Metal Overview: Moonspell (Part 2)

Welcome back to Moonspell Month fellow Otaku & Metalheads!

At the very beginning of this month, we took a look at the band’s time in the 90s. Though it slipped up a little bit by the very end, everything else in that decade was fantastic, and showed the world that Moonspell was definitely deserving to sit at the table of the Gothic Metal greats. Would they be able to carry over this quality into the 2000s? Let’s not waste anymore time, and find out just what the group had to offer.

Darkness & Hope (2001)

With the dawn of the new millennium came a new age for Moonspell. The managed to make a name for themselves in the 90s, and despite a little hiccup towards the end they showed the world that they could hang with the big boys of Gothic Metal. Not wanting to start off on the wrong foot, they discarded much of their experimentation from the previous 2 records, and the result of this discarding was Darkness & Hope. Released on August the 27th, 2001, Darkness & Hope was a return to the full-blooded Gothic Metal forefront, with nary a hint of experimenting in any way. Reception for the album was a little mixed, with fans either liking it or not. I’m definitely a fan, but I have issues with it that I’ll talk about below.

Best Track? Kinda hard to say, but in the end I really liked Rapaces. Located a little bit after the midpoint of the album, it’s something of an oddball track. Though there is some screaming at certain points, it never turns into screeching in any way. The rest of the time we hear Fernando Ribeiro at the low but commanding softer end of the volume scale, and it’s perfect. The instrumentation is an even mix between heavy & soft, and we get a little bit of keyboarding thrown in to spice things up. Definitely the highlight of the album.

Rapaces

Worst Track? The lack of experimentation is the only bad thing I can say about Darkness & Hope. While it was getting overwhelming when it got to The Butterfly Effect, I found it cool that the band was trying new things with their music. A little bit of the keyboard they were using does manage to stay around in some songs, but the Industrial aspect that they were tapping into is effectively gone. For those that didn’t like that experimentation I can see you being glad about it, but as a fan of Industrial Metal, it’s a missed opportunity.

Darkness & Hope. Not bad by any stretch of the imagination, but I can’t put my finger on why I don’t like this as much as all of the prior Moonspell releases (Including The Butterfly Effect). Recommended, but not recommended as much as everything that came before it. Next album!

The Antidote (2003)

Though Darkness & Hope was a fine start to the new millennium, it had some softer parts that may have irked a few fans, but just 2 short years later those irked fans wouldn’t be so upset anymore. Released on September the 29th, 2003, The Antidote saw Moonspell return to a heavier form than before, yet it still had some uniqueness to it that was seen previously on their prior release. Niclas Etelävuori from Amorphis was a session musician on the bass guitar during the recording for the Antidote, so there’s a hint of that band’s style on the record. The Antidote was also unique in another way because it was released with a (limited) book named O Antídoto (The Antidote, in Portuguese) by José Luís Peixoto. They both share a single concept and the same story, as each song on the CD is sister to a chapter in the book that enhances the story in the lyrics. The CD contains the book in electronic format, so if the book is lost you have a backup.

Best Track? This was a bit harder than the best track on Darkness & Hope, but I kinda liked Capricorn At Her Feet. There’s a little bit of a Blues vibe going on, as Fernando Ribeiro keeps his voice at the low end of the spectrum for the most part, and some guitar portions have a hint of twang to them. It never forgets the metal, as the rest of the song is nice & heavy. If there’s a track to not avoid on this album, it’s this one.

Capricorn At Her Feet

Worst Track? While the band pretty much stay away from experimenting again, when they do decide to go that way it seems completely at random. One moment it’s delicious Gothic Metal, and they next minute some keyboarding will pop up out of nowhere. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but I wish the experimental parts were more deliberate than random.

The Antidote. Fundamentally the same as their previous release, but I’m finding myself having to chew down harder with this record. Not a bad release & definitely recommended, but a little less than Darkness & Hope in both cases. Next album!

