1995 saw the release of the excellent and inspirational debut album from Portuguese gothic metallers Moonspell and the emergence of a band that singularly forged their own path and sound to inspire rather than follow current trends. Through the equally impactful “Irreligious” the following year to their acclaimed eighth album “Night Eternal” in 2008, the band has trodden their own musical path to be one of the more important bands in goth metal. Their new album “Alpha Noir” keeps their presence at the fore of the genre with more sounds sure to inspire.

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The re-recordings of their first EP “Under Satanae” last year could foresee that Moonspell would be inclined to return to their origins rooted in Black-Metal on their upcoming album “Night Eternal”, something that long standing fans who had lost some enthusiasm for the Portuguese band when they embraced Gothic sonorities on the releases following “Wolfheart” would definitely appreciate.
Well, those people disabused by the idea that Moonspell would eventually step back into their past should know that “Night Eternal” is essentially a record that incorporates all the well-known characteristics of their entire career. From the raw Black-Metal of their “Wolfheart” days reflected in songs like “Moon In Mercury” to the Gothic-Rock of albums like “Irreligious” and “Sin/Pecado” present in “Scorpion Flower”, all the paths the group have crossed throughout their existence are revisited here.
It’s an album replete with superb condiments, cleverly concise and focused and perfectly balanced between a thundering brutality and a gracious melodic elegance that reveals a greater emphasis on the guitar work. The riffs casted by guitarist Ricardo Amorim possess a fierce viciousness yet at the same are amazingly catchy and every now and then he indulges in some truly memorable leads that have a certain classic Heavy-Metal vibe.
Maintaining some creativity and artistic focus along with a mixture of good taste throughout eight albums is an extraordinary accomplishment and “Night Eternal” is without any doubts an excellent album, one of the best Moonspell ever made. (8/10)

Band info: www.moonspell.com
Label info: www.spv.de

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It’s hard to comprehend why anyone would choose to re-release a work which wasn’t especially good in the first place, let alone re-recorded it. That’s exactly the treatment Portugal’s Moonspell gave their first release, the “Under the Moonspell EP, originally issued in 1994 by defunct French label Adipocere. Rounded by songs from their “Anno Satanae” demo-tape and “Serpent Angel”, the only song taped under the moniker of Morbid God, “Under Satanae” is primarily an overview of the first part of their career, prior to the signing to Century Media and the consequent release of their debut “Wolfheart”. Let’s just say it wasn’t their most auspicious moment, which is probably why Moonspell have chosen to revamp these songs at Denmark's Antfarm studios with Tue Madsen supervising.

Combining Middle East ethnic sounds with the mid-tempo basic riffage of early Celtic Frost, and a vast array of acoustic and keyboards interludes and intros, “Under the Moonspell” shows a band with some interesting ideas (the use of Portuguese guitar on “Chorai Lusitania” being on of them), but ultimately suffers from a rather rudimentary song-structuring. The same can be said about “Goat on Fire” and “Ancient Winter Goddess”, the two songs from precarious demo “Anno Satanae”, where the band’s admiration for Bathory’s works really shines forth.
Anyway, I’m sure Moonspell fans will welcome the opportunity to hear these early tracks, even if it represents a somehow pedestrian period of a band that have since then evolved into one the most respected and talented bands of nowadays. (4/10)

Band info: www.moonspell.com
Label info: www.spv.de

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