I’ve had a lot of fun looking at Moonspell over this entire month. From their inaugural releases in the 90s at the beginning of October, to their time in the 2000s, it’s been an interesting ride. Now, we come to their releases of the 2010s. Equal part nostalgic yet original, the three albums that came out this decade are some of the best chunks of music they’ve ever made, so let’s take a look at them shall we?
Alpha Noir/Omega White (2012)
“Signing with Napalm is a firm step into cutting all bullshit and work with people who truly believe in us and respect our longevity, while helping us to embrace those who have been arriving in the last years to start with us yet another kingdom of darkness under the moon. Our new album is a statement. Our blood is the ink. Your skin, the scrolls upon we will write. Napalm Records, our messenger. Be ready.”
From there it was only a short matter of time before their first release under Napalm Records would reveal itself, and just a few months later it did. Released on April the 27th in 2012, Alpha Noir/Omega White was released, and it was quite the album. The first ever double album release in their career, both CD have their own unique flavor. Alpha Noir was inspired & influenced by bands such as Bathory, King Diamond, Onslaught, early Metallica, Testament, and Artillery, while Omega White was an ohmage to gothic greats like Type O Negative and The Sisters of Mercy, not to mention their 2nd album Irreligious. The end result is the most ambitious release in Moonspell’s career, and one of the most artistically creative as well.
Best Track? On Alpha Noir, I gotta give credit to Opera Carne. Now this might sound juvenile, but this song just screams the words “Blood Orgy”. Fernando Ribeiro is at his most lustful, his most angry, and perhaps his most violent when it comes to the vocals. The rest of the band matches suit, and has instrumentation that matches up with the singing. It’s a great track on the blacker of the 2 CDS, but perhaps it’ll warm you up for some bloody fun.
Opera Carne
But on Omega White, I gotta give it to the memorial to one of the most iconic Gothic Metal singers in the form of New Tears Eve. This album is particularly significant when you consider the fact that Type-O Negative & legendary frontman Peter Steele were a huge influence for Fernando Ribeiro and Moonspell in general....and that this album came out just over 2 years after Pete’s tragic death in 2010. You can tell that Pete meant a lot to Fernando, as his voices seems incredibly mournful.....like he just lost a close friend. The band pretty much feels the same way, as the band plays like Type-O Negative. In fact, New Tears Eve sounds & feels like a lost Type-O Negative track, which is definitely an impressive feat! It’s a song that’s equal parts badass and emotional, & it’s one you shouldn’t miss.
New Tears Eve
Worst Track? I only have one gripe, but it’s actually rather silly, and that’s the fact that there are some days where I don’t know which side to listen to! Do I want a darker atmosphere and go for Alpha Noir, or do I want a more atmospheric & introspective feel and play Omega White? It’s really tough sometimes, but when an album is this good, it’s not always a bad thing.
Alpha Noir/Omega White. Definitely the most ambitious record Moonspell has made, it’s dual nature really gives it a uniqueness unlike almost any else in the band’s discography. If you have some time, sit down & listen to this. You won’t regret it. Next album!
Extinct (2015)
Best Track? The Last Of Us was the first single released to the public (First aired on Portugese radio if I remember right), and by god was it the right one! As with so much of Moonspell’s music, Fernando Ribeiro just oozes gothic wit & sensuality as he sings, and on this particular song it’s especially noticeable. Coming across like an ode to the last man & woman on Earth, everybody in the band is pushing for a heavy yet sexy atmosphere, and they succeed.
The Last Of Us
Worst Track? While the whole album is full of great music, Extinct doesn’t exactly bring anything new to the table. Their prior release was 2 slabs of distinct Gothic Metal, while this record comes across as a little too safe. It doesn’t make it bad by any means, but it also doesn’t give it any character other than what previous releases had.
Extinct. Nothing exciting or new, but nothing bad & is still a bit of fun. It’s not high on my list of recommended Moonspell records, but it’s not one you should avoid either. Next album!
1755 (2017)
Those were some of the first words I heard when the first single was released, and from that point on I was hooked. Release on November the 3 of last year, Moonspell’s 1755 marks the band’s first ever concept album. An ode to their home country of Portugal, the record also tells the story of the incredible & horrific 1755 Lisbon earthquake, which brought untold devastation onto the Portugese people & beyond. 1755 is something of a special album to me, as it was the first Moonspell album I ever got (It was given to me by my friend Isabelle as an early Christmas gift last year). Though I had been enchanted for a little over 4 years by the time I got it, something about 1755 got me even more hooked. The folk-like form of story telling, mixed with the band’s patented mix of Gothic, Death, and Black Metal, not to mention the usage of orchestral elements, creates something really special that really sinks it’s hooks into you.
Best Track? Bit of a tie between Todos Os Santos & Evento. The first mentioned song was the track that had the lyrics I put up above, while the later takes place more towards the middle of 1755. Both are incredibly great tracks with good energy & pacing, great vocals, fantastic instrumentation, and so on. Evento does have one thing over the other song, and that’s a portion towards the end with soft guitars & drums, and vocal work that’s more of sinister whispering. Apart from that, these two tunes are 2 peas in a Gothic Metal pod, and you shouldn’t avoid them.
Todos Os Santos (All Saints)
Evento (Event)
Worst Track? Really the language barrier is the only fault of 1755, but that only applies to people who don’t know Portugese. In addition to singing about their home country & some of it’s history, the band also decided to use their native language as well when telling the story. They had used Portugese before on a few songs, but this marked the first time they used it on an entire record. On the one hand this is actually cool, as it lends the album some cultural authenticity. On the other hand anybody from my neck of the woods (Or any other country that doesn’t primarily speak Portugese) wouldn’t be out of luck trying to make sense. I’m not offended by any means, but maybe an English version release a little later down the line might be neat (Kinda like the Swedish & English version of Carolus Rex from Sabaton).
1755. Has a bit of a language barrier to climb over, but once you do you’re in for one of the richest musical experiences of your life. Highly recommended, especially if you’re looking for something a little more exotic.
And thus concludes my month long look at Moonspell. While these guys are in my “Honorable Mentions” section of my top 10 bands list, at the same time they are one of the strongest Gothic Metal bands out there, and are perfect counterparts to equal legends Paradise Lost & Type-O Negative. If those previous bands don’t attract your attention, these fellows might. Tomorrow marks the first of November, and as we transition towards the end of the year, I think one more musical festival is in order. So see you all tomorrow, when we’ll celebrate Alcatrazz Month. Take care!
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If you’re curious about listening to these albums, check out the links below:
Alpha Noir/Omega White
Extinct
1755
Also, if you didn’t get a chance to check out part 1 & 2, take a look below:
Metal Overview: Moonspell (Part 1)
Metal Overview: Moonspell (Part 2)
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