Memorial (2006)

As the 2000s went on, Moonspell seemed to be going further & further away from the experimenting of the late 90s & early 2000s, and decided to return to their Gothic roots as a way to anchor themselves so as not to stray anywhere. Boy was I surprised when I decided to give Memorial a go! Released on April the 24th, 2006, Memorial finds the back once again back in the experimental seat. Not only were they experimenting a little bit with Industrial, Orchestral parts & even some Operating vocal work can be found on this album. It was perhaps this experimentation that managed to get the album Gold On January 16, 2007, by the Associação Fonográfica Portuguesa for selling 10,000 copies in their native Portugal. I’m happy for the band, and I have to admit I’m kind of fond of how & what they experimented on this album.....despite my issues.

Best Track? Bit of a tough one to decide on this time around. Memorial is a pretty intense album, and with the experimentation coming back in force, makes things just a little overwhelming. Ultimately, I think Upon The Blood Of Men is a good song. Moonspell really seems to be conjuring the wrath of God in this track, as the atmosphere comes across as incredibly apocalyptic. Outside of one part, Fernando Ribeiro keeps his voice at the high end of the volume spectrum, and the rest of the band does the same. Definitely the highlight of Memorial, and it’s one you shouldn’t ignore.

Upon The Blood Of Men

Worst Track? To be honest, I genuinely think this is a more conflicting that bad/worst, and it’s the experimentation. Despite staying firm in the realm of Gothic Metal, Moonspell decided to bring back Industrial elements to spice up their music, and for the most part I actually enjoy this alongside the symphonic & operatic parts. The big problem is that the experimenting seems out of place for a bad that’s trying to walk away from that part of their career. Whether it’s a case of old habits die hard, or maybe it actually helps them, I’m not sure. Maybe it’s a case of my ego coming through on this. That’s always possible.

Memorial. A big improvement over their last two album, but for some reason this is the hardest album to get into, simply because the experimentation seems out of control in a sense. Highly recommended over their last two releases, yet it’s still not a favorite of mine. Come on Moonspell, give me something!!

Night Eternal (2008)

Now we’re talking!

While the past 3 albums were definitely fun to listen to, they didn’t seem quite as strong & likable to me. By the time I got to Memorial, I was afraid that I wouldn’t enjoy the band as much as I used to, but a savior in the late 2000s came down from the blackened skies to grace me with it’s presence, and it’s name was Night Eternal! Released on May the 16th, 2008, Night Eternal is the album that harkens back to their earliest year. After 2 albums that tried to get away from experimenting, and 1 album that went balls to the wall with experimenting, Moonspell finally managed to get back to their roots, where Gothic, Black, and Death Metal were their bread & butter. Though a little bit of experimenting remained on the release, it was obvious that it was highly scaled back, and was used in a supplementary manner.

Best Track? Dreamless was one of the first songs from Moonspell I discovered over half a decade ago, and much like Full Moon Madness off of Irreligious, this tune has become one of my personal favorites from the band. Fully titled Dreamless (Lucifer And Lilith), this is an example of a slower paced song that does it right. Filled to the brim with tragic romance & Gothic overtones, at just over 5 minutes in play time this a perfect song. Fernando Ribeiro just entices you into the depths of the song with his heavy yet sensual voice, while the rest of the band creates an incredible atmosphere. My only complaint is that it’s not the ending track of the album (It’s no. 7 on the main album), but it’s definitely the highlight! 

Dreamless

Worst Track? Absolutely nothing! Like I said above, Night Eternal finally gets it. Though there’s experimentation in some songs, they’re used to give the music character, and not to try & take over the record. This is an album that goes right back to Moonspell’s roots, while simultaneously sounding considerably newer & fresher thanks to recording & production technology of the late 2000s. The end result is Gothic Metal of the highest caliber, and I don’t mind getting shot by it.

Night Eternal. The album that finally gets it right after 3 albums that try to do too much. If you got disenfranchised by the rest of the band’s 2000s material, then their concluding release of that decade will ease your pain. Easily recommended, and it’s my favorite Moonspell release of that decade!

So that was part 2 of my look at Moonspell. Definitely shakey for the most part, it ultimately is capped off by one of the best album’s in their career. This isn’t exactly my favorite period of the band, but luckily there’s 1 more we have to look at. Join me after next week, when we’ll be in the band’s 2010 period. See you then!


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If you’re curious about listening to these albums, then click on the links below:

Darkness & Hope

The Antidote

Memorial

Night Eternal