Long before the technology of recording sound existed, when people sought to interpret their world by revealing the poetry hidden in life, music enjoyed the status of an art form. Portugal's MOONSPELL affirms poetry and art as accomplices to their music by combining the age-old tradition of storytelling with the equally ancient talent of true musicianship. While MOONSPELL's music is called gothic and metal, their unconventional combination transcends both and embraces neither, giving them an enchanting aura.
Birthed over a decade ago with influences ranging from Celtic Frost to Sisters Of Mercy to their own native country's music, it only took two albums for MOONSPELL to establish themselves with a stylish presentation and shadowy lyrics: 1995's Wolfheart and 1996's Irreligious. Their developmental stage – characterized by Sin/Pecado - led them through a mature exploration of their talents, leading to 1999's The Butterfly Effect. Successful tours followed in North America with the likes of In Flames and Amorphis, and in Europe with Kreator, Witchery & Novembre. 2001's Darkness And Hope was a set of fiery emotions rich with theatrics and excitement, bringing them back to North America with labelmates Lacuna Coil.
Ribeiro attempts to classify his band, which has always been tough to pin down: "What is MOONSPELL?" Even I have problems with the answer to this question. I'd say we are representing a mixture of horror and beauty, heaviness and melody. The Antidote starts off very brutal and ends very melodic. This way we close the circle. This is MOONSPELL."
Never ones to repeat themselves, they encompass a juxtaposition of sounds and unexpected changes in dynamics, continually pushing the metal boundaries in gratifying ways. This new shape is rooted in all traditions and phases of the band, but also represents another step forward in their artistic development.