Moonspell Albums (10)
'Lusitanian Metal'
Release Date 11/24/2008
Tracks 12
Label Century Media
See Album Tracklist and Review
What The Critics Say
Once upon a time, goth rock meant a bunch of vampire-looking people playing new wave-y music. However, the times they are a changin', as goth metal has arguably become the most common and popular goth-related music circa the early 21st century. And the proof is in the emergence of such acts as Moonspell. A certified sensation back home in Portugal (where their albums reach the top of the charts, and they even won an MTV Europe award for Best Portuguese Act), the quintet has certainly carved a niche for themselves, and continue to riff and growl away on their 2008 release, Night Eternal. If you were to erase the goth keyboards from the proceedings, Moonspell would sound like your average extreme metal band. But with the keys added, Moonspell are one of the few bands of the genre that is not entirely one-dimensional. Case in point, the track "Shadow Sun," which begins as one of the group's more tranquil numbers, before simply erupting in time for the chorus. And there's the first single, "Scorpion Flower," which is a male-female duet, and an obvious attempt at balancing metal with melody in hope of crossover success. ~ Greg Prato, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
One of the more worthy black metal releases of the early '90s was Moonspell's Under the Moonspell, a five-track EP that signaled to many extreme metal fans that Portugal had birthed their own extreme metal band. With the release becoming increasingly difficult to find in intervening years, the Moonspell lads decided to celebrate the EP's 13-year release anniversary by re-recording it, resulting in the release of 2007's Under Satanae. But this proves to be a "new and improved" version of the group's early classic, as re-recordings of other rare tracks from before their 1995 full-length, Wolfheart, are included as well. While tracks such as "Tenebrarum Oratorium" and the beautifully titled "Goat on Fire" sound rather run of the mill by 2007 standards, keep in mind that when these tracks were first released, there was certainly not an overabundance of extreme metal bands that sounded like this. With that said, Moonspell fans will welcome the opportunity to hear these early tracks once more with Under Satanae. ~ Greg Prato, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Once proclaimed poster boys for mid-'90s gothic metal -- European Union-style -- Portugal's Moonspell felt their popularity and influential relevance begin to wane when the movement's new millennium evolution saw female singers become de rigueur. Rudely pushed aside by the likes of Lacuna Coil, Nightwish, Lullacry, and, heck, why not, Evanescence, too, Moonspell finds itself in "rebuilding" mode come 2006; delivering their seventh full album and first in three years, Memorial, through new label SPV, following the end of a lifelong relationship with Century Media. Their successful working symbiosis with German producer Waldemar Sorychta remains intact, however, and the fact that Memorial is quite possibly the heaviest Moonspell album yet, proves they're all aware that going soft to compete with pretty young boys like HIM is not a viable option, so good for them! Uncompromising cuts like "Finisterra" and "Blood Tells!" are virtually unadorned death metal assaults, where band leader Fernando Ribeiro drives the point home by using old-time Cookie Monster growls almost exclusively. Yes, he does let his melodious baritone vampire alter ego out of the coffin now and then, and classic gothic literature (Oscar Wilde, Poe and Goethe) is still his favorite source material, but his newfound balance between the two voices helps do away with Moonspell's excessive late-'90s Type O Negative-isms. Likewise, tracks such as "Memento Mori," "Sanguine," "Once It Was Ours!" and "Luna" (the last featuring added female vocals), incorporate synth and string arrangements without being overwhelmed by them. Finally, there are several worthy instrumental interludes -- including the atmospheric "In Memoriam" and symphonic fanfares of "Proliferation" -- easing transitions between tracks, while imposing closer "Best Forgotten" carries on in the band's tradition of epic finales. No matter its overall high standards, it's unlikely that Memorial will return Moonspell to their former heights atop the goth metal scene; but it does prove they are still a force to be reckoned with while doing their legacy no harm. ~ Eduardo Rivadavia, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
