The Ghost to Premiere New Songs at Manchester’s Skeleta Tour Kickoff

The Ghost’s World Tour Begins

The ghost kicked off its world tour “Skeletour” in Manchester, premiering several new songs—see the full setlist and the story below.

• Read more: Tobias Forge on the new material and the future of Ghost: “If fans need knowledge to please the group, this element will end pretty soon”

Details About the New Album and Concert

In anticipation of their new album ‘Skeleta,’ which will be released on April 25 through Loma Vista and is available for pre-order here, the band, led by frontman Tobias Forge, took the stage last night (April 15) at Ao Arena in Manchester to commence an extensive tour across Great Britain, Europe, and North America.

In adherence to their “no phone” rule for their 2025 tour, intended to encourage fans to be fully present and engaged during live shows, concert personnel details are not yet available. However, the setlist for the tour was revealed, featuring new song premieres and live debuts of several classic tracks.

To kick off the Skeletour, Ghost premiered their new song “Peacefield,” followed by the live debut of their latest single “Lachryma,” which was released last week (April 11).

Latter in the performance, they debuted several tracks not heard since 2019, such as “Spirit” and “Majesty,” along with the live introduction of their 2024 track Ritual here ritual now.

They then played “Darkness at the Heart of My Love,” “Imperial,” and “Satanist,” with “Darkness,” the lead single from the upcoming “Skeleton,” making its world premiere alongside their irrevocable track “Umbra.”

As the concert concluded, they reintroduced the fan-favorite “Monstration Watch.”

Skeletour’s Setlist in Manchester Included:

“Mirfield” (world premiere)
“Lachryma” (live debut)
“Spirit” (for the first time since 2019)
“From the Top to the Pit”
“Majesty” (for the first time since 2019)
“The Future Is a Foreign Land” (live debut)
“Devil’s Church”
“Cirice”
“Darkness at the Heart of My Love” (live debut)
“Satan” (live debut)
“Ritual”
“Umbra” (world premiere)
“He”
“Rats”
“Kossa Kiss”
“Mummy Dust”
“Montrance Watch” (for the first time since 2019)
“Mary on the Cross”
“Gloomy Dance”
“Square Hammer”

After the concert at Ao Arena, Ghost will continue its tour through the UK and Europe. The tour dates in Great Britain will carry on this month, with a show scheduled at the London O2 Arena. Check the full list of dates here and visit here to purchase tickets.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zbwuqhwpo_o

Recently, Tobias Forge spoke with NME as part of their “In Conversation” series, explaining his intent behind the album, noting, “I am not a great seller, but these are 10 songs that hope to bring joy.” He elaborated on his approach, stating, “The previous record was more of a social commentary, shedding light on society. Thus, for this new entry, I wanted it to be something different.

“I always strive to create something distinct from my previous works, and this time, I aimed to make a record rooted in introspection.”

He further discussed how Ghost serves as “live evidence” that rock music isn’t dead, revealing his inspiration drawn from Black Sabbath, and mentioned to NME that the band’s brand identity may come to an end in the future.

“I think there might be an end to the story of stories, as it’s not productive to keep this endless soap opera going. If fans need knowledge to please the group, then that element is likely to fade pretty soon,” he shared regarding the future.

Papa “V” will also be part of the Black Sabbath final performance, scheduled for July 5 at Villa Park, Birmingham.