GHOST: Skeletá (HARD ROCK): review / opinion to read on Music Waves

After “Impera”, which was far from unanimously acclaimed, due to its overly mainstream feel and sluggish melodies on a good half of the tracks, Ghost was clearly under pressure with “Skeletá”. And indeed, with this new album, Tobias Forge demonstrates the intelligence with which he masterfully manages his musical project. If “Impera” had confirmed Ghost's melodic hard rock turn, “Skeletá” doesn't deny it, but pushes the musical exploration further, while reviving certain elements from the band's beginnings, creating a particularly successful balance between past and present.

The arrival of the character Papa V Perpetua bears witness to the Swedes' evolution. With his mask revealing more of Tobias Forge's face, he marks a clear break with previous Papa Emeritus characters. And this change of appearance is not only aesthetic, it also goes hand in hand with a new direction in the themes addressed by the frontman on this new album. Gone are the historical references to the Black Death or the decline of empires, replaced by more personal, introspective lyrics exploring deeper human emotions, as in 'Satanized', where demonic possession symbolizes the dark feelings that can sometimes overwhelm us. Forge's vocals take on a new dimension throughout the album, more embodied, less detached and less parodic than in the past.

Musically, each track is designed to captivate the listener from the very first listen. Despite two tracks that are a little weaker than the others ('Excelsis', 'Marks Of The Evil One'), Tobias Forge once again proves his talent for composing pop melodies, catchy choruses and effective riffs. Ghost also pays homage to its greatest references: Alice Cooper ('Lachryma'), Queen (the magnificent 'Cenotaph'), 80s hard rock ('Peacefield') and, of course, Abba ('Satanized'), for whom Forge has never concealed his admiration. But these influences, however pervasive, never mask Ghost's own identity, which Forge has been building up for years, and which finds its finest expression in the magnificent ballad 'Guilding Lights', as powerful as it is moving, and in the excellent 'Umbra' and its bridge in the form of a tribute to Deep Purple.

With “Skeletá”, Ghost finally seems to have freed itself from the expectations of its fans. With no instrumental tracks and fewer gothic elements in favor of more straightforward compositions, the band delivers the album they really wanted to produce. This is particularly evident in Nameless Ghouls' technical contribution, and especially in the many guitar solos, which are far more unbridled than in the past. The album succeeds in offering both a sense of familiarity and novelty, as if Forge had found the perfect formula for evolving his music without distorting it.

“Skeletá” is a milestone in Ghost's discography. Where “Impera” sacrificed the band's occult identity for more commercial music, this new opus strikes a much better balance between mainstream ambitions and fidelity to the Swedes' universe. Ultimately, Ghost reminds us that true musical talent lies in the ability to evolve without denying oneself, to take new directions without forgetting one's roots. - Official website

GHOST

SKELETÁ

AUTRE LABEL

HARD ROCK