Era V — Papa V Perpetua
A new era begins
With Skeletá, Ghost opens the most recent chapter of their papal saga. A new character, a new sound and a debut at #1 on the Billboard 200 confirm that the Swedish band remains one of the most original forces in contemporary rock.
The transition and the new pope
After the extensive Impera tour, Tobias Forge began the creative process for what would be Ghost's sixth album. The band introduced a new papal figure: Papa V Perpetua, a character evoking the figure of an eternal relic, combining elements of his predecessors with a renewed visual aesthetic. Preparation for this era included changes in the Nameless Ghouls lineup and a songwriting process that Forge described as the most personal of his career. The first singles from this era revealed a darker and more experimental band, willing to explore new sonic territories without abandoning the irresistible melodies that are their signature.
Papa V Perpetua: the latest successor in Ghost's papal saga
Skeletá and Billboard #1
Skeletá, released in 2025, marked an unprecedented milestone in Ghost's career: the album debuted at #1 on the Billboard 200, the list of the best-selling albums in the United States, becoming the first Swedish metal album to achieve that position. The achievement closed the circle of an extraordinary trajectory: from the self-released 2010 debut with Opus Eponymous to topping the general album chart in the world's most important market. Skeletá also demonstrated Forge's artistic maturity as a songwriter, with songs combining the ritual darkness of his early years with the accessibility of his most recent hits. The Skeletá tour consolidated Ghost as one of the leading live rock acts in the world.
Skeletá (2025): historic debut at #1 on the Billboard 200
The legacy of Ghost
In just over a decade and a half, Ghost went from being an anonymous cult band in the Swedish underground to becoming a global cultural phenomenon. Their legacy is unique: they proved that rock can be dark, theatrical and satanic without losing the ability to reach millions of people with truly moving songs. The papacy structure —each era with its own character, its own aesthetic and its own sound— has proven to be not only a brilliant artistic device, but also a way of keeping the band always fresh and relevant. Tobias Forge has built, from the shadows of Linköping, one of the most singular legacies in 21st century rock.