By: Anders

Posted: Jun 20, 2006

I have been caught in the web of Moonspell for quite some years now, I can't really remember what album and when the music first drew me in and made me return to the band's universe quite often. Though I got a bit disappointed by the bands last album "The Antidote" which was built up around a short story collection written by José Luis Peixoto, which was released together with one of the limited editions of the album. Well, there have been 3 years since the release of "The Antidote" and the Portuguese band is now once again ready with a new album entitled "Memorial", a very surprising album.

The album kicks off in a more raw and direct way than long heard from the band, when the small intro is done of course. The band has gone back to their roots and has dug up some of the black metal elements, they so vividly weaved into their first couple of releases, even Fernando Ribeiro uses his rasping vocals again, once in a while. The album is very dark and sinister, and draws one into it, from the first listen, which soon becomes many. The guitars are delivering all from fresh and catchy riffs, to disharmonic leads, to wicked off-beat riffing, calm atmospherically parts, yeah a great mix of what you know Moonspell can do, though this without it being stale or progressive. The music develops a lot throughout the album, both within the tracks and throughout the album. The keyboards play a big role in most of the songs, their bombastic and haunting moments, adds a lot to the final eerie atmosphere most of the music on "Memorial" possesses.

The drumming, which lays the backbone for the 2 guitars and the keyboards, are delivered very well, if that would be a surprise. Gaspar delivers some good beats and his percussion-like madness works really well on this album, really varied, atmospherically and hard hitting without overpowering anything. The sound is made in Woodhouse Studios with Waldemar Sorychta at the helm, and he has made a good production, one of his best I think. Really well-weighed and balanced, heavy without being too muddy, and still clear when needed, without getting dull.

This is so far Moonspell's best album, it adds all their previous works into a wholesome, and that wholesome is breathtaking and amazing. The band tells their tales very good and forces themselves into the listener's world. This is a rollercoaster ride of different sinister and beautiful emotions, from the start to the end, beauty and darkness blended into a whole, a vortex that drags you in. Moonspell has outdone their past, by taking it and progressing it into the current, props up from here, this is no less than a masterpiece.

Rating: 9/10

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