a signature style this time and more like someone scrambling to rekindle a flame long lost in the ashes of Impera.
1y
40
The rare moment of magic can’t compensate for the carnival of cringe on the Swedish band’s sixth album.
1y
WHITE POPE OR BLACK POPE?
I swear I tried, but it seems impossible to avoid reviewing Ghost's latest effort!
How this LP was released practically on the same day as Pope Francesco funeral is a mystery... or black magic.
The black pope replacing the White Pope seems like a medieval story, a coincidence that makes your veins and wrists tremble, a circumstance so incredible because it is impossible to predict, and therefore to organize.
A big twist then, but just as the mourning for a good ... read more
Ghost pleasantly surprised me with their new record "Skeletá". I don't know why, but for some reason, I wasn't expecting amazing things, I mean, as much as I love Ghost, they haven't dropped a full-length record in a while, and that one cover EP they released or whatever that was... wasn't great. But looking back, there was no reason to doubt them. Ghost takes the sound they built on IMPERA, which went into a more nostalgic AOR and Glam Rock/Metal direction ... read more
Their worst album and by quite a bit. The production is really flat and bad, and tbh thats the main issue. While the songs could have been made up for by some really good production, it being so flat kinda leaves all their weaknesses like the bad hooks and cliché lyrics to be shown, and makes this a very forgettable album that shows the band basically now transformed into a straight pop band
1. Peacefield - 8/10
2. Lachryma - 8/10
3. Satanized - 7.5/10
4. Guiding Lights - 8/10
5. De Profundis Borealis - 7/10
6. Cenotaph - 6.5/10
7. Missilia Amori - 7/10
8. Marks of the Evil One - 7.5/10
9. Umbra - 6.5/10
10. Excelsis - 6.5/10
7.3/10 (Good 7.0-7.9)
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Track List
| 1 | Peacefield 5:40 | 78 |
| 2 | Lachryma 4:36 | 82 |
| 3 | Satanized 3:56 | 77 |
| 4 | Guiding Lights 3:24 | 69 |
| 5 | De Profundis Borealis 4:32 | 74 |
| 6 | Cenotaph 4:17 | 69 |
| 7 | Missilia Amori 4:31 | 65 |
| 8 | Marks Of The Evil One 4:15 | 72 |
| 9 | Umbra 5:31 | 81 |
| 10 | Excelsis 6:01 | 70 |
Total Length: 46 minutes
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4mo
Given how Ghost has released EPs in the past, we should expect a new one in the style of Skeletá this year. I won't hold my breath though.
4mo
I still don’t know how to rate this album. On my first listen it was… “meh”. But now, I can’t get it out of my head, somehow it clicked for me and I’ve been listening to it a lot. No, it’s not their best record, but damn, it’s a good and fun record. HELP
5mo
Excelsis is probably my least favorite on the album but the bridge is one of my favorite moments in any ghost song rn