•
Rating: It was clear that a burning rekindling process for black metal sounds was underway with Moonspell at the time of the release, which dates back to last year, of 'Memorial', a work in which the Portuguese band intensified their sounds, abandoning the contaminated atmospheres of previous career releases to once again look back to where it all began.
This is the perspective with which one needs to view 'Under Satanæ', an album that takes up pieces written at the dawn of Moonspell's existence and offers them in a re-recorded version from top to bottom, giving them a new outfit, decidedly more up-to-date (not for nothing, they headed to Anfarm Studios to avail themselves of the production of Tue Madsen). Thus, the ten compositions presented are those released up until 1994, namely the EP 'Under The Moonspell', the demo 'Anno Satanæ', and the track 'Serpent Angel', which even saw the light under the name Morbid God, a band that predates the birth of Moonspell as such.
Listening to the renewed pieces makes it evident how the band’s technical/creative potential was already extremely high, and now, thanks to a perfect sound, they shine in their grand magnificence. It is distinctly perceived how black metal was projected beyond the teachings of the Scandinavian school, to embrace avant-garde metal, unconventional folk (with ethnic origins), and orchestral/symphonic influences. I believe that 'Under Satanæ' should be considered a tasteful tribute, capable of satisfying the morbid sound cravings of Moonspell's followers while they await their next studio work.
Tracklist and Lyrics
07 Goat on Fire (06:34)
'It is the dawn of a new morning at the Mountains of Silver
and I would rather live in the ice than in the middle of
the modern virtue and other southern winds'
(Friedrich Nietzsche)
When the cold winds blows the fog away
releasing dark shining shapes of a mystic forest.
I embrace the Nightfall
Old voices from ancient Witches announce
the gathering of thee
...The ones of a thousand young.
Here in the North... where We come forth to assemble.
Where I Knee unto thee...
Four times one and one are all.
The four crowned Princes of Hell.
The ones with the Sygil of Evil...
Witness... the Goat on Fire. Who feed my desire.
The Goat on Fire.
A goat with the Northern Ice.
A goat with the Southern Fire.
Rex Tenebrarum! The crow over my soul.
Tremendae Majestatis. The raven inside my Heart...
Four times one and one are all.
The four crowned princes of Hell
The ones with the Sygil of Evil...
Goat on Fire... Come feed my desire.
08 Ancient Winter Goddess (06:08)
A pure veil of darkness.
A mysterious fog.
The Moon is full.
And the Wolves you call.
Red as my blood it is the sky above us.
As I witness the arrival of the Winter Solstice.
And I cry from the abyss with the legions of Lilith.
Who grant me, son of Goat, the virtues of the black oath.
And I clime upon the Raven Mountain and yell.
Oh! Thunders of light and pyres of flames
- Fire is my domain -
Oh! Freezing breezes, rain and snow
- Winter is my domain -
Oh! White Whale, Leviathan
-Water is my domain-
Oh! Most beatiful moutains and forests
-The Earth and Air are my domain-
So I invocate: Eaaaaaaa! Winter rise!...
and the Ancient Winter Goddess rises
and sits in her throne of snow and stone.
Soon red will be the colour of the snow under us because
She have sent Her angels and the fury of Winter.
A cold morning will born and white is the sky above us.
And by the powers of Winter
Die!
09 Wolves From the Fog (07:03)
Hear the howling...
Narration:
As the light falls and darkness paints the sky in black, a cold Moon shines
And the red somber eyes awake, the forest whispers... Oh! Whispers my
Unholy name
From a frozen Mist I rise, I, Wolf, rise!
And my brothers will attack under this blood sign...
Wolves from the fog will join in a nocturnal operetta
When the wind sounds bohemia and the trumpets loud bacanal
Oh! Fausts and ninfs the joy of Nahima, Mistress of the Sabbat
Soon we'll be embraced by our father - the one with horns
Satan is rejoicing in pleasure destroying the shapes of flesh
...And once again from the fog, with horns on head came the Wolf
Carrying in is shoulder the sacrifice, a beauty to this Walpurgis Eve
As, to the somber image of our God, the Wolf with Horns I walk!
Loading comments slowly
Other reviews
By OzzyRotten
The suspicion that Ribeiro and company want to blissfully and openly take us for a ride trying to squeeze a few extra bucks out of us remains.
These things are, naturally, part of the band’s background but are a clear sign... of how much their versatility and their genius were a starting signal for other bands.
By _Ozzy
This album, sadly, marks the end of my relationship with Moonspell.
Fernando Ribeiro, always the true star, is undeniably the focus of the album and it hurts to hear him sing bland and senseless melodies.
