Moonspell
Far From God
Napalm Records
Gothic metal is the kind of genre that grows best underground and in all the dusty recesses, so you mightn’t think the sun-kissed climes of Portugal would be fertile soil for a band of the blacker hue. Well, think again because Moonspell have been casting their sorcery over the globe for 35-years, releasing a succession of albums that have darkened even the brightest days. Latest album, Far From God,finds them returning to their roots, serving up eight atmospheric tracks that conjure images of moonlit castles and cobwebbed catacombs. Bringing their considerable experience to bear, opening track ‘Cross Your Heart’ attacks the canvas with bold strokes, layering sound upon sound, the result becoming three-dimensional and wrapping the listener in a (funeral) shroud. Fernando Ribeiro’s vocals are suitably vampiric and have that just-back-from-the-dead vibe that’ll send cold chills down your spine, whilst guitarist Ricardo Amorim delivers a succession of insanely catchy hooks (check out ‘Our Freedom To Fall’ if you don’t believe me) to ensure the album has an adhesive, sticky quality and won’t be forgotten in a hurry. Vast in scope and of Nietzschean proportions, Far From God is a career highlight and finds Moonspell enchanting us with more of that ol’ black magic.
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Review by Peter Dennis.