With “Lachryma,” Ghost pulls off a sinister magic trick: turning sorrow into something that begs to be sung. The second single from their upcoming Skeletá album (April 25th) leans fully into the band’s uncanny ability to dress bleak themes in flamboyant anthemic robes. This time with Papa V Perpetua stepping to the front of the chaos.
With its high-gloss production, “Lachryma” rides a wave of theatrical flair and is built on contrast. The melody is infectious but beneath the polish, there’s rot. The sweetness doesn’t mask the menace. It only sharpens it. Tobias Forge and crew understand that menace becomes more unsettling when it’s wearing a grin, and “Lachryma” wears its grin like a cracked porcelain mask as its pop hooks swirl inside a gothic cyclone of dread.
Where “Satanized” charged forward with gnarled guitars and ritualistic defiance, “Lachryma” spreads its arms a bit wider. It’s smoother, stranger, more haunting and still unmistakably Ghost. The arrangement is carefully constructed as the layers build into a chorus that sticks whether you want it to or not. This isn’t a song one merely listens to; it draws one in and dares you to dance at the funeral.
The accompanying video only reinforces the track’s pull, introducing Papa V Perpetua in full theatrical bloom; it’s a performance as surreal as the music demands. “Lachryma” makes it clear that Ghost aren’t retreating from spectacle but that they’re doubling down.
“Lachryma” is more than just a teaser for Skeletá. It confirms Ghost’s continued evolution. The band has always thrived in duality. Sacred vs. profane, pop vs. metal and here, that tension hits a new peak. It’s infectious. It’s theatrical. And it’s unmistakably theirs.
SKELETOUR WORLD TOUR 2025
04/15/25 – Manchester, UK – AO Arena
04/16/25 – Glasgow, UK – OVO Hydro
04/19/25 – London, UK – The O2
04/20/25 – Birmingham, UK – Utilita Arena
04/22/25 – Antwerp, BE – Sportpaleis
04/23/25 – Frankfurt, DE – Festhalle Frankfurt
04/24/25 – Munich, DE – Olympiahalle
04/26/25 – Lyon, FR – LDLC Arena
04/27/25 – Toulouse, FR – Zénith Toulouse Métropole
04/29/25 – Lisbon, PT – MEO Arena
04/30/25 – Madrid, ES – Palacio Vistalegre
05/03/25 – Zürich, CH – Hallenstadion Zürich
05/04/25 – Milan, IT – Unipol Forum
05/07/25 – Berlin, DE – Uber Arena
05/08/25 – Amsterdam, NL – Ziggo Dome
05/10/25 – Lodz, PL – Atlas Arena
05/11/25 – Prague, CZ – O2 Arena
05/13/25 – Paris, FR – Accor Arena
05/14/25 – Oberhausen, DE – Rudolf Weber-ARENA
05/15/25 – Hannover, DE – ZAG Arena
05/17/25 – Copenhagen, DK – Royal Arena
05/20/25 – Tampere, FI – Nokia Arena
05/22/25 – Linköping, SE – Saab Arena
05/23/25 – Sandviken, SE – Göransson Arena
05/24/25 – Oslo, NO – Oslo Spektrum
07/05/25 – Birmingham, UK – Back to the Beginning
07/09/25 – Baltimore, MD – CFG Bank Arena
07/11/25 – Atlanta, GA – State Farm Arena
07/12/25 – Tampa, FL – Amalie Arena
07/13/25 – Miami, FL – Kaseya Center
07/15/25 – Raleigh, NC – Lenovo Center
07/17/25 – Cleveland, OH – Rocket Arena
07/18/25 – Pittsburgh, PA – PPG Paints Arena
07/19/25 – Philadelphia, PA – Wells Fargo Center
07/21/25 – Boston, MA – TD Garden
07/22/25 – New York, NY – Madison Square Garden
07/24/25 – Detroit, MI – Little Caesars Arena
07/25/25 – Louisville, KY – KFC Yum! Center
07/26/25 – Nashville, TN – Bridgestone Arena
07/28/25 – Grand Rapids, MI – Van Andel Arena
07/29/25 – Milwaukee, WI – Fiserv Forum
07/30/25 – St. Louis, MO – Enterprise Center
08/01/25 – Rosemont, IL – Allstate Arena
08/02/25 – Saint Paul, MN – Xcel Energy Center
08/03/25 – Omaha, NE – CHI Health Center
08/05/25 – Kansas City, MO – T-Mobile Center
08/07/25 – Denver, CO – Ball Arena
08/09/25 – Las Vegas, NV – MGM Grand Garden Arena
08/10/25 – San Diego, CA – Viejas Arena
08/11/25 – Phoenix, AZ – Footprint Center
08/14/25 – Austin, TX – Moody Center
08/15/25 – Fort Worth, TX – Dickies Arena
08/16/25 – Houston, TX – Toyota Center
09/24/25 – Mexico City, MX – Palacio de los Deportes
09/25/25 – Mexico City, MX – Palacio de los Deportes