O Negative, Tiamat, Sisters of Mercy, and sixth album The Antidote finds the Portuguese group existing in its own unique, creative headspace. Bolstered by a thoroughly enveloping production -- which carefully places lush, gothic textures into harsh, metallic realms, and vice versa -- and accomplished, memorable songwriting, The Antidote is easily the group's most ambitious effort. The band utilizes a rich sonic palette that smartly balances melodic hooks, keyboard textures and an impressively strong foundation of steely guitar riffs; moody, rousing numbers ("Capricorn at Her Feet," "Crystal Gazing," "The Southern Deathstyle") mingle with lengthy, spacious excursions ("Lunar Still," "As We Eternally Sleep on It") and exemplary fist-pumping anthems that toe the line between the black/death metal grit and commercial sheen ("In and Above Men," "A Walk on the Darkside"). "Antidote" may be the most inspired track, with its understated staccato acoustic-guitar intro and careful use of silence amidst grandiose crescendos. And singer Fernando Ribiero adds dimension to Moonspell's increasingly compelling dynamic; his lyrics are poetic and strange, and his voice switches between a Peter Steele-style basso profundo and a blackened subterranean growl. Artful and compelling, The Antidote brings to mind the woefully underrated glory of Babylon Whores, and should find Moonspell appealing to listeners who relish the integrity and progressive nature of the metal underground, as well as those who crave more accessible songwriting. Impressive. ~ John Serba, All Music Guide
'Darkness and Hope'
Release Date 8/24/2001
Tracks 11
Label Century Me
See Album Tracklist and Review
What The Critics Say
Moonspell's sixth full-length release (and fifth effort for Century Media) again finds the long-running Portuguese quintet producing heavily atmospheric metal that owes as much to Sisters of Mercy as to Black Sabbath. The songs on Darkness and Hope generally emphasize the overall mood over songwriting hooks, but there are some memorable moments, such as the streamlined "Devilred" and the darkly metallic "Rapaces." Splitting the difference between Type O Negative and Tiamat, Moonspell achieves both threatening ferocity and stately grace. ~ Andy Hinds, All Music Guide
'Butterfly Effect'
Release Date 1/1/1999
Tracks 12
Label Century Media
See Album Tracklist and Review
What The Critics Say
Portugal's Moonspell has quickly evolved into one of the major players in the European goth-metal scene, and their fourth album, The Butterfly Effect, finds them pushing the boundaries of metal into strange and exciting new directions. Led by vocalist Fernando Ribeiro's breathy baritone, the group could be likened to a European Type O Negative but with a greater talent for genre-bending experimentation. Following the basic blueprint set by Tiamat's hugely influential Wildhoney album, The Butterfly Effect marries violent, down-tuned guitar riffs, eerie synthesizer passages, and esoteric lyrical themes (part science fiction, part anti-Christianity). And though it's sheer breadth doesn't allow for as cohesive a picture as previous efforts, the album features a number of exceptional tracks. Chief among these are "Tired," with its incredibly haunting melodies, and the enigmatically titled "Can't Bee," a mishmash of extremes that may just qualify as the first ever death metal waltz. Other compelling moments include the unrelenting power of "Soulsick," the near-pop strains of "Disappear Here," and the straightforward industrial bludgeoning of "I Am the Eternal Spectator." A challenging but mostly rewarding sonic experience. ~ Eduardo Rivadavia, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Moonspell continues to delve into slow, Gothic doom-metal on Sin/Pecado, with occasional samples and electronic percussion popping up in the atmospheric arrangements. Still, the band has not yet quite recaptured the spark of their debut, Wolfheart. ~ Steve Huey, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Released at the height of the European goth metal craze, Moonspell's Wolfheart was a surprisingly accomplished effort by a band originating in the unlikeliest of places, heretofore relatively metal-free Portugal. Diligent students of their northern European neighbors, the bandmembers had yet to develop a wholly original voice, but quickly proved they'd done their homework by incorporating the genre's trademark elements (morbid lyrical schemes, dreary and melancholy riffs, ambient keyboards, demonic chorales) into the grandiloquent opener, "Wolfshade (A Werewolf Masquerade)." Singer and group instigator Fernando Ribeiro (here named Langsuyar for maximum crypt-defiling effect) alternates death grunts and a guttural baritone style obviously inspired by Type O Negative's Peter Steele as he leads his troops through multi-faceted but often overly ambitious compositions. You can't blame the boys for trying but, with the exception of "Love Crimes," which somehow manages to combine galloping drums, Iron Maiden-like guitar harmonies, and ethereal female vocals to great effect, the album's second half (introduced by the gypsy lute of "Lua d'Inverno" [Winter Moon]) soon collapses into a jumble of well-intentioned but not yet fully developed tracks. The strange chorus of "Trebaruna" never quite gels with the surrounding guitars, and the absurdly over the top gothic operetta "Vampiria" is a tad too much to stomach. Thankfully, the group pulls it together for a closing couplet featuring the easy-flowing epic "An Erotic Alchemy" (note the barely corrupted "Crazy Train" riff) and punchy closer "Alma Mater." All in all, Wolfheart was a strong launching pad, which would set the tone for Moonspell's accelerated artistic maturation in years to come. ~ Eduardo Rivadavia, All Music Guide
