Moonspell
Irreligious

THE REVIEW

Gothic Metal.

In the myriad of debates surrounding the incredibly complex definition of this genre, rivers of words have been spent, and I certainly don't claim to give a complete definition, an impossible task. In fact, under the overused label of Gothic, bands and albums are often categorized together without reason even if they have nothing in common.

We range, therefore, from bands like Tristania, Theatre Of Tragedy, to Lacuna Coil or Within Temptation, passing through the Paradise Lost of "Draconian Times." We are thus faced with an eclectic and vast genre encompassing extremely diverse musical expressions. My intention is to present to you one of the greatest examples of an album that can be defined as "true" Gothic Metal, by one of the most important bands in the field, namely Moonspell.

"Irreligious" is released a year after the fiery trial our Portuguese friends gave with "Wolfheart." After such a masterpiece, expectations could only be sky-high. And so it will be. "Irreligious" is the album that definitively delivers Moonspell to the empire of Gothic Metal. Fascinating, morbid, dark, intensely dramatic.

The album's opening is shocking: after a brief intro, they present themselves with an undisputed masterpiece of unprecedented proportions, namely "Opium", the most famous song by Moonspell. It's pointless to dwell on how superior and captivating this song is. Simple, flowing, yet overwhelming in just under 3 minutes, Moonspell condense their essence.
Following is "Awake", another adored and revered track, especially for its memorable chorus. The atmosphere distinguished is gothic in the truest sense of the term: everything here is dark, melancholic (yet not cloying) from the guitar riffs to the lyrics recited by Fernando Ribeiro, one of the greatest Metal singers.

After the beautiful but overall negligible tracks "For A Taste Of Eternity" and "Ruin And Misery" (some will lynch me for this, I know already), the album closes its first part with a song that closely resembles "Vampiria" from 'Wolfheart.' It is "A Poisoned Gift", an atmospheric track where keyboards and darkness reign supreme, without sparing the listener from a sudden (and beautiful) central break truly involving, thanks to an excellent guitar work by Ricardo Amorim. "Raven Claws" is instead a particular experiment that almost seems like a preview of the (brief) turn of "Sin/Pecado", a very direct track and rich with modern influences (almost dark rocky) where Fernando alternates his deep baritone voice with that of Brigit Zacher, already present on Wolfheart but here with a much less operatic and more seductive voice.

The gothic and ancestral soul of Moonspell resurfaces in "Mephisto", another absolute masterpiece, built on a splendid structure where Ribeiro almost seems to enjoy reciting his lyrics with a mystical air. An unforgettable composition, intense and filled with all that hypnotic charm typical of the Portuguese band. After the particular and disorienting "Herr Spiegelmann" (don't miss the initial quote from "Perfume" by Patrick Süskind) played entirely on disturbing keyboard melodies, it is the turn of the grand finale which, as in 'Wolfheart' ("Alma Mater") also in "Irreligious" represents the emotional peak of the album.

"Full Moon Madness" is a solemn, majestic track in its slow advance and represents the dramatic climax of the album in a symphony of pride, anger, and passion. The crescendo is irresistible, and absolutely spine-chilling is the conclusion of the track where, after a lethal and devastating almost prophetic declaration by Ribeiro, space is left for an unforgettable interplay between Amorim's solo and the keyboards.

Taking stock, "Irreligious" is beyond any discussion, an essential work in a genre too often afflicted by comic elements and banality. A work that (even if slightly inferior to 'Wolfheart') represents a point never again reached in its perfect alchemy, neither by Moonspell nor by anyone else.

"Somos memórias de lobos que rasgam a pele, lobos que foram homens e o tornarão a ser... ."