Moonspell
Under Satanæ

THE REVIEW

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.