Moonspell, hailing from sunny Portugal, were one of the leading gloomy melodic (Goth) metal bands in Europe halfway through the last decade. Their albums ‘Wolfheart’ (1995) and ‘Irreligious’ (1996) were very well received by both press and fans, and some successful tours followed. However, the two albums after that, ‘Sin/Pecado’ (1998) and ‘The Butterfly Effect’ (1999), showed a much more tamed Moonspell, leaning more and more to melodic, almost symphonic soft rock music. And although the press still praised their work for what it was, a lot of fans turned away from Moonspell, and went looking for ‘gloom-metal’ elsewhere. Now, in 2001, Moonspell is back with a new album, titled ‘Darkness and Hope’. On this album, Moonspell displays a darker sound once again, reviving the days of ‘Irreligious’ once again. But at the same time, there is a difference: there is a lot more diversity on this album.

It’s not all hard ’n heavy. A lot of samples and keys have been used to create a gothic atmosphere, and there are a lot of [ingetogen] passages in these songs. This makes for a dynamic album, one that the old fans will enjoy, but shall have to get used to at first. ‘Darkness and Hope’, perhaps a title with a deeper meaning. It could mean a return to darkness, and thereby hope for the glory days once again. But it could also describe the dynamics between the heaviness of some parts and melody of others. One thing is for sure: this is an album you grow into; you may like it the first time, but you’ll really appreciate it after ten or twenty spins in your stereo. So don’t be surprised if my initial grade will eventually prove (up to) a point too low… Definitely a record that will help Moonspell reclaim their rightful place as one of the leading bands in gothic metal!