GHOST are making final preparations for the launch of their Skeletour North American leg, set to begin January 21 at the Kia Center in Orlando, Florida. The arena tour supports "Skeletá," the band's groundbreaking sixth album and first to reach number one on the Billboard 200 — a historic milestone that made it the first hard rock album atop the chart in over four years, and the first-ever Swedish metal album to claim the top spot in America. The achievement cemented Tobias Forge's vision of GHOST as a band capable of competing at the highest commercial level while maintaining their artistic integrity.
Forge, performing as the newly unveiled Papa V Perpetua — featuring a striking purple mitre and sparkly skull mask covering only the upper half of his face — has teased new stage elements including enhanced pyrotechnics, a completely revamped lighting rig designed by their longtime production team, and the live debuts of several "Skeletá" tracks that are expected to become instant fan favourites. The Nameless Ghouls, the band's anonymous instrumentalists, have reportedly been rehearsing extensively in a Florida production facility, fine-tuning a setlist that balances beloved classics like "Square Hammer," "Mary on a Cross," and "Cirice" with the new album's material.
The production for the Skeletour is described as GHOST's most ambitious to date, featuring a multi-level stage with hydraulic platforms, video projections incorporating the album's skeletal imagery, and theatrical interludes that advance the ongoing narrative of the Papal lineage. The tour runs through February 23 at the Intuit Dome in Los Angeles, with stops at major arenas across the United States and Canada. Ticket demand has been extraordinary, with multiple dates selling out within minutes of going on sale, further validating GHOST's remarkable ascent from underground Swedish occult rock to one of the biggest live draws in heavy music